Sapphire Scales: Sisters' Tales

Chapters

Chapter 1: The Egg
Chapter 2: Growing Pains
Chapter 3: The Test
Chapter 4: Flying High
Chapter 5: Burning Low
Chapter 6: Family is Magic
Chapter 7: A New Start

Chapter 1: The Egg

"GARJZLA!"

The midnight forest was momentarily illuminated by a flash of red light as the magical bolt struck. Its caster had given it deadly force, but had missed their target in their hurry, instead striking her steed. It was dead before it had even struck the ground, but the raven-haired elf was quicker, leaping off of her horse's back and taking off on foot with her precious cargo clutched tight. She only spared a moment to glance back at her guards, seeing both of them had already been felled by a flurry of arrows. She couldn't stop the anguished cry that ripped through her at seeing them, but that was all of the mourning she could afford before sprinting into the night.

"After her! She's the one I want!"

She didn't flinch as an arrow sailed past her ear with a hum, her mind racing with thoughts of how she would escape this ambush. Urgals weren't smart enough to plan an ambush or crafty enough to infiltrate their ranks deeply enough to learn her party's route. Combined with the spell that had nearly killed her, Arya knew that they were being led by something much more sinister.

She drew up short, forced to stop when the trees and undergrowth in front of her burst into flames. She could hear section after section of the forest erupting into blazing infernos, and faster than she could have possibly outrun, she was trapped in a ring of flames. For a moment she considered using her own magic to clear a path, but pitting her strength against another caster would leave her too drained to outrun the foot soldiers.

There was a small granite crag to the north, one she could easily climb if she could reach it. It would give her enough height to leap over the flames and make her escape. Again, her sharp senses picked up the fetid scent of Urgals, and she could hear the horned beasts charging towards her. She kept one arm wrapped around her pouch and the treasure inside, and the other reached for her short sword. There were at least three of them between her and freedom, if her ears were serving her correctly, and more on the way.

She could kill three with ease.

When the monsters closing in on her had been dispatched, she didn't waste time fighting the rest, setting herself for an all-out sprint to the granite crag. She had always been quick on her feet, and Arya left the rest of the enemy soldiers behind with ease, closing the distance in a matter of seconds. Once more, however, her hopes for freedom were cut off as she was forced to come to a sudden stop. Rather than flames springing up, this time a figure slammed down in front of her, having leapt from the top of the rock. He was gaunt and pale as death, with blazing red hair and dark, maroon eyes hungry for blood. Arya's blood ran cold as she realized she was face to face with a Shade, a frighteningly powerful caster. He grinned at her wickedly, with one hand holding a long, thin sword and the other raised and ready to cast a spell. His almost-translucent skin glistened in the firelight as he slowly advanced, clearly finding her apparent helplessness delicious. She whipped her head from side to side, praying that the fates had left her some way out. Behind her, she could hear her earlier efforts to outrun the enemy soldiers come to naught as they caught up and entered the small clearing. Arya met his gaze, drawing herself up with every ounce of dignity and courage she could draw from the pit of her soul. If this monster wanted to take enjoyment from her, she would make sure it was hard-won, without tears or begging.

The Shade glanced over her shoulder, looking to his troops.

"Get her."

She had seconds left, and only one final resort. If she did not possess the object she was carrying, she couldn't be robbed of it. It would be casting their fate to the winds and praying that the breeze was favorable, and she would ordinarily never have even considered it. However, even a small chance for good to prevail out of her hands was better than absolute certainty of evil's victory in her hands.

She hastily unwrapped the item, letting the satchel drop to the ground as her mouth hastily muttered words in the Ancient Language. When she raised the sacred object to the sky, the Shade seemed to catch wind of her plans and raised his own hand to cast.

Time seemed to slow as she watched the fireball leap from his hand towards her. Her tongue moved deftly and her lips didn't stutter as she finished the last of the incantation, but she could feel the Shade's influence on her spell, trying to draw it away from her control. It was less than a second, but under the intense concentration it felt like hours that the two of them pulled back and forth on one another. As she felt the tide of magic beginning to turn, Arya threw all of her strength into the spell, throwing aside caution and invoking words of authority and power. The sapphire stone in her hand shimmered with emerald light, outshining the moon and the fire in a brilliant surge of magic power, and despite it meaning she had succeeded, she felt no satisfaction when the weight of it was gone. She had decided to let the dice roll on millions of lives and hundreds of years of careful tradition and preparation. What would happen next was beyond anyone's control, and she could only pray that this remnant of their world's legacy would find a home somewhere safe.

The last sensation she experienced was the searing explosion of pain as the fireball struck her squarely in the chest, and the world faded to black to the sound of the Shade's infuriated howl.

This time of day, Twilight Sparkle would usually be making her third trip to the library. The policy that fillies under ten years old couldn't check out more than three books at a time was a real problem, but not one she could do anything about for a few more years. For today, however, that had become a non-issue, since she was spending the afternoon outside.

"Now, pull back just a little..."

Twilight did as she was told, and watched with glee as the kite responded by floating higher and higher.

"Great job, Twily!" Shining Armor ground his hoof on the top of her head, giving her an affectionate noogie. "See! I knew you could do it on your own, this time!"

Twilight blinked, coming back to the moment in a cacophony of warring thoughts and emotions. She gave the kite string a hard pull, watching it turn and plummet downwards at breakneck speed. With a far-off crunch, the kite crumpled and impaled itself on the branches of one of the park's trees.

"O-Oh! I guess I still need help!"

She knew that he didn't believe her before she'd even finished the words, and his tired sigh and disappointed look felt like they were twisting the knife in her heart.

"Twily, you KNOW I have to go. I can't stay just to keep teaching you how to fly a kite that you already can fly on your own..."

Twilight thought about trying to keep up the charade, but she couldn't stop herself from pressing up against her Big Brother Best Friend Forever as she began to cry. "I- I don't want you to go!"

"I know, but I have to..." Shining Armor wrapped a hoof around her. "The Royal Guard training starts tomorrow. I've gotten more time than most recruits to say my goodbyes because we live in Canterlot, but I can't wait any longer!"

"But-"

"And you KNOW how much being in the guard means to me, don't you?"

Twilight clamped her mouth shut, only able to sniffle and nod as she remembered countless days that the two of them had spent watching the Royal Guard going about their duties, with Shining Armor doing his best to emulate their every move.

"And YOU have your test for Princess Celestia's school in a couple weeks, don't you? When you get in, you're going to be studying there full-time!"

Twilight wanted to correct him and say that wasn't a guarantee. She still had to PASS the exam, first, and then there was the matter of whether or not she'd be a part-time home study or a full-time scholar depending on her score, and then on top of that-

"Besides, it's not like I'll be gone forever, right? We'll see each other again soon, I promise!"

Twilight pressed her face into her brother's side, wiping her tears on his white coat. "P-Promise?"

Shining Armor dropped to one knee, looking her straight in the eyes. "I promise, little sister..."

The rest of their last day passed in a blur of tears and dread. They stayed out at the park until the sun had nearly set, though the majority of Shining's attention was pulled away from her when Cadence had shown up to say their own goodbyes (the kind that involved kissing and other gross mushy stuff that Twilight had no interest in seeing her brother doing). Then they'd gone back home together, where their parents were both waiting with teary eyes and the heavy trunk he had packed with everything he would need. As a family, they'd all traveled to the train station together, and after squeezing every last hug they could out of him, Shining Armor had stepped onto the express train to the other side of the city, where the recruitment center was waiting for the last few stragglers to take to the training grounds.

Now Twilight was sitting in her room, despondently staring at an open book with bleary eyes. She was trying to focus, but her brain just felt tired, too tired to focus on what usually held her attention so easily. After what felt like hours of turning pages without really taking anything in, she finally shut the cover and decided to call it a night.

She clambered into bed and pulled the blankets up to her chin, trying to ignore the overwhelming feeling of emptiness coming from the house. Specifically, one door down the hall. She knew that, objectively, it should have been a night like any other, but she couldn't shake the feeling of a void just on the other side of her wall. She tossed and turned trying to get comfortable, but nothing seemed to be able to pull her away from the thoughts that her brother wasn't there, and those thoughts made everything hurt. Even Smarty Pants seemed to do nothing to ease the pain, no matter how tight she squeezed.

She continued to toss back and forth until she was shocked out of her reverie... literally. An electric spark leaped from her blanket to her hoof, painfully snapping her back to the present.

"Ow!" She shook her hoof lightly, trying to dissipate the pain as she sat up again. As she glanced around her room, however, she realized that there was more to the shock than a simple case of static electricity.

The air in her room had changed. It was charged with magical energy, practically buzzing with it. The window was shut tight, but a breeze had still begun to take shape, and in a matter of seconds it had evolved into a blustering frenzy.

"Wha-What's happening?" Twilight stammered, pulling her blanket tighter. The aura in the air had grown so strong, it was making her teeth tingle and her horn ache. The power climbed higher and higher as more sparks leaped from one surface to another, coalescing from every corner of her room and sparking their way towards the center of her room. The more arcs of power gathered, the more their glow tinged and tinted to an emerald green. She could feel the power escalating to a fever pitch, and she finally pulled the covers over her head, trying to protect herself from whatever was happening.

And with a flash, a crack, and the smell of smoke, everything fell silent.

Twilight waited several seconds before she dared to poke her head above the comforter, making sure that everything was safe before she dared leave her bed. The winds had stopped, the aura in the air was gone, and all the electricity seemed to have expended itself. She nearly jumped out of her skin when there was the sound of a hoof pounding against her door.

"Twilight Sparkle, I thought we told you no more late-night spells!" her mother chided.

Twiight's response was one borne out of habit, an apology she'd kept on standby for so long and used so many times, she was barely even aware she was saying it. "S-sorry, Mom!"

Twilight rolled herself out of bed and onto her hooves, her eyes widening as she stepped around the corner of her bed and found herself staring at a mysterious object.

It was a blue stone, the deepest blue she had ever seen, and even laying on its side, it was tall enough to reach her chest. It glittered and shimmered in the moonlight, with hair-thin veins of metallic white that caught the silver light coming through the window. Iridescent flecks only accented the deep ocean blue of the surface, making the color feel all the more regal by shimmering like diamonds. It was standing in the center of a giant scorch mark on the wooden floor that made it look as if it had recently been on fire, with soot-stained streaks of black radiating out from the stone evenly in all directions.

"I understand you're upset, but you need to try to get to sleep! If you don't stop reading so late, you're not going to be able to preform your best for the entrance exam!" Her mother continued. "So please, try to get to sleep, honey!"

Twilight blinked, finally coming to recognize the fact that her mother was just outside her door. Her head snapped back and forth between the mystery stone and the door, debating whether or not she should get straight to telling her what had just happened... and then her eyes lingered on the scorch marks on their polished hardwood. The very nice hardwood flooring that had been in this house and stayed intact as long as she could remember. Combined with the fact that her mother thought that the disturbance had been HER doing and that Twilight had no proof to the contrary that the damage was her fault...

"O-Okay, Mom! I'll go to bed, now! Goodnight!" She called, frantically reaching out to the stone and rolling it aside. She felt her eyes near bug out of her head as it fully exposed the small blackened crater it had burned into their floor. She looked around her room and snatched a rug from the foot of her bed. She frantically scrubbed the rug against the soot, scrubbing away everything she could until the only marks left were the permanent ones. Turning the dirty side down, the rug was able to serve another, much more vital purpose: it covered all the signs of the stone's magical explosion.

With the current emergency mitigated, Twilight turned her attention back to the stone, itself.

What was it? Where had it come from? She wasn't anywhere NEAR trying summoning spells, she was barely getting the hang of levitation! It couldn't have been her fault, right? There was no possible- no conceivable way she could have done something like this on accident, right?

Had someone sent it to her? Had it sent itself? Was it dangerous? Should she go get her mom, now? What if it was an evil rock? Could rocks BE evil? If it was evil, how was it so pretty? Was it a gemstone? Was it a sapphire? A sapphire almost as big as HER? What was that kind of stone worth? Should she call someone? Who was she gonna call? Who would believe "this magical rock showed up in my room in the middle of the night and I had NOTHING to do with it" as a story from a filly her age, when the librarian didn't even believe she could take care of four books at once?

"Oh, what am I gonna do? What am I gonna do?" Twilight muttered, beginning to pace up and down the foot of her bed. "I wish Shining Armor was here..."

"Chrrp!"

Twilight froze in place. Eyes wide and with her heart pounding in her chest, she turned towards the source of the noise.

"Did... did the magic rock just-"

The stone squeaked, seeming to feel indignant at having been called a rock, and rocked slightly back and forth.

"H-Hey! Cut it out!" Twilight glanced frantically around for something she could use as a weapon, then settled for just pointing her horn and glowing it as brightly as she could. She didn't know any spells she could use offensively, but the rock probably didn't know that... right?

The rock continued chirping and squeaking as it rocked more and more violently back and forth. As cracks began to appear in its pristine surface, Twilight felt the pieces come together. The round shape, the movement, the sounds... it was an egg! A MAGIC EGG.

She could only watch as more and more cracks appeared in the surface of the egg, until the pieces began to flake off and fall away. With every second that ticked away, Twilight could see more and more of the creature inside, until it shattered completely into a pile of glittering fragments. Twilight's breath caught in her throat as batlike, membranous wings stretched wide, and the quadrupedal creature inside yawned and stretched like a cat with an arching of its back. Twilight noted that in spite of having just been born, it already possessed a pair of sharp-looking incisors in the top of its mouth. In her shock, she didn't notice the light spell failing as she fell back onto her haunches.

"A dragon..." she whispered. Beyond stating the obvious, she was speechless.

Dragons hadn't been native to Equestria for millennia, they lived in their own country far away and rarely visited ponies. They were hardly ever seen outside of migrations! And one had just hatched in her room and was staring directly at her.

Her entire brain had ground to a halt, and the dragon seemed to ignore her for the moment, shaking off what remained of the egg's inner membranes and beginning to clean itself up with its tongue. One thought managed to fight its way to the surface of Twilight's confusion: it was beautiful. Its scales were the same deep blue color as the eggshell, and even in its first clumsy steps, it seemed like it was trying to hold itself with a certain degree of poise. It had ivory-white talons on its feet, like the veins of white on the shell, and its eyes were a pair of bright blue points in the semi-darkness, still keeping locked directly on her. Its wings stretched again, wider than its body was long, and then settled against its sides. Once it had deemed itself sufficiently clean, it began to pad its way towards her, its claws clicking softly against the wood.

Twilight staggered back, still unsure what she should do. She knew dragons could be dangerous, but what about newborn dragons? Could it still hurt her? Some venomous reptiles were born with the ability to already use their venom to protect themselves, what about dragons? Could a newborn have venom? Could a newborn breathe fire? What about the way the egg had arrived? There had been HUGE amounts of magical power, and dragons were known for their physical strength, not their magical prowess. Were there a pair of worried dragon parents somewhere out there ready to tear their house apart looking for their egg?

She felt her rear push up against the wall as she ran out of room to retreat, and still the dragon continued walking towards her. It didn't appear to be threatening her, it was simply walking towards her with its head tilted to the side in a way that looked almost... curious.

Maybe curiosity is universal? Twilight thought, realizing that she was probably NOT the one in the room who knew the least about what was happening. When the dragon began sniffing at her, Twilight held out a trembling hoof towards it, aiming to let it get a better sniff. If it worked for helping cats and dogs feel more friendly, maybe it worked for dragons?

When the tip of the dragon's snout met her hoof, Twilight felt a shock of magical power run through her body. Before she had time to worry about what was happening, the world was already spinning, and a few seconds later she was completely unconscious.

Chapter 2: Growing Pains

"Are you sure about this, honey?"'

"We all need a day out, Night Light." Twilight Velvet gave her husband's shoulder a squeeze. The two of them were standing together outside their daughter's door, primed to wake her for a trip to the older parts of Canterlot city. "We can treat ourselves to everyone's favorite sights. I can see the falls, you can go to the old observatory..." her voice dropped to a whisper, "...and can you imagine how excited she'll be when she sees Canterlot's oldest library?"

Night Light chuckled and nodded. "You realize you're signing us up for multiple trips to Old Canterlot a week to take out and return books there, right?"

"Well, at least Dusty Pages is going to get a bit of a break!" The two of them laughed again at the thought of the haggard librarian before she knocked at the door and began to crack it open. "Twilight? Are you up, sweetie?"

The first thing that they noticed was that Twilight's bed was empty, but the fear only lasted for a moment until they spotted her laying on the floor, pressed against the wall. Twilight Velvet's breath caught in her throat as she spotted movement, something curled up beside her and stirring now that they had intruded on her room. It took only a moment for it to become clear WHAT the creature was: a dragon. A blue dragon, curled up beside their sleeping daughter. The dragon stretched itself for a moment before sitting up and staring directly at them. Its blue eyes were bright and intelligent, feeling like they were burning their gaze into her with an aura much bigger and more regal than its size would imply.

"Where- how-" Night Light started to stammer, only to shake his head in disbelief and fall silent again. That seemed to be enough to finally wake up Twilight, though. She stirred and groaned slightly as she rolled onto her hooves. When she finally seemed to be awake enough to recognize what was happening, her eyes shot open wide and her head snapped back and forth between her parents and the dragon. Twilight Velvet almost snickered at that, she KNEW that expression: her daughter knew she'd been caught. Caught in what had yet to be determined, but caught nonetheless. After several seconds of frantic panicking, she finally resigned herself to using her giant, adorable eyes to plead with them.

"Can... we keep her?"

Twilight Velvet had already made her decision before her daughter could finish the question. She was a thrill-seeker, it had always been in her, down to her bones. This was clearly an adventure planting itself right in their daughter's hooves, and she was begging for the chance to take it. If Twilight Sparkle was going to take after her mother, there was no way she could deny it. She smiled and poked her hoof into her husband's side.

"Well, honey? CAN we keep her?"

Night Light looked frantically back and forth between his daughter and his wife, and Twilight Velvet took a moment to savor how flustered he was. Over the years being married to her, he seemed to learn not to be surprised by anything, and it was fun to see him lose it again for the first time in years.

"W-Well, I- I suppose if your mother's okay with it..."

"YES! YesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesYEEEEESSSSSS!" she immediately took to her hooves, beginning to jump gleefully around the room in the most adorable way. The dragon watched all of this with fascination, not seeming to be disturbed at all by the deliberation or Twilight's sudden celebration.

"Are you sure about this?" Night Light whispered.

"Come on, there's no coincidences, right?" She replied under her breath. "Besides, look at how happy she is... I'm sure it'll work out." She walked up to the tiny dragon and bent down to look it in the eyes. "Welcome to the family."

The dragon tilted her head (Velvet still wasn't sure how Twilight knew it was a "her," but she was willing to trust her daughter on that one) and returned the stare with burning intensity. Something in those eyes told Velvet that this creature, while seeming to be mute, was certainly intelligent enough to understand her.

"So... what is your name?" She glanced over the dragon's scales, watching them shimmer and sparkle in the morning light. "Blue... Aqua?"

The dragon's eyes narrowed aggressively, making her disapproval clear.

"Okay, what bout... Azure- no- Azura?"

The glare didn't budge.

"Cobalt? Indigo? Marina?"

Finally, Twilight's ecstatic prancing came to a stop, walking up beside her and staring at the little dragon with equal scrutiny.

"She's like a sapphire... What about Saphira?"

The dragon finally seemed to be pleased with that suggestion, letting the glare drop and walking over to Twilight to rub affectionately against her.

Twilight Velvet resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Of course none of her suggestions had been good enough, but Twilight's first idea was accepted. Clearly, this little dragon had picked a favorite.

"Saphira it is!"

"Come on, you have to eat!" Twilight urged, pushing the saucer of milk towards Saphira. "You're a baby dragon, and babies have to eat so they can grow up strong!"

She could practically feel the dissatisfaction washing off of Saphira as she glared at the offering. Finally, she spun in place, smacking the saucer hard enough to send it flying. Twilight only barely managed to catch the saucer in a levitation spell before it hit the wall and shattered, but she wasn't able to do anything to stop herself from being soaked with warm milk.

"Fine... what DO you want?" Twilight grumbled. "I've read some dragons eat gemstones, or Mom made hayburgers the other night-"

Twilight cut herself off as she felt a wave of disgust wash over her, almost strong enough to make her breakfast return to her mouth. Her head was swimming, almost spinning, and she leaned against the table to steady herself. After several seconds of breathing heavily and screwing her eyes shut, the sensation passed enough for her to look back at Saphira.

"Was... was that YOU?"

The little dragon nodded slowly.

"Okay... I guess you don't like hayburgers..." Twiight mumbled, reaching to pour her third bowl of cereal. Usually, she didn't eat more than two, but she was still ravenous. Her mind, however, was focused on other questions. How did Saphira make her feel that? Was that telepathy magic? How was a dragon using telepathy magic? Wait... is that why I'm so hungry this morning? Am I feeling HER hunger?

"Fine... then what should we- hey! Where are you going?" Twilight watched as Saphira finally seemed to give up on the dining room table and its contents altogether. With a flap of her wings, the tiny dragon took to the air, flying in a tight circle around the kitchen before making a beeline for the open window. Twilight's eyes widened as Saphira escaped outside, rushing for the window to try and follow. Even in the time it took for her to scramble up onto the window, Saphira had completely vanished.

"SAPHIRA, COME BACK!"

Twilight wasn't sure what to do. She wasn't a pegasus, there was no way she could catch up, even if she DID know where Saphira had gone. She wanted to take off running after her, but that would almost certainly be fruitless, too. In the back of her mind, Twilight knew that the most important thing was to stay here, make sure that if Saphira came back there would be someone to meet her. After what felt like a hundred options ran through her mind, Twilight finally hung her head and resigned herself to the worst feeling in the world- sitting and waiting.

"We could have figured it out..."

"Squeak!"

Twilight blinked, her head snapping down to the sound just below the window. Her eyes widened as a mixture of relief and shock filled her.

There was Saphira, hardly gone so much as a few feet from the house. She had pinned a large rat under her claws and latched her fangs onto its throat. Twilight could hardly do more than watch as the rat stopped moving, and a few seconds later it had disappeared down Saphira's throat, swallowed whole.

Okay, DEFINITELY a carnivore... I probably should have guessed that. Twilight thought. This time, the urge to vomit was entirely her own.

With her belly now full, Saphira licked her chops with a satisfied look on her face before flying back up to the windowsill. The dragon was clearly proud of herself, licking her claws clean before staring up at Twilight with a look she would almost describe as "smug."

Twilight sighed, wrapping a hoof around Saphira and pulling her close. Saphira let out an indignant squeak, but Twilight refused to relent.

"Don't scare me like that! Canterlot's a HUGE city, and if you get lost out there we might never find you!"

Twilight felt a grudging acceptance coming from Saphira as the drake pushed back against her, trying to escape the embrace. Twilight refused, pulling her tighter.

"Promise me you won't go out by yourself again! If you want to go hunting, I'll go with you!" It was a hastily-made promise Twilight knew she wouldn't enjoy keeping, but the fear of losing Saphira she'd gone through just now vastly outweighed the disgust she felt at watching her eat another creature. "I know my way around, it's how I get to the library by myself!"

This time, the impression Twilight got was one of indignation and frustration, but she stayed firm. "Or... I can tell Mom and Dad to keep the windows shut from now on! There's ways to get meat without letting you go out and hunt it, yourself!"

Saphira pulled away from her enough to arch her long neck and stare at her in disbelief. Twilight settled on her best impression of her mother's "try me" face. The two of them stayed locked in a staring contest for a few seconds, and Twilight could feel her will quickly eroding under Saphira's smoldering gaze, but she refused to back down. Finally, Saphira relented, looking to the side and scoffing angrily.

"Good!" Twilight smiled and let go of her grip on the proud little dragoness. "Now, I've got dishes to do, and then we need to study for the entrance exam!"

Saphira nodded, hopping down from the window and taking up a sentry position by the kitchen sink. A moment later, however, inspiration seemed to strike, and a glint of mischief appeared in Saphira's eyes. Without warning, her tail snaked around the counter and swept the majority of the dirty dishes into the soapy water with an ear-splitting clatter.

"No no NO! I had those... organized." Twilight sighed. Well, THAT was clearly payback for the unwanted hug... Still worth it.

"So, once we return these, we need to get..." Twilight went over the list of topics in her head, crossing off one magical subject after another. "Thaumic iconography and modern incantation composition!"

Twilight cast a glance back at Saphira, where she was perched on top of a small pile of books in her wagon. Saphira nodded, affirming that she would commit the topics to memory and make sure Twilight stuck to them. Twilight knew that if she got distracted, Saphira would make sure that what was supposed to be a five-minute trip to check out new books wouldn't turn into a five-hour one. It was a rapport they'd repeated at least a dozen times over the last week as Saphira integrated herself as an essential part of Twilight's library trips.

"I don't know if two books on each will be enough..." Twilight tapped her chin. "We might have to swing by the Canterlot University library on our way home."

CU only let her take out two books at a time, and that was thanks to her other teachers making a provisional account for her there, but it had some of the best and most thorough textbooks she'd ever seen, and she felt like it had taken her studies to a whole new level.

The problem, of course, was that they refused to let Saphira in because of the "fire hazard" she presented, no matter how many times Twilight told them that she wasn't even old enough to breathe fire, yet! That meant that she had to either leave Saphira outside on her own (which made her worry, no matter how many times Saphira had proven to have an impeccable sense of direction) or go by herself, which was becoming more and more uncomfortable. In just over a week, Saphira had become an irreplaceable part of her routine, and it felt wrong for the two of them to separate.

"Hey, Twilight!"

Twilight drew up short as a trio of other fillies came running up to her, inadvertently cutting off her path to the library. Moondancer, Lyra, and Minuette all looked excited, but Twilight would have been lying if she said she was eager to find out why.

"Told you we'd find her going this way!" Lyra smiled and poked Minuette in the ribs.

"That new carousel is opening up today!" Moondancer smiled and pointed in a direction perpendicular to her path. "They're throwing a big party, there's even cake and a prize for the first filly to ride it ten times in a row without getting sick! Wanna come?"

Twilight cringed. She didn't want to go to some party when she had so much work to do, and even worse, these fillies were cutting into her valuable study time!

"I don't think so... I've got my entrance exam in a few days, and-"

"Ugh, all you ever DO is study! Don't you get bored?" Minuette asked. "Day and night, all you ever do is go to the library and back! Don't you want to have some FUN?"

"Studying IS fun..." Twilight mumbled, trying to hide her annoyance as she took hold of her wagon's handle and started to side-step the other girls.

"No, it's not!" Minuette insisted, going out of her way to get back in Twilight's way. "Come on, Twilight! You need to do something fun, or you're just gonna turn into a giant nerd! Come with us!"

"Well, maybe I LIKE being a giant nerd! Now go away!" Twilight snapped, trying to push past. Minuette held her ground, refusing to let Twilight continue on her way to the library. The two collided, and when Twilight tried to push past, Minuette pushed back, causing her to lose her balance and fall onto the sidewalk.

"I think you just don't like us! This is why you don't have any friends, Twilight!"

"W-Well, you-" Just as Twilight felt the tears beginning to flow, her response was cut off by a furious-sounding hiss and a flash of blue. Saphira had rushed out in front of her, interposing herself between Twilight and the other girls. Her hackles were raised and her needle-sharp teeth were bared in a show of aggression. Her wings were half-unfurled to make her appear bigger and her entire body was coiled like a spring. The other three stumbled back, clearly terrified of the out-of-control dragon. Saphira snapped at them, looking as if she were trying to take a chunk out of their legs but had come up short by several inches. Lyra and Minutette both screamed before sprinting away in the direction they'd pointed to, leaving them far behind. Moondancer hesitated for a moment longer, giving Twilight a sad look before turning and following the other two.

Twilight sniffled as she pushed herself back to her hooves, and Saphira settled into a much calmer, aloof-looking position sitting on her haunches. She smiled and sat down beside her dragon friend, mimicking her pose and gently stroking the top of her head with her hoof.

"Thanks, Saphira..."

Saphira looked for a moment that she was considering ignoring Twilight's thanks, but she leaned over and affectionately nuzzled Twilight's side. It only lasted a second, and to any outside observer it would have looked like Saphira just momentarily lost her balance and leaned on her for support, but Twilight could feel the love behind the action. When the moment had passed, Saphira returned to her perch on top of the tiny hoard of books, and Twilight wiped away the last remnants of her tears. Together, the two of them resumed their trek to cycle through the libraries of Canterlot.

Chapter 3: The Test

"Twilight Sparkle!"

Twilight felt her blood turn to ice in her veins when her name was called by the testing administrators. She glanced up at her parents, each of whom gave her their widest and proudest smiles before nodding for her to go. She did her best to swallow her fear, then looked to Saphira, who was standing just beside her. Saphira raised a questioning eyebrow, as if surprised Twilight was even asking her for help, before nodding the same way her parents had.

Twilight took a deep breath to steady herself before trotting up to the door, where a pony with a clipboard was waiting.

"Name?"

"T-Twilight Sparkle!"

"Age?"

"Eight years old!" Twilight had practiced these questions at least a hundred times. Her parents could have answered for her, but they'd all agreed it would give a better impression if she answered, herself.

"Which program at Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns will you be applying for, Miss Sparkle?"

"A-Advanced Thaumaturgical Studies! The one taught directly by Princess Celestia!"

"You and every other filly..." the pony with the clipboard muttered. "Physical and magical examination results?"

Twilight reached into her saddlebag, producing a manila folder the family doctor had given them. The pony didn't bother looking inside, slipping it into a stack of several dozen identical other folders.

"Have you taken any kind of magical supplement in the past forty-eight hours?"

"No!"

"Have you experienced any of the following symptoms in the past forty-eight hours: lightheadedness, involuntary magical discharge, fainting, loss of vision, involuntary glowing, fever, shortness of breath, or involuntary teleportation? These may be signs of a possible overabundance of mana or a rare-but-possible negative reaction to the charms placed around the school." He read the list in a total monotone, and Twilight wondered just how many times he must have done this today to sound so bored.

Twilight decided that the lightheadedness and pounding of her heart due to nervousness probably didn't count. "No, none of that!"

"Final question: Are you bonded to any familiar, spirit, magical item, or other aide which you believe should be present at your test? This will impact the task presented to you, so please answer truthfully."

"N-" Twilight stopped as a thought occurred to her. She glanced back at her family, glancing over the three of them and letting her eyes linger on Saphira. Their eyes met again, and Twilight could tell that, even at this distance, the two of them were thinking the same thing.

"Y-Yes! My dragon partner, Saphira!"

"Dragon?" This finally seemed to break through the haze of boredom the administrator had cloaked himself in.

"Saphira, come on!" Twilight turned around and waved for Saphira to join her. Saphira didn't hesitate, bounding the distance in a matter of seconds and taking her place by Twilight's side with her head held high (nearly higher than Twilght's own head, she noticed. Saphira was definitely growing faster than she was...).

"Okay... One dragon familiar... noted." He marked the last few notes on his clipboard before the page disappeared in a puff of smoke. "Go ahead inside, your parents will be right behind you in the viewing area."

Twilight took a deep breath, trying to drink in as much of Saphira's confident aura as possible before she pushed open the doors and entered the classroom. It was empty, aside from a blackboard, several ascending rows of desks and seats for the students, and four sharply-dressed, tired-looking judges standing at the very top, with a perfectly unobstructed view.

On the other side of the room, another pair of doors opened and a pony silently wheeled in a cart with a single object placed on top of it: a metal sun, crafted from polished bronze and in the shape of Celestia's famous heavenly cutie mark. The pony wheeling in the cart reached into a drawer on the cart and retrieved a small piece of stiff white thread, which he inserted into a small hole at the top of the metal sun. Fastened on the side of the cart was an illustration of what was expected of her: the same sun, with a flame burning where the thread had been inserted.

Light the lamp... Is it that simple? Twilight marveled, blinking several times. That's basic fire magic! They even gave me a wick!

Beside her, Saphira growled, and Twilight agreed: there was no way that the test was this simple. However, they had to start somewhere. Twilight looked up at the administrators, one of whom gave her a curt nod.

"Well, Miss Sparkle?"

The test had begun.

Twilight stepped up and examined the lamp, but couldn't find anything odd about it. A brief feel with a levitation spell certainly felt like it had enough weight to be filled with fuel, and when the judges all raised an eyebrow and began writing notes, Twilight felt her heart beating a mile a minute. She stepped away, forcing out a chuckle to pretend she wasn't intimidated.

She decided to try the simplest answer first: a firestarter spell. Her father had taught it to her ages ago, when her mom had insisted on a week-long camping trip as a whole family. It would work in wind, in rain... if there was fuel, it would light. She closed her eyes and focused her magic to a point at the tip of the wick. There was a spark, a flash of orange flame... and then it snuffed itself out, leaving only a wisp of smoke.

Twilight tried again, and the flame snuffed out just as quickly.

Twilight glared at the lamp, trying not to let her nerves get the best of her. Her brain started trying to break the problem down. Fire required three things: oxygen, fuel, and a spark. The room clearly had oxygen, the lamp was filled with fuel, and she had provided the spark! What's wrong? Does it need a particular trigger?

She tried changing tactics. How else could one make a spark?

She did her best to build up a charge in her horn before pressing it close to the wick. She couldn't help but feel satisfied as a spark of electricity jumped from her horn to the wick, producing a spark. She gritted her teeth and held her breath as she pushed harder and harder to keep the arc going. Just as she felt that her eyes were about to pop out of her head, she let the spell taper off and took a deep gasp of air.

"Did- Did it work?" she breathlessly asked herself once her head had stopped spinning.

The wick was blackened and smoldering, but still without a flame.

It's shaped like the sun... is that a clue?

Twilight had spent many a long night studying the more arcane and conceptual elements of magic, but that didn't mean she'd shirked the basics. She looked around the room until she spotted a nearby window. She cast a quick glance at the judges, feeling her panic rising higher as they all continued scribbling notes on her every move. This wasn't the time to hesitate.

According to Magical Crafts and the Rise of Arcane Tradesponies Volume 3, glassblowers had been using magic to enhance their methods for centuries, including making the glass in the Royal Castle stronger and more tenacious. If her theory was right, then she had everything she needed around her, she just needed to be more resourceful.

A more forceful use of the levitation spell was enough to pull a pane of glass out of the moulding from the window leading outside. She flinched and looked nervously up at the judges, who had all stopped writing to watch her closely.

"I- I'll put it right back!"

She brought the glass closer, eyeing it closely as she pushed it with her magic. The glass was still glass, but it had just the tiniest amount of give and flexibility. Twilight focused, trying to ignore her building headache. She pushed on the center of the glass, forcing it to expand out. She held the now-curved glass up to the light, catching the sun's rays and focusing them to the singular point of the wick.

"Come on, come on..." she whispered, praying that she wasn't about to embarrass herself AND vandalize a classroom for nothing. After several seconds of adjusting, Twilight found the sweet spot that aligned the focal point of the lens with the wick. The thread started to glow red and smoke, clearly trying to ignite, but fire still eluded her. One of the judges yawned and another checked their watch.

"We don't have all day."

This was the single most important day of Twilight's life, and she was blowing it.

This was more magic than Twilight had ever used in a single day in her entire life, and she was really starting to feel the strain. Her head was pounding, her eyes were watering, and her knees were threatening to buckle. With a tearful sigh, Twilight set the glass down on a nearby desk. She sat back on her haunches to try and catch her breath, casting a glance at Saphira.

"Any contributions? I know you can't breathe fire, yet, but..."

Twilight watched Saphira step up to the cart, sniffing at the lamp. After a moment, her eyes widened and she pulled back in surprise. After a moment, Saphira turned to the judges, giving them a soul-searing glare. Most of them seemed unaffected, though one of them DID squirm slightly under the dragon's harsh judgement.

"What is it? What's wro-"

KRA-KA-KOOOOOOOM!

"YIPE!"

Twilight's entire body seized as the sound of an explosion ripped through the air. In that second, everything in her that had been holding back her fear and panic disappeared. Her head began to spin and the rest of the world faded away, leaving her with only her own thoughts and fears.

I'm going to fail! I'm going to FAIL! This my only chance to get into Celestia's School and I'm going to fail! This is my once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I'm letting it slip through my hooves! And I even ripped apart one of the windows! I'm a vandal! Is that going to go on my permanent record? Does that mean I'm a criminal? Are the guards going to take me away to the dungeons? What would Princess Celestia think? I'm never going to be allowed in schools again! Are they going to take my library cards? WHY WOULDN'T THE LAMP STAY LIT?

I just need the lamp to be on fire, for that fake sun to actually give off REAL light!

"Twilight... Breathe in." A calm voice spoke in her mind.

Twilight obeyed out of sheer instinct, taking a deep breath and holding it.

"Breathe out. Breathe in... Breathe out. Be still."

The voice sent ripples of calm traveling through her soul, and something about it was familiar enough for her to instantly trust it. It was like throwing a stone into a calm lake, but played in reverse. All of the alarm bells and sirens and screaming in her mind began to adjust. They didn't disappear, but they approached the same, single tone. As the pounding of her heart and her hyperventilation both came back down to a reasonable pace, Twilight's awareness of her surroundings began to return.

Blue.

The first thing she noticed as a deep, calming blue hue all around her. Saphira was standing in front of her, wings spread protectively and looking straight into her eyes with an almost-hypnotic fixation. The only thing able to tear Twilight's eyes away was the sight of light streaming through the membranes of her wings, turning everything in the room the same sapphire shade. In spite of the cool color, Twilight felt like the room had risen to a sweltering level of heat, and sweat was already beginning to run down her forehead. She realized that the light was coming from the direction of the cart.

"Did I... do it?" She whispered, trying to arch her neck to look past Saphira.

"Don't. Unless you WANT to go blind?"

"Why would I-" Twilight's entire thought process came to a halt. "Did- Did you just TALK?"

"Were you expecting Princess Celestia?" Saphira tilted her head and smirked at her. Her voice was feminine, but deep, almost already sounding like an adult. It was a voice that rumbled up from deep at the base of her skull, rattling around inside of her head instead of being spoke aloud. Saphira's telepathy magic had grown.

"YOU CAN TALK!" Twilight jumped forward, wrapping her hooves around Saphira's neck and hugging her as tightly as she could.

Around them, the temperature in the room began to drop and the blue light dimmed. After a moment, Saphira seemed to deem it safe for her to lower her wings, but Twilight wasn't certain that she could trust her eyes.

The room was half-destroyed. Every exposed surface was either scorched or covered in soot, and every pony present had taken some kind of cover. Notably, a few of the judges were still desperately trying to pat out burning embers in their manes and tails, and her parents had clearly only barely managed to dive behind a turned-over desk in time. The cart had been reduced to a pile of charcoal topped by a coating of melted bronze, and standing over it was... Princess Celestia.

It was her. She was here, really HERE! Twilight felt herself starting to panic again, but the feeling of a wing draping itself over her stopped her from spiraling into another mental descent. Instead, her jaw dropped out of shock when she saw what Celestia was keeping contained in a bubble of dark-tinted magic: a miniature sun. It was a ball of nuclear fire no larger than an orange, but it was clearly the source of the near-incineration of the classroom.

"Well, I must say I'm impressed, if not flattered..." Princess Celestia smiled as she examined the fireball she was keeping contained. "A perfect mimicry of the same sun that I raise and lower every day."

"Wait, did I..." Twilight turned to look at Saphira, who nodded.

"Then this..." she gestured to the destruction of the entire room, and Saphira nodded again.

Twilight suddenly wished more than anything to curl up into a ball and bury herself under Canterlot Mountain right then and there.

"I- I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to-"

"Twilight Sparkle..." Princess Celestia held up a hoof to ask for silence. "You have a very special gift! I don't think I've ever come across a unicorn with your raw abilities!"

"Huh?" Twilight couldn't quite understand. Was there a reason she wasn't in the dungeons for destroying an entire room in the castle, yet?

"But you need to learn to tame these abilities through focused study," Princess Celestia continued.

"HUH?"

"Twilight Sparkle, I'd like to make you my own personal protégé here at the school!"

"HUH?" was all Twilight could manage as Celestia looked at her expectantly.

"Well?"

Twilight glanced back at her parents. If Princess Celestia was actually asking her what she SEEMED to be asking her- and this wasn't some dream- surely something this monumental required her to ask permission, right? Permission from her parents, from the universe, SOMEONE. The sight of both of her parents nodding as enthusiastically as possible seemed to finally cement the moment in reality, and Twilight leapt as high as her body could take her.

"YEEEESSSS!"

Celestia smirked and raised a hoof. "One other thing, Twilight!"

"MORE?" Twilight asked, still scarcely able to believe what was happening as she returned to the ground in a heap of clumsy excitement.

Celestia didn't say a word, merely pointing to Twilight's flank. Where there had once been plain lilac-colored fur, she now sported a constellation of six-pointed stars, still glimmering with the magic that had caused it to appear.

"MY CUTIE MARK!" Twilight cried, unable to stop herself as she began to prance around the room. What had at one point seemed like it was the worst possible day of her life had somehow turned into the best, and Twilight knew that every detail of it would stay burned into her mind forever.

While she was still occupied, one of the judges stepped up to Princess Celestia and reached to whisper in her ear.

"You highness, we're going to have to put the rest of the day's exams on hold to move everything to another room."

The unicorn flinched back slightly when the dragon that had accompanied the young filly turned to glare at them again. Even at her modest size (she looked to be only an inch or two taller than the young Twilight Sparkle), she commanded an air of nobility that made her disapproval sting more than it should have.

"Well, perhaps next time you'll put actual FUEL in the lamp, instead of water..." she held herself with a haughty air, looking down her nose at the judge harshly enough for them to hide slightly behind the princess. With the unicorn dealt with, she moved on to examining the Princess.

There was a brief second as Celestia and Saphira seemed to be sizing one another up. Saphira was lacking in both size and power if she wanted a confrontation, but she didn't seem to care. Celestia was simply trying to determine how the situation had even come to this moment.

"I've met many dragons in my time, but I cannot say I've ever seen one quite like yourself, Miss..."

"Saphira."

"Are you from our southern neighbors? Dragons are hardly a common sight in Equestria."

"No."

There was a long pause, with Celestia clearly expecting more of an explanation. Saphira didn't give any, walking away to watch Twilight leaping with a satisfied smile. Celestia turned to look at the teacher-turned-judge with an expression of clear disapproval.

"I know that I said to give them tests that would push them to their full potential, but that is NOT what I meant."

"The goal isn't to do the impossible, just to see what solutions and spells they can come up with under pressure..." the judge responded sheepishly. "Technically, she'd already passed well enough to be accepted."

Celestia gave a dissatisfied hum. "I'll inform the parents that the rest of today's tests have been delayed, myself. The entrance committee will have until tomorrow morning to think of more appropriate entrance exams..." She turned to the tiny replica of the sun. It would have burned itself out long ago by now, but she was keeping it fueled on her own power, mostly out of fascination with her new protégé's results. "And perhaps don't give the fillies you ask to make fire their own supply of hydrogen to fuse."

"D-Duly noted, your highness..."

Celestia nodded, turning to watch Twilight and Saphira as the two of them seemed to be congratulating one another. According to the filly's file, Saphira was her familiar.

This should have been impossible, and she would normally have attributed it to clerical error or a misunderstanding of what a familiar was. Dragons, while possessing a little innate magic, were NOT capable of forming that kind of bond at all, lacking both the magic power and the scholarly study to do so. Familiars were linked to their mages at a level as deep as the soul, deeper than blood or even traditional magic, and no filly SHOULD have been able to cast a bonding spell at this age. The question of whether or not applicants had a familiar was purely to cover their bases on the questionnaire, never intended to be answered in the affirmative.

But this "Saphira" was clearly different. Not only could Celestia sense a true bond between her and Twilight Sparkle, but she clearly had a vast reserve of magic power at her disposal. When Twilight's spell had triggered an explosion of heat and light, Saphira had moved to shield Twilight's body with her own. At the same time, the scales of her body had shifted, becoming more crystalline until they were almost transparent and refracted away most of the light. She had protected them both in that moment, and managed to avert tragedy through magical means.

That kind of transmutation magic, especially of her own body, presented two options. First was the possibility that she was actually much, much older than her size would lead one to think, and had studied magic longer than most ponies would live... or... like Twilight, she had acted on instinct, and the magic that had flowed through her in that moment was the kind of wild magic that had not been seen in modern Equestria in centuries.

While the thought of such wild magic came with its own set of worries and concerns, Celestia couldn't help a smile and and some inward giddiness. Life could be so boring at times, feeling as if the crown brought with it a prison of routine and expectation.

These two would certainly provide a healthy dose of excitement in her life.

Chapter 4: Flying High

It was a beautiful day in Canterlot. The sun was shining, there was hardly a cloud in the sky, and the winds around the mountain were just at that perfect strength where they could be ridden without being completely swept away.

In other words, it was the type of day Saphira loved most.

"Just make sure you're back before two thirty!" Twilight called. "It's Thursday, and that means-"

"My lesson, I know. I'll be back in time, Twilight." Saphira rolled her eyes. "Just as I have been back in time every Thursday for the past two years."

Saphira stepped up to the window, only to find it shut tight. She turned to look at Twilight, who was leaning on the doorway with a smug smile.

"I thought I asked you to keep this open."

"And I thought I asked you to stop practicing your fire breathing in the kitchen." Twilight raised an eyebrow. "Care to explain the scorch marks around the oven?"

Saphira brought the tip of her tail around to unlatch the window and push it open to swing freely in the wind. A second later, a purple aura wrapped around the window and slammed it shut.

"Well, young lady?"

Saphira raised an eyebrow and walked to the doorway, taking a moment to arch her neck and press her forehead onto Twilight's from above. There were many disadvantages to being almost two feet taller than most ponies, but standing over anyone who tried to give her orders was a favorite benefit of hers.

"'Young lady?' Seriously?"

Twilight didn't relent, staring right back into her eyes. "I was there the night your egg hatched, and every other day of your life! You're only a couple years old, most ponies would consider that still in your infancy! Like it or not, I'm the older one, and that means I'm in charge!"

"Perhaps I should swing by the Royal Guard outpost and repeat that? I'm sure the reigning Sibling Supreme would have a field day with it." Saphira smirked.

That managed to break Twilight's poker face for a moment, shifting first to surprise, then frustration as she tried to think of a comeback for a few seconds.

"My whole life I wanted to be the older sibling, and the one time I try to use it to my advantage..." She trailed off before stepping back with a more concerned look. "But seriously, I know you're self-conscious about not being able to breathe fire for long, but you CAN'T practice indoors! That's what your internship with Bronze Hammer is for!"

Saphira rolled her eyes and cast a few embers to the side with a frustrated sigh. "'Internship?' Is that what they're calling it? I am nothing but a quick way to light his forge, and occasionally a source of extra heat. That kind of work doesn't suit me." She turned her back on Twilight and went back to the window, this time keeping it held open with her tail. "I'll find my own place to practice if it bothers you so, but I refuse to go back to being a glorified bellows."

"And how do you plan to learn precise temperature control, extended breathing exercises, and the properties of different materials under heat?"

This time, it was Saphira who had been caught without a proper answer.

"I KNOW working in the forge is frustrating, but I can't teach you any of those things!" Twilight shook her head. "And Bronze Hammer has been making armor and weapons for the Royal Guard for decades! You couldn't ask for a pony who knows fire better than him! Besides... Do you think that I love every lesson I have to attend?"

"I know you do."

"...okay, fair enough." Twilight sheepishly rubbed at the back of her head. "But still, if you don't show up to your lessons, then it will reflect badly on both of us! I'll talk to the princess about making some changes, okay?"

"Can I go flying, now?" Twilight gave her an uncertain look, prompting Saphira to a begrudging agreement. "I promise, I'll be at the forge when I'm assigned to be."

Twilight smiled and gave her a nod. "Then yes, you may go. Have a nice flight!"

Saphira sighed with relief as she stepped up and catapulted herself through the window. Their dormitory was near the top of Canterlot Castle, meaning that she already had all of the altitude she could ask for to start with, and getting more would be easy. Once she had spread her wings, she didn't need to flap or work to gain altitude, the horizontal winds crashing into the castle could only travel up, creating a constant column of upwards-rising air at her disposal. She was practically purring as she felt the winds driven upwards by the castle pushing her further and further into the sky, like riding an invisible fountain up to the heavens. Finally, as the last spires of the castle passed her by and she found herself above the huge structure, Saphira began to flap her wings and let her tail work as a rudder.

She had to admit, she understood why pegasi spent so much time in the clouds. With the hustle and bustle of the city so far away, Saphira was filled with a sense of serenity unlike any other. No matter how fast or far she flew, she was filled with a sense of stillness and intimacy with the wind. Closing her eyes, she could almost feel like she had become one with it, like she was a part of its ebb and flow. It was as silent and gentle as a kiss one moment, and harsh and powerful enough to tear apart entire towns the next.

"Yo, Big S!"

Saphira cracked open one eye, spotting a flash of seafoam green and white passing by.

"Fleetfoot."

The pegasus came up alongside her, her white mane not looking much different than usual when it was being swept back by the wind. "Took you long enough! You're late!"

"Apologies, I had some business with Twilight."

"Ah, it's alright! Family comes first, right?" Fleetfoot shrugged. "Everything good with you two?"

Saphira smiled. "As well as ever. 'Two peas in a pod,' as you would say." Saphira glanced around, trying to spot any other flashes of color in the sky. "Where are Soarin and High Winds?"

"Got called away on official Wonderbolts business. Probably won't be back for a few days." She drew up short, and Saphira did the same. "The newbies always get the assignments that require the most traveling, I remember when it was me going from one end of Equestria to the other!" The two of them hovered in place for several seconds. "So it's just the two of us, today!"

Saphira nodded, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Will we be halving our usual wager, then?"

"Definitely not!" Fleetfoot gave her a grin. "What's the matter, you can't afford to lose again now that Soarin's not here to take last place from you?"

"Oh, it is ON!" Saphira chuckled as the two of them pulled their wings in tight against their bodies. Gravity took over, and they began to accelerate back downwards. Saphira was larger, but her body was more streamlined. Fleetfoot had the advantage of size, however, combined with the natural pegasus magic of reducing drag from the wind whipping past their faces. The result was a perfectly matched acceleration as the world grew larger and larger. In the corner of her eye, Saphira kept Fleetfoot in her sights. This was a critical moment, and the first one to lose their nerve would lose their advantage in what was to come. The fall was an equalizer in speed, but rewarded the tenacious.

"Any time you feel like pulling up is fine with me!"

"What was that? Sorry, I was dozing!"

The two snickered as the ground rushed up to meet them, but the time for jokes quickly vanished as each one focused on their own survival. At these speeds, a split-second mistake could have painful consequences.

Finally, Saphira knew she was approaching the point of no return. "Now or never!"

"NOW!"

Fully extending her wings at this speed would have torn them from her body, but Saphira spread them just enough to catch some of the air beneath her and start converting her downwards momentum to forwards. By the time she'd stretched her wings to their full length, she was barreling away from the castle at blistering speed... and Fleetfoot was three lengths ahead.

The city came at them like a blur, and it was only the practiced small adjustments of her tail that kept Saphira from crashing into one of the many buildings as they bolted down Main Street. Still, Saphira was lagging behind, and that wasn't acceptable.

In the distance, Saphira could see the familiar sign that marked their first checkpoint: The Color and Curl Boutique. This was her chance. She tucked in one of her wings and let her body roll until she'd turned ninety degrees. She was still moving forward, but once they reached the corner, she was able to focus herself on diving down, rather than to the left. The result was a tight and sharp turn around the corner, losing almost none of her speed. As she turned herself upright again, Saphira made a mental note to thank Twilight for the tip. She beat her wings harder and faster, her heart pounding with the excitement of a hunter on the chase. A nervous glance over her shoulder was all the indication Fleetfoot gave that she was aware Saphira was catching up.

"How did you get around that corner so fast?"

"I may be big, but that means I have bigger wings! I can move more air in one flap than you can in twenty!"

It was an all-out sprint to the next checkpoint: Golden Grains, a popular bakery and the indicator of and upcoming left turn. Once again, Saphira tilted her perspective, this time counterclockwise. The left turn became a downward dive, and she closed in even closer on Fleetfoot. The wispy tip of her tail was close enough to tickle her snout, and getting closer by the second.

The finish line was in sight, now, and Saphira's nose was just about abreast with Fleetfoot's muzzle. They were neck and neck, and the muscles dedicated to moving Saphira's wings felt like they were on fire. Fleetfoot was panting and her mane and face were both soaked in sweat, but she had the steely determination in her eyes that had gotten her into the Wonderbolts, to begin with. They'd nearly reached the end of their race, and there was no way to tell who was going to win.

Just... a little... FASTER!

Together, the two of them roared past their agreed-upon finish line: All Kinds'. Saphira finally pulled her wings in, letting herself drop and her claws rake across the flagstones. Beside her, Fleetfoot had spread her wings in an attempted air brake and pushed her hooves against the ground as best she could to come to a stop.

Once the two of them had landed safely, both of them collapsed to the ground in a heap of panting, limbs, and sweat.

"Wooo hoo hooo!" Fleetfoot cheered as she rolled onto her back. "I haven't... had a chase... like that... in AGES!"

"The fact such small wings can be so fast boggles the mind..." Saphira was enjoying the feeling of the cool flagstones against her underbelly, and she was secretly thanking whatever higher powers existed that her mind-speaking didn't require the use of her lungs, because she was fairly certain she wouldn't be able to speak over her gasping for breath if it did.

"WOOOO!" an older pegasus cheered as he stepped out of the restaurant. "The boys should stay home more often, I think you girls just set a new record!"

"But... who won?" Fleetfoot gasped as she shakily pushed herself into a standing position.

"Yes, I would like to know, as well." Saphira decided to wait slightly longer to cool off. Part of her wanted to go take a dip in the river, but another part of her knew that the flight there would be torture she didn't want to put herself through.

"You girls come inside, and I'll tell you once you've had a bite to eat!" He gave them a friendly wink and nodded for them to follow him inside. Saphira sighed and pushed herself to her feet, bracing herself for another loss. Technically, losing their wager didn't affect her that much, paying for lunch was an expense that Celestia's star pupil (and, by extension, her familiar) was allowed to subsidize, but it was a matter of pride. She refused to stop participating in the time-honored tradition the Wonderbolts had of "trash talking" one another, but to this day, her attempts to back it up had been middling at best.

Together, the two of them stepped into the All Kinds' restaurant. While it was normally a haven for non-ponies passing through Canterlot, it was also one of the few places in the city where one could legally buy meat-based dishes alongside normal Equestrian cuisine. Princess Celestia had been the one to recommend it, claiming that hunting her own food would make ponies nervous as she grew larger and larger. Eventually, her friends in the Wonderbolts had agreed to come, and it had become their go-to hangout after a race... provided that the loser in last place paid for everyone's food. The owner, a pegasus by the name of Sauce Boss, had been more than happy to have the business and agreed to be their judge.

Fleetfoot entered with no trouble, but Saphira noted that she now had to duck ever-so-slightly to get through the door.

"So, the usual, ladies?" he asked, setting down a normal glass of water for Fleetfoot and a bucket-sized glass for Saphira.

"Double for me, Boss!" Feetfoot declared. "With a heaping side of fried daisies! Spitfire ain't watching, so today's my cheat day!"

"I think I'll skip the usual fish today in favor of a pot of chili." Saphira's stomach growled loudly at the thought, rumbling hard enough to send a tremor through the table where they'd taken their seats. "And make mine a double portion, as well, extra spicy."

"Coming right up!" He gave them both a happy salute before disappearing through the double doors to the kitchen.

"Hey, whoever wins or loses... You were pretty fantastic out there." Fleetfoot raised her glass. "Though I think you might have broken our altitude rule when you turned on your side like that!"

"I invite you to prove it. I know I stayed below the rooftops, including my wings."

Fleetfoot sighed, seeming to dismiss the argument before it could go any further. "Sauce Boss didn't call foul, so I'm not gonna make a fuss about it. Besides, it was pretty smart. Seriously, if you wanted, you could be a Wonderbolt. A dragon Wonderbolt? Ponies would go NUTS for that!"

Saphira smiled and wrapped the end of her tail around her glass, lifting it to meet her friend's with a soft clink. "I'm flattered, but not today. Twilight and I are in a unique position as it is, and I want to help her make the most of it."

"Okay, but what about YOU?" Fleetfoot raised an eyebrow. "Isn't there something YOU want to do for yourself?"

"I've told you a thousand times, if Twilight is happy, then I am happy. We're partners. Right now, we're focused on our education."

"Yeah, I know, I know..." Fleetfoot sighed and took a long drink of her water, nearly downing the entire glass at once. "Just best to get started young, you know? Earlier you get recruited, the more time you spend in your prime!"

"Well, provided I keep training like this, age shouldn't be a problem. I'm told dragons live quite a long time." Saphira smirked and took a long drink of her own water. She swallowed a hearty dose of ice cubes along with it, and the refreshing cooling feeling it gave her finally doused the last of her overheating.

"Good to know I've got a customer who'll be around for such a long time!" Sauce Boss cheered, wheeling in a cart. The top had Fleetfoot's order, two plates with six hayburger sliders apiece, and a rack on the bottom held two heavy-looking pots of chili. Saphira quietly moved the pots in front of her with her tail while their host was setting down Fleetfoot's food.

"So... about that race..." Fleetfoot hinted before tossing one of the sliders into her mouth whole. "Mmmmmmmph... Yoo mek thuh besht ayburgesh..."

"Don't talk with your mouth full, it's rude." Saphira caught herself sounding a bit like Twilight, there, but she brushed it off.

Fleetfoot finished chewing and swallowed. "Well, not all of us can talk with our brains, and these are too good not to eat while they're warm!"

"Always the best praise you can get!" Sauce Boss grinned as he pulled out a pitcher of ice water and began to refill their glasses. "And to answer your question, the winner... was Saphira, by a nose."

"WHAT?"

"YES!"

Sauce Boss smiled and gave Fleetfoot a pat on the back. "Looks like you're paying for the first time, Fleetfoot!"

"Aw, man..." Fleetfoot rubbed at the back of her neck as she looked over the hearty meal they'd both ordered. "Uh, you can take a card, right?"

Saphira lowered her muzzle into the first pot of chili, enjoying the feeling of the thick and meaty liquid flowing down her throat. Normally it would be spicy, but today... it was sweet.

Sweet with the taste of victory.

Chapter 5: Burning Low

"Well, come on, girl! HOTTER!"

Saphira growled to herself as she tried to summon up another burst of flames. Her throat felt raw and her mouth was impossibly dry. With all the strength she had left, she breathed a jet of blue flames into the furnace.

"Hold it steady!"

Saphira dug her claws into the floor, trying to force herself through the feeling of stinging pain in her throat.

"Steeeeaaaady..."

Saphira's eyes were watering and her body shaking. She felt like her lungs were being crushed as the last few wisps of air left her body, and her stomach pulled in to fill the vacuum and squeeze out the last of her breath. Finally, her body overrode her brain's commands, resulting in her collapsing into a heap as she was overtaken by a coughing fit.

"CONFOUND IT!" Bronze Hammer shouted, stepping away from the forge to kick over a bucket of water. "You need to keep the temperature steady, girl! Tempering a piece is a delicate process!"

"Well, YOU do it, then!" Saphira barked, baring her teeth at the burly earth pony. "Then you can heat things up and cool them down over and over to your heart's content! Oh wait, you CAN'T! You don't know the first thing about-"

"Is THAT what you think I do?" the earth pony snatched the piece of hot metal from the forge. "Do you want to know what happens when you don't temper a piece of metal?"

"Quite frankly, I don't care."

Saphira could hear him continuing to shout at her, but she had already tuned it out as she walked out the door. She pushed outward with her mind, sensing the familiar presence of Twilight in one of the classrooms above.

"I'm going out."

What? Saphira, aren't you in the middle of your lesson right now?

"I'm. Going. Out." Saphira repeated, making certain she left no room for debate.

There was a pause, one in which she knew Twilight was overthinking the situation, as always.

Where are you going?

"Out."

When will you be back?

"Later."

Their mindspeak didn't require their breathing, but she could still hear Twilight's exasperated sigh. Stay safe out there, okay?

Saphira resisted the urge to point out that there wasn't anything in Canterlot capable of harming her. It would only make Twilight extend the conversation thinking she could correct her.

The first few lungfuls of cool fresh air washed over her raw throat like a healing salve. As she stepped out into the gardens of Canterlot Castle, she sniffed at the air. The breeze carried the lightest touch of the scents of wood smoke and apples, and felt moist and cool. It was a cold front moving in from the southwest, and had passed over Ponyville on its way. A storm was likely coming tonight, and she made a mental note to ask Fleetfoot for a copy of the weather calendar next time she saw her.

For now, it meant that she'd prefer to walk. Yes, her big wings made her a powerful flier, but they also made flying in higher winds a pain. Her claws clattered softly against the flagstones as she made her way down the street. When she was younger, ponies had often given her strange or surprised looks when she was out by herself, but she had always held her head high, secure in the knowledge that they were either in awe or simply jealous of her gemstone-like beauty. Now, the citizens of Canterlot had become used to her presence, and the only ones she would catch staring were the occasional tourist.

"Saphira! Choosing to dwell down here with us mortals, today?" a voice called.

She smiled and turned to the source: a vendor stall presenting a wide array of precious gems and jewelry.

"Good to see you, as well, Jewel Cutter." Saphira took a moment to glance over his wares. "The weather seems likely to turn, soon, so yes, I'm taking the low road today. How is business?"

"Booming, as always!" He swept his front hoof across his display. "If there's one thing the Canterlot elite love, it's expensive things that are easy to show off! Not that any of them can be quite as dazzling as you, of course."

Saphira nodded. "Any new items that meet MY needs?"

Jewel Cutter grinned, and Saphira could see the hunger in his eyes that always preceded an incoming sale. "I have just the thing!" He reached beneath the stall, producing a glittering green gemstone the size of a softball. "They wanted to cut it down to make a dozen other pieces, but I told them 'Don't you dare, I've got a loyal customer who asked me for exactly that!'"

Saphira eyed the stone carefully. Green wasn't exactly her color, but that wouldn't matter in the long run. She wrapped the tip of her tail around the base of the stone and held it up. It was overcast, but there was still enough light for her to make use of.

"There's a flaw."

"WHAT? That gem's flawless!"

"Right here." Saphira set it down on the stand and pointed to the area in question with her tail. "It's internal, but this stone will split the moment we so much as try to use it for its intended purpose."

Jewel Cutter levitated over his largest magnifier, staring carefully at the spot. "The light's refracting a little oddly, but I don't see how that matters!"

"I understand it seems minor, but when you've spent a week pulling shards of ruby out of your scales, you learn to be more careful about what gems you use for infusing with mana." Saphira cringed at the painful memory. It had taken three royal doctors and several dozen pairs of tweezers to remove the pieces of the last imperfect gem. "I would rather have a slightly smaller gem than one that could explode at any moment. This is a matter of not only my safety, but those around me."

It looked for a moment like the unicorn was going to argue with her, but he finally gave a defeated sigh and moved the gem back under his stall. "This is why I like selling to tourists and know-nothing elites, ponies- creatures- who actually know what they're looking for are much harder to please. Fine, I'll have it cut down to exclude the imperfection, maybe I'll get a few extra pieces out of it. I'd only do this for YOU, any other pony who tried to tell me this gem wasn't perfect would get an earful!"

"Everyone wins."

"If you say so..." He rolled his eyes. "Always a pleasure driving hard bargains with you, Saphira."

"And you, Jewel Cutter." Saphira gave a respectful nod before moving on. She hadn't set out with a definite destination in mind, but as she wandered through the streets of Canterlot, she found herself moving towards the edge of the city. Eventually, she decided to give up to her instincts took to the air, gliding out of the main city and past the edge of the mountain.

Canterlot was a city well known for its many beautiful waterfalls. The river running through it had been redirected a dozen different ways, sometimes producing unexpected results. One such result was the occasional subterranean tunnel. These were usually closed off once they were found in order to preserve the mountain's integrity, resulting in caves leading to the open air just under the edge of the city. They were locally known as "flying foxholes," since anything that wanted to use them for shelter would need to be able to reach them from the air.

As she passed over the edge of the plateau that the city had been built on, Saphira took a moment to enjoy the sight of solid ground being miles beneath her before she turned around and silently glided into one of those caves to nowhere.

Something about these caves had always been alluring to her. They were simultaneously subterranean and miles in the air, claustrophobic and open to the sky at the same time. Being inside the earth, she could feel the pulse of magical energy moving through Equestria like a heartbeat, and she could do so without feeling like she'd trapped herself. It had taken Twilight more time to discover this place than most of the secrets they shared with each other, and she rarely disturbed Saphira here out of a combination of fear of heights and respect for her space. It was Saphira's favorite place to clear her head and meditate on things.

Walking out of her lesson today had been a bad move, but her pride couldn't take another second of it. Someone was going to get hurt if she was forced to choke down her temper any longer. On the other wing, however, all of her actions reflected back on Twilight, both the good and the bad. If she wasn't punished for what she did, Twilight would be forced to deal with the repercussions.

"Perhaps I should just leave the castle... Let Twilight continue her studies and take my space. Fleetfoot has a point, life in the castle has never suited me."

"Is this spot taken, or can anyone join you?" a voice asked, snapping Saphira out of her self-pitying. "It's a bit chilly out, today, and I'd like to get out of this wind."

A pegasus was hovering just outside the opening of the cave. She had a cream-colored coat and a luscious golden mane with a single blue streak. What was interesting, however, was the amulet hanging around her neck, mostly gold with a trio of green gemstones affixed to it. Despite being a pegasus, she absolutely reeked of magic, making Saphira somewhat confused. She considered sending the pony away with a small warning fireball, but curiosity won out over spite and she moved slightly closer to the wall to make room for the stranger.

"Thank you." The pegasus smiled as she flew inside, settling herself beside Saphira. After a moment, she sighed and leaned against her side. "You are warm."

Saphira raised an eyebrow and pushed her away again with a rustle of her wing. "Please refrain from doing that."

The pegasus pouted slightly, but respected her wishes. "So... what are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing." Saphira grumbled, hoping to shut down the conversation before it started. Something about this pony was familiar to her, but she couldn't seem to pin down what.

"Me? I'm just checking up on someone for a friend." She turned to look at Saphira more closely, clearly expecting her to reciprocate with an answer of her own. "And you?"

Saphira wanted to lie to cover up her wounded pride, but something about this pony compelled her to be honest. "Avoiding a bad situation that I made worse."

The pegasus chuckled. "That's a situation I'm more than familiar with. Sometimes it is best to let tempers cool before addressing a problem." She paused for a moment. "And, while I'm certain it's none of my business, what, exactly, happened?"

She was right, it WAS none of her business. Again, though, something about this pony seemed to compel the truth from Saphira.

"Every day, my partner is tutored by the greatest minds in Equestria. She's even taught directly by Princess Celestia, herself! But me? I'm shoved into the castle basement with a gruff blacksmith and made to power the forge! It is thankless, disrespectful, and- and-"

"Unfair?" the pony finished.

"Twilight means the world to me, and I have always been beyond happy for the opportunity she's been given, but I cannot go on like this."

"I'm told that blacksmithing work attracts those ponies who are a bit... rough around the edges." The pony waggled her hoof uncertainly. "But I would think a dragon could learn a lot about fire from working in a forge?"

Saphira made sure every ounce of her displeasure was apparent on her face when she turned to look at the pony. "Not once have I ever been given specific instructions. I am supposed to simply 'feel' whether or not I am doing things right, but simply because I am a dragon does not mean that these things come naturally!" She rolled her eyes. "Twilight's teachers praise her for trying, even when she fails. Mine thinks that anger and berating will compel me to magically know what he can't even be bothered to put into words." She took a deep breath and let it out, unwittingly warming the cave several degrees. "We are sisters, on a level deeper than blood, yet the way we are treated couldn't be more different, and I think the answer to why is fairly clear..." She tapped her claws against the cave floor to try and relieve her irritation. "I do not WANT to leave Twilight, but..."

"I'm sorry."

Saphira snorted, producing a tiny plume of flame. Her throat quickly protested, causing her to momentarily begin coughing. She only barely remembered to turn her head away from the pegasus, instead accidentally torching a section of the cave wall. Once the tickle in her throat had passed, she shook her head. "Excuse me, the forge is hardly kind to my throat."

The pegasus seemed much more dour, now. "What about Princess Celestia? If she knew how you felt-"

"Don't make me laugh. Princess Celestia has carefully cultivated a spotlight and shines it where she wishes. I am clearly not in her sights." She shook her head. "I don't mind Twilight being the object of attention and affection, I am happy for her. But the two of us are intertwined, and Celestia has treated us and trained as separate entities."

The pony sighed, and Saphira felt a twinge of guilt that she had completely destroyed her upbeat mood. "My apologies, I don't mean to burden you with my woes."

"Don't worry about it." The pegasus shook her head as her hoof idly toyed with the amulet around her neck. "It's not you, I've had a... challenging day, is all. Sometimes keeping up appearances leaves me rather exhausted."

"I tend to find such things a waste of time. If someone is dissatisfied with my presentation, then they are dissatisfied with me, and I want nothing to do with that."

That somehow got a mirthless chuckle from the pegasus. "You clearly don't work in politics... Presentation is what makes the difference between allies and declarations of war..."

Saphira raised an eyebrow. "You sound to be a pony of high standing."

"Just a servant of the people..." she shook her head and began to push up to her hooves, stretching her legs and wings as she did so. "One who does her best not to let history repeat itself. Thanks for letting me warm up in here with you, but speaking of my work, I should really be getting back." She walked up to the cave's entrance and cast Saphira a look. "But some advice: before you make any big decisions, make your position clear to everyone who matters to you. You never know what can be repaired with a little bit of deliberation."

Saphira nodded, watching as the pony stepped out into the air and vanished from sight a few seconds later. Alone again, she settled to a position laying as comfortably as she could on the cave floor. She needed a bit more time to let her wounded pride stop stinging so badly, but she was fairly certain she'd come to a decision about what to do.

"Saphira?" Twilight called as she poked her head through the door to her bedroom. "Are you in here?"

"I'm here, Twilight. Ready and waiting."

Twilight let out a sigh of relief. "This should have been the first place I looked as soon as it started raining, shouldn't it?"

"Of course. Did you bring the hot cocoa?" Saphira was already in her proper place: lounging on a soft rug on the ground by the fireplace, with her chin resting on a small pile of pillows. Outside, the rain was slamming against the window, and Twilight could hear thunder rolling in the distance. She smiled and stepped through the door, carrying a glass jar filled with light brown powder.

"Of course! I got a recipe for this mix from Princess Celestia, herself! She says it's the best in Equestria!"

"We'll be the judges of that." Saphira smiled and Twilight levitated the other object she had been carrying, a large kettle, to hang in the fireplace.

"Now the only thing missing is-" She was cut off as Saphira cracked open her mouth and blew a jet of blue flames underneath the kettle. Twilight smiled and hopped over Saphira's neck, laying herself on the floor just beside her. She resisted the urge to giggle when Saphira's wing laid across her back like a blanket, leaving only her head exposed. Using her magic, she grabbed a pillow from Saphira's pile and tucked it under her head.

"You know..." she hummed to herself as she pressed herself against Saphira's warm body. "Sometimes I wish it rained more often in Canterlot."

"We don't need to wait for it to rain. This used to be your favorite position to study in."

"Maybe, but the rain makes it extra special!" Twilight argued as she levitated over a particular book. "So, where did we leave off?"

"The Pit of Despair."

"Right!" Twilight began to furiously flip through pages. "Daring Do was just about to escape from a trap in the heart of the ancient temple!"

"...Twilight?" Saphira fidgeted slightly. "What if... I didn't want to keep reading about these far-off places?"

"What?" Twilight looked at the book suspiciously before setting it down again. "I mean, we're in the middle of the story, but if you don't like it..."

"I mean, what if I wanted to go there, myself? See Equestria's wonders with my own eyes?" Twilight could tell that Saphira was purposely avoiding eye contact. "I've... been thinking about leaving-"

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Both of them sat up slightly to stare at the door, Saphira's confession interrupted.

"Um... Come in?"

The knob turned with a golden glow and the door swung open, revealing the towering figure of Princess Celestia.

"P-Princess! What are you doing here?" Twilight stammered, scrambling to get to her hooves until Celestia held up a hoof for her to stop.

"Please don't get up on my account, I am simply here for a visit with my faithful students. I had heard that there would be... hot cocoa?"

"She's a princess, she can get her own cocoa!" Judging by the lack of reaction from Celestia, Twilight could tell Saphira was keeping her thoughts between the two of them. Twilight slowly laid back down, and Celestia made her way over to join them, sitting on the other side of Saphira's head. She couldn't help noticing that the princess had foregone her typical regalia. "Of course, we can't even have our own traditions without Celestia interfering..." Twilight knew Saphira hardly felt her back hoof kick into her ribs, but she still did it.

"The water's still warming-"

"That's fine." Celestia smiled. "Patience is a virtue when it comes to these things."

"So... did you come here just for hot cocoa?" Twilight asked. "Not that I mind you coming here, I'm happy to have you here!"

"As much as I would like that to be the case, I'm afraid there are a few... clerical matters that I need to discuss with the two of you."

Twilight tried to ignore Saphira's tired eye roll, and the dragon turned her face towards Twilight and away from Celestia, keeping her expression for Twilight's eyes only. "O-Oh! Okay, like what?"

"Well, first of all, I was told that Saphira abandoned her lesson with Bronze Hammer today."

Twilight glanced at Saphira, noticing that she was cringing at having been caught.

"W-Well, I did try to tell you that she was... struggling with..." Twilight trailed off as Celestia held up a hoof for silence.

"And, according to his reports, she has not been receptive to his lessons in the slightest."

"She's really trying and-"

"And when a student is failing, especially when receiving one-on-one tutoring, a teacher needs to be receptive to their needs."

"I PROMISE she'll do better and- huh?"

"As such, to avoid history repeating itself, I'll be ending Saphira's lessons with Bronze Hammer." Celestia smiled. "I think that trying to teach a dragon how to be a dragon may have been folly on my part, anyway." Saphira and Twilight both looked at one another with wide eyes, both clearly trying to make sense of what Celestia was saying. "Instead, I will be taking her under my wing alongside you, Twilight. From this day forward, she will not be receiving lessons in how to be the best dragon she can be, but rather how to be the best familiar she can be. You will be starting joint classes with me next week." Celestia leaned over to get a better look at Saphira. "I apologize if you feel I-"

Celestia paused, seeming to be surprised with herself for a moment before pressing her hoof against her forehead.

"No. I'm sorry, I'm doing it again."

"What? Princess, you don't need to apologize!" Twilight cried.

"Yes, I do." Celestia sighed and shook her head. "I... have a tendency not to be able to see past my own nose, sometimes. You would think that with age comes wisdom, but I've really only gotten better at presenting myself as wise, often to the point of... ignoring the needs of others." Her normally-regal expression had turned dark and uncharacteristically sad. "I never intended to belittle you, si- Saphira. I should have been more receptive and included you more, so that you can see how much you can contribute and how much those contributions are appreciated. I am going to try to fix that, now, if you will let me."

Twilight couldn't help smiling at the flustered look on Saphira's face, and her immediate attempt to cover up her surprise with her default unamused look failed so badly it nearly made her start laughing out loud.

"Uh, thank you, Princess... I'm looking forward to it."

"Thank you, Saphira, for the chance to fix things between us." Celestia nodded and turned her attention to the fireplace. Her horn glowed and the flames turned golden, bunching together just beneath the kettle. In a matter of seconds, the kettle was beginning to sputter and whistle.

"And while I don't breathe fire, I MAY still be able to teach you a thing or two about controlling it." She started to push herself to her hooves.

"Princess, don't you want your hot cocoa?"

Celestia winked at her, revealing a steaming mug already in the grip of her magic. "Thank you, both of you. Forgive an old mare for being slow to learn how to teach two very different students." With that, she turned towards the door, only to stop again. "Oh, and one more thing... There's an old wing of the Canterlot University Library currently not being used since the Astrology and Astronomy wards merged. We have an unused observatory gathering dust. Knowing Twilight's propensity for books and the rate at which Saphira has grown in the past years, I was thinking that with a few alterations, it might make a better residence for the two of you than the standard dormitory. Does that sound good to the two of you?"

"I- I- I- I-" Twilight could only stammer as she turned to Saphira, eyes wide and begging for her affirmation. Saphira rolled her eyes.

"As if I would say no to something so rational and mutually beneficial." She rolled her eyes. "An observatory sounds like a wonderful place for both of us."

"YEEEEESSSSSSS!" Twilight cheered, practically raising herself into the air with the force of her cheer. Saphira finally turned to look at Celestia directly.

"I... may have misjudged you, Princess. Thank you."

"Thank YOU for your patience, Saphira... But don't thank me, yet." The princess took a long sip from her mug. "You haven't started my lessons, yet."

With that, Celestia slipped out the door with a gentle click.

Silence fell as Twilight's excited energy slowly came back down to a reasonable level. Without the heat of the moment, a thought occurred to her.

"Wait, Saphira, I thought you said-"

"Don't worry about it, Twilight..." Saphira shut her eyes and settled back into her resting pose. "It looks like someone out there heard my reasons for wanting to leave and moved just a little faster. Let's just read now that we've got some peace and quiet."

Twilight thought about pursuing the topic, but Saphira was clearly done talking, and when it came to talking about her feelings, that dragon could be as stubborn as a mule.

"But... you'll come to me next time you're thinking like that, right? So we can make the decision together?" Twilight pressed herself more into Saphira's side. "I don't want you to leave..."

Saphira's wing pulled tighter against her body, nearly crushing the air from Twilight's lungs. "Of course, you're not going to be rid of me that easily. Now hurry up, I want to hear how Daring Do manages to escape the Temple of the Sphinx!"

Twilight giggled and picked up the book, quickly finding their place.

"At the bottom of the chasm, no light could reach Daring's eyes except the green shine of the glowpaz necklace around her neck..."

Chapter 6: Family is Magic

"Now, Saphira... Still your mind. Be calm, and focus on feeling the flow of magic around you."

Saphira nodded, closing her eyes and taking a long, slow breath.

"Wild magic is not so easily called upon as the orderly spells that unicorns use. It has a mind and a will of its own," Celestia continued. Her voice was low and carefully measured, nearly hypnotic as it spoke to her. "When you beckon it to you, you become the filter through which that will is enacted, like light passing through a stained glass window."

Deep, deep beneath her claws, Saphira could feel... something. It was like a pulse, a heartbeat from the world around her.

For what felt like the first time, she was struck by just how deeply magic was wound into the land of Equestria. It was everywhere. Particulate in the air around her, rushing currents beneath the earth, at any given moment she was practically steeped in it, as unaware of it as she was of her own breathing.

"Can you feel it, Saphira?"

She didn't dare to speak and break her concentration, only giving a slight nod up and down to affirm.

"Good. Now, the next time you inhale, I want you to try to draw that magic into you. Dip yourself into the flow of energy. At the same time, envision the action you want to take and the final result you desire."

Saphira did as she was told, trying to pull in as much of that power as she could with her next breath. Her entire body began to shiver as the energy surged through her, like she had made an attempt to swallow an entire river at once. She felt herself tensing and digging her claws into the stone floor as her body resisted the unpleasant feeling.

"Don't resist it! You have to let it pass through you. Keeping your goal in mind will give it a place to go."

Saphira tried to focus on the image she had settled on, but there was something else nagging at the back of her mind, a thought that was quickly encroaching on the rest the more she tried not to think about it.

The pressure on her body increased further and further until she knew that she couldn't take much more. She needed to stop. She forced her eyes open, completely breaking her concentration. She only saw Celestia and Twilight's concerned faces for a moment before a white flash and a sound like a thunderclap forced all three of them to cringe and stumble backwards.

"SAPHIRA! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?" Twilight's voice barely managed to make itself heard over the ringing in her ears as they picked themselves up off the floor.

"I'm fine, Twilight..." Saphira shook her head, trying to brush off the momentary haze. "What about you?"

"I'M FINE, TOO!"

"Twilight... You're shouting."

"I AM? MAYBE I NEED MY EARS CHECKED!"

A quick glance down revealed that the gemstones that had been hanging around her neck had all been dyed a deep blue to match her scales and were humming with magical power. They had served their purpose, protecting both Saphira and the ones around her from the surge of magic by absorbing the excess mana.

"Saphira... is THIS what you had in mind?" Celestia asked, forcing them all to look at the result of her spell.

It was a huge clock face, made of blue crystal and ticking with a sound like struck glass, grown out of the floor in the center of the room.

"No, I had wanted to make a statue of myself, but..." Saphira couldn't help feeling somewhat sheepish. "I got caught up wondering what time it was and-" she blinked as she realized the time on the clock: 3:45. "Wait, is that time right?"

"According to the position of the sun, yes." Celestia stated, not even needing to glance at the window.

Saphira's eyes widened in horror. "We're going to be late!"

"THAT'S RI-" Twilight rubbed at her ears for a moment. "That's right! We were going to go to the Wonderbolts exhibition today! I completely forgot!" She turned to Celestia and gave a low bow. "I'm sorry, Princess, but I promised Saphira that we would go to the show today! I was going to speak to you about it earlier, but when you said we'd be studying wild magic, I got so excited that I completely forgot!"

"Oh? I had no idea that was happening today..." Celestia said with a smile that indicated that she absolutely knew that the show was happening today. She walked towards her throne, her horn beginning to glow with magic. "Well, I suppose that there's only one way to get to the airfield in time..."

"B-But, I've never teleported anywhere CLOSE to that far, before!" Twilight stuttered.

"I know."

There was a flash of golden light, and Saphira felt something new pressing against her scales. Looking down, she realized that her gemstone necklace had been replaced by a harness made of blue-dyed leather. Beside her, Twilight had been outfitted with a similar item.

"The only way to make it in time would be to fly there!" Celestia declared, looking altogether too pleased with herself.

"WHA-WHAT?" Twilight stumbled backwards, only to be caught by Celestia's magic and lifted onto Saphira's back. "B-But princess, I've never- WE'VE never-"

"Now, I had this harness made so that all you have to do is attach THIS clip here, pull this strap tight, and then you're all set!" Celestia continued, talking completely over Twilight's stammered protests. "It should be virtually impossible for you to fall off when you're tethered like this, even if Saphira flew the entire way upside down!"

Saphira wasn't entirely certain how she felt about the situation, but it was definitely better than being late to the Wonderbolts show. She'd been large enough to carry Twilight for months, in theory, and she was more than capable of handling the extra weight, but Twilight had always objected to the idea on the grounds of not having any way to catch herself if she fell. No matter how many times Saphira had tried to assure her that she would never let her fall, Twilight had refused to budge on the matter. However, Celestia was right: flying was the only way to make it in time.

Twilight continued stammering as they walked to the nearest window, Celestia's magic swinging the stained glass out on a hinge. From behind her, Saphira heard Twilight swallow loudly.

"I-I-I-I don't think I can do this..."

"Twilight, you promised we could go..." Saphira placed one clawed foot up on the window sill. "I swear, I will NEVER let you fall. You just need to trust me."

There was a long pause, and Saphira could hear Twilight take a shaky breath and hold it.

"Fine. Just... do it."

Beside them, Celestia gave a wink. "Better hurry, I've been told that it's best to be there five minutes early..."

Saphira hated Celestia's obvious manipulation, here, but they didn't have a choice to argue right now. Besides... I suppose it IS for a good cause, this time. With a single leap, Saphira flung herself out into the air outside the castle.

"You're going to love this, Twilight!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

If they were going to make it to the airfield in time, they were going to have to cross the city in a matter of minutes. That meant speed. Saphira kept her wings close to her sides, only slightly guiding herself as they plummetted downwards faster and faster. Twilight's screaming threatened to deafen her, but it didn't break her focus. Just as they had nearly reached terminal velocity, Saphira spread her wings and caught them, levelling out at a blistering speed just above the rooftops of Canterlot. They were just high enough to avoid having to make any breakneck turns, and the harness seemed to be holding firmly with no problems or discomfort, clearly being custom-made for her body. After a few seconds of level flight, she began flapping to keep their speed steady. By her estimation, they would make it to the airfield in about... nine minutes. That was cutting it close, but it was the best that she could do.

"How are you liking flying without being bound to the winds, Twilight?"

"I WANT MY HOT AIR BALLOON BAAAAAACK!"

Saphira huffed and rolled her eyes. "Can a hot air balloon do THIS?"

She gave her wings a tilt and arched her neck to point her nose upwards. They began to rapidly climb into the sky, moving further and further up until they were in a perfect vertical flight.

"No it can't, that's why I LIIIIIIIIIKE IIIIIIIIIIIIT!"

After taking a moment to make sure Twilight's hooves were wrapped firmly around her neck, Saphira pushed herself just a little farther. Together, the two of them looped up and around through the air, rotating a complete three hundred and sixty degrees in a perfect loop-de-loop until they were once again flying horizontally.

As Twilight's grip around her neck loosened, Saphira smirked. "You should just try to relax and enjoy the ride. For pegasi, this stuff is just the basics!"

"I'm... NOT... a pegasus!" Twilight panted.

Saphira felt like part of her wanted to apologize, but there was a much stronger part of her that was affirming to her that there was something... right about this. Not being ridden, of course, but having Twilight with her while she was flying.

"Next time, I promise we'll take it slow, okay?" she chuckled to herself.

"NEXT TIME?"

"If you don't fly with me voluntarily, I have a sneaking suspicion Celestia will keep engineering situations like this one."

There was a long pause as Twilight seemed to be pondering her options. "F-Fine! But no more crazy dives or loop-de-loops!"

Saphira resisted the urge to cheer at her victory as the stadium came into sight. She pushed her wings harder and faster, her motivation renewed as the caught the whiff of sulfur and gunpowder on the breeze: pre-show fireworks.

Together, the two of them closed the remaining distance in less than two minutes, barely managing to land and slide to a stop before they had crashed into the outside of the stadium.

"Uh, Saphira? The entrance is that way..."

Saphira smirked as she walked up to a door labeled "Staff Only" and gave it three firm knocks with her tail.

"Who said we were going in with the audience?"

The door cracked open, revealing a pegasus stallion with a light blue coat and dark blue mane. "Password?"

"Do you really need a password from ME, Soarin'? It's not like I could be impersonated..." Saphira rolled her eyes. "Save Ferris."

"Hey, you and I both know Spitfire would have my flank if I didn't follow procedure!" Soarin argued back as he opened the door completely.

"Yikes, head of the Wonderbolts for a month and she's already whipped the spirit out of you, huh?"

"Oh, shut up!" He glanced up, catching sight of Twilight for the first time. "Is that your partner you're always going on about? You can't just sneak any old friend in here!"

"Yes. Where I go, she goes."

"Alright, can't argue with that..."

Saphira felt Twilight tapping at the back of her head. "Saphira, what's going on?"

Saphira smirked, keeping her next words just between the two of them. "Why do you think I was so frantic to get here in time? I set up a special surprise for you..."

Twilight had never felt too comfortable among the Canterlot Elite. Sure, they were all ponies in high positions, but everything about them was inefficient, often too focused on social rituals and managing their status to get their priorities straight...

but sitting in the VIP box of a Wonderbolts show made it all worth dealing with.

"FILLIES AND GENTLECOLTS! WELCOME TO THE BIANNUAL WONDERBOLTS EXHIBITION!" the announcer boomed.

"Jolly good! It's about time they got started!" One stallion nearby declared.

"I can't imagine what's been keeping them..." another mare said with a snooty tone.

"THIS IS YOUR FRIENDLY REMINDER: NO FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY, NO EXCESSIVE MAGIC USE, AND THE RECORDING OF THIS SHOW BY ANYPONY EXCEPT AUTHORIZED BROADCASTERS IS PROHIBITED! WITH THAT OUT OF THE WAY, PUT YOUR HOOVES TOGETHER FOR... THE WONDERBOLTS!"

The entire stadium erupted into deafening cheers as the blue-suited pegasi came racing through the skies, leaving a trail of smoke behind them. In the VIP box, the Wonderbolts were practically just above her head, and Twilight could feel the breeze they left in their wake against her face.

As the show continued, Twilight could hardly believe her eyes. The Wonderbolts were more that simply fast fliers. Their display of precision and coordination was enough to leave her awestruck. Sometimes, they would miss one another by distances too small to see with the naked eye, even from the VIP box, and by the time Twilight managed to wrap her head around one of their maneuvers, they had already executed three more that tested her spatial awareness. The sheer amounts of planning and organization that must have gone into their performance brought tears to her eyes.

It's no wonder Saphira wanted to see this so badly!

Twilight could hardly bear to even blink through the entire show, as one marvel of flight after another left her blown away. Eventually, however, she could feel that the show seemed to be winding down towards a close.

"AND NOW, FOR THE GRAND FINALE, THE WONDERBOLTS WOULD LIKE TO INVITE A SPECIAL GUEST! PLEASE WELCOME CLOSE FRIEND OF THE WONDERBOLTS AND ONE OF THE JOINT STUDENTS OF PRINCESS CELESTIA, SAPHIRA SPARKLE!"

"WHAT?" Twilight nearly leaped out of the box as Saphira walked out onto the field, greeted by a swell in cheers from the crowd. Four of the pegasi flew down onto the field, and Twilight could barely make out Saphira exchanging greetings with them, bumping wings and nodding to one another before they all took to the air together.

"HOW did you keep this a secret?"

"A LOT of night flights..."

Twilight watched as they all flew into the sky together, two pegasi flanking Saphira on either side. They flew higher and higher, circling the stadium until they were specks among the clouds.

"If you thought our dive out the castle window was something, hold on to your seat..."

"AND HERE THEY COME, FOLKS!"

Twilight's eyes widened as the entire stadium seemed to hold their collective breath. The fliers had turned downwards, and were diving towards the ground headfirst. The pegasi were all being followed by differently-colored smoke trails, but Twilight couldn't see any sign of Saphira. Together, all of the different colors, red, yellow, green and violet, wound into a towering pillar just behind them, like clouds that had been braided together.

"Saphira? Where did you go?"

"Wait for it..."

The pegasi were all getting dangerously close and showing no signs of pulling up when the sound of an explosion drew everyone's attention back up into the sky. Saphira was there, breathing her blue flames in a wide arc before diving straight into the colored smoke column. Whatever the trails were made of, it was clearly flammable, immediately igniting with a burst of colored flames and blue sparks. The explosion followed the path downwards, almost immediately outpacing the pegasi and closing the distance in a matter of seconds. Ponies all throughout the stadium cried out in dismay as the Wonderbolts picked up speed, refusing to break formation as they were caught between the incoming explosion and the rapidly-approaching stadium floor. Just when it seemed that they were about to hit the ground, all of the pegasi split into different directions and pulled up, now with the flames just barely licking at their tails. They didn't stay separate for long, however, all plunging straight into the smoke left behind by the now-burned trails and vanishing from the audience's view. There was an earth-shattering crack, firework-like blasts in each of the four colors, and everything went silent.

"Saphira? What ha-"

Twilight's thoughts were cut off my the sound of Saphira's roaring. The entire stadium was lit by a flash of blue, and with the sound of huge wingbeats, the smoke parted to reveal Saphira and the Wonderbolts all unharmed and hovering together.

The stadium erupted into eardrum-splitting applause, and Twilight couldn't help feeling a swell of pride as she watched Saphira take her bow with the rest of the Wonderbolts. "I had no idea you liked doing these kinds of things..."

"Well, I DO enjoy being the center of attention, and a few of these pegasi are good friends of mine, so how could I say no when they asked me to help with a fire-based stunt?" Twilight could almost FEEL Saphira winking at her.

Twilight sniffed at the air, her eyes widening as she recognized the scent of the smoke. "Wait... Is this- Was it ALL you?"

"Yes, we've been bottling the gases I breathe to make fire. It's a great way to practice my firebreathing without destroying my throat, and they get one-of-a-kind pyrotechnics!"

That only left Twilight with more questions, but her thoughts were cut off by a huff from another pony nearby.

"That's all well and good, but they could have done it just as well without the overgrown lizard... Even if she is the princess's pet."

Twilight turned around slowly, focusing one hundred percent of her attention on finding out which of the "upper crust" ponies had just spoken.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm simply saying," continued a unicorn mare in an absurd-looking hat, "The Wonderbolts are and have always consisted of ponies, and they should remain so! Thank heavens that dragon is only a guest and not a memb-"

"Was that truly necessary?" Saphira asked as they flew back in the direction of Twilight's observatory. "I appreciate the effort, but I can defend my own honor..."

"Nopony talks about my little sister that way..." Twilight huffed, scratching at the irritated spot on her horn where security ponies had put a restraining ring while they escorted her to the Royal Guard. Thankfully, the guard in charge had recognized her as Shining Armor's sister and, once he'd heard the whole story, decided to let them off with a warning. "Nopony."

"... you know, I have never taken it for granted how you and your family took me in. You've never once treated me like I wasn't one of your own, even though I intruded on your home the way I did."

"Saphira, you never intruded-"

"I was unsure if I would ever mention this, but... I was not unconscious in my egg, not entirely. I had waited for..." she paused, considering her words carefully, "a VERY long time... for someone with a kind and brave heart whom I could call my partner. I do not remember much of my life before I met you, Twilight Sparkle, but I know that there had been great strife and turmoil over who possessed my egg and when I would choose to hatch. So thank you, Twilight, for letting me be a part of your family."

Both of them fell silent for a moment before Saphira heard Twilight sniffling loudly from her back.

"Are you... crying?"

"OF COURSE I'M CRYING!" Twilight shouted, throwing herself against Saphira's back and doing her best to hug her with her entire body. "You can't just SAY something like that and expect me NOT to cry!"

Saphira kept her own shed tear to herself as she tried not to laugh at Twilight's display of emotion. Together, the two of them sailed through the night sky towards the place they both called home.

"But seriously, Twilight, making her EAT her hat?"

"SHE HAD IT COMING!"

Reluctantly, the elder sister harnessed the most powerful magic known to ponydom: The Elements of Harmony. Using the magic of the Elements of Harmony, she defeated her younger sister, and banished her permanently in the moon. The elder sister took on responsibility for both sun and moon, and and harmony has been maintained in Equestria for generations since...

"Hmmm..." Twilight hummed to herself as she finished the latest chapter of her book. "Elements of Harmony... I know I've heard of those before! But where?"

"Perhaps in one of the ten thousand books you read over the last week?" Saphira quipped from where she was laying between Twilight and the nearby lake. "Seriously, with all of your studying lately, we haven't had ONE flying practice this week!"

"I'm sorry, Saphira, but you know that it's been three months, three weeks, and-"

"And four days since your last exam from the princess, I KNOW. And just like every fourth month since you were a filly, you're freaking out over the end of the sixteen-week semester that DOESN'T EXIST for us."

"Well, I'm still not taking ANY chances! If the Princess decides to change our format to a more traditional course calendar, I want to be READY for a final exam!"

"You think Celestia would give you a SURPRISE final exam?"

"We'd never be expecting it, and that would make it the PERFECT test!"

Saphira started to roll her eyes, but stopped when she seemed to spy something that made her frown. Twilight followed her gaze and found herself staring at a trio of unicorns who had walked up to them.

It was Minuette, Lemon Hearts, and Twinkleshine, all carrying some kind of gift-wrapped package on their backs. Minuette seemed to be regarding Saphira with some trepidation, and Twilight shot her sister a silent thought. How many times do I have to tell you to let go of that grudge? Quit giving her the evil eye!

"There you are, Twilight!" Twinkleshine declared. "Moondancer is having a little get-together in the West Castle courtyard. You wanna come?" All three mares leaned forward, clearly expecting an affirmative answer.

"Moondancer? That DOES sound like-"

"Oh, sorry girls! I've got a... lot of studying to catch up on!" Twilight cut Saphira off with a hastily-made excuse before jumping up onto her back. "Speaking of which, we were just about to head back to get the next textbook I need to look at! Come on, Saphira!"

Saphira twisted her head around, directing her annoyed gaze at Twilight as she wrapped her hooves around the revised harness, which had been pared down from matching full-body harnesses to a glorified saddle and pair of hoof straps. Twilight gave Saphira her best pleading look, making it clear she didn't want to stay in the awkward situation a moment longer. After a silent moment, Twilight spotted a glint of mischief in the dragon's eyes. Saphira spread her wings and, without another word, took to the air, leaving the partygoers far behind.

"Phew... Thanks, Saphira."

"One of these days, you're going to have to overcome that social anxiety of yours."

"It is NOT social anxiety!" Twilight argued. "I just don't see the point in going to parties! It's not like I'm going to learn anything THERE!" Twilight paused as they climbed higher and higher into the sky, nearly bushing her horn against the cloud cover. "You don't need to fly so high, we're just heading home..."

"Oh, are we?"

Those three words made the bottom fall out of Twilight's stomach.

"Saphira..."

"Well, home is just below us, I suppose I had best begin my descent..." Saphira smirked as she pulled her wings tight against her body. For a brief moment, the two of them were suspended in the air, completely untethered from the world... and then gravity took over.

"SAAAAAAPHIIIIIIRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAA!" Twilight screamed as they plunged downwards. Her attention instinctively turned to her saddlebags, but it was too late: she had left them open, and all of their contents had floated out into the air during their free-fall.

Saphira, of course, seemed to find the entire situation hilarious, laughing heartily as she spread her wings and turned upwards again. Twilight only barely managed to catch all of her books, papers, and other belongings in her magic before she realized that they were doing more than just turning back upwards: Saphira was taking them into a loop.

"SAAAPHIIIIIIRRRRRAAAAA CUT IT OOOOOOOUUUUUUT!" Twilight screamed as centripetal force pressed her hard against Saphira's back.

"I'm just burning off extra speed!" Saphira argued as their flight leveled out again. Moments later, they had landed on the upper balcony of her tower, and Twilight was able to finally release her death-grip magical hold on all of her items so she could arrange them back into their proper order.

"Thank you for nothing, you useless reptile..." she grumbled as she put her pages of notes back in numerical order.

"Well, maybe you'll remember to go flying with me more often in the future, and I won't get antsy." Saphira lifted her snout upwards as she walked past Twilight and into the observatory, though Twilight could still see her making no attempt to hide her smile.

"Ugh... Okay, well, luckily I still remember what I came back for..." Twilight muttered as she returned everything to her bags. "Elements of Harmony. That's what I'm looking for." She stepped back indoors and set her bags in their usual place. "Can you make yourself useful and find me an old copy of Predictions and Prophecies?"

"Which volume?" Saphira asked, giving Twilight a sideways look that made it clear the "make yourself useful" jab would NOT go unrepaid.

"Oldest one we have, before the numbering system!" Twilight stated, heading towards the shelves where she kept her antique volumes. She pulled out one book, glancing at the cover and seeing it read "Pronghorns and Practicality."

"No..."

She pulled another one. Predilictions and Productivity. "No..."

Premeditation and Prosecution.

"No!"

Preparedness and Professionals: A Guide to-

"NO!"

Presumptuous Prognostications of Pompous Ponies.

"No, no, no! UGGH!"

"Over here, Twilight." Saphira declared, tapping the tip of her snout against a certain tome. Twilight hastily pulled the book from its place with her magic, forcing Saphira to use the side of her face to stop the rest from falling. She gave the spine a momentary inspection to make sure it was the right book.

Predictions and Prophecies.

"Ah!" She let the rest of the books drop to the ground. Clearly, her organization system needed reworking, so there was no point in putting them back. At least that will make for a fun activity when I need a study break!

She cheerily took the book to her favorite stand and set it in place, letting her focus on flipping through the pages as fast as she could. "Elements, elements, e... e... e... aha! Elements of Harmony: See... Mare in the Moon?" Twilight read out loud.

"Mare in the Moon? You mean the old story that your mom used to tell us to get you to stop studying and go to bed?" Saphira asked. "I'm not sure you're on the right track, Twilight. That's just an old ponies' tale."

Twilight ignored Saphira's skepticism, flipping swiftly from the E's to the M's. "Mare... Mare... Ah! The Mare in the Moon: Myth from olden pony times. A powerful pony who wanted to rule Equestria. Defeated by the Elements of Harmony and imprisoned in the moon. Legend has it that on the longest day of the thousandth year, the stars will aid in her escape, and she will bring about nighttime eternal!" Twilight gasped. "Saphira! Do you know what this means?"

"That you're all done brushing up for your exam on ancient folklore that isn't coming?"

Twilight rushed to her writing desk, producing a piece of parchment and a fresh quill.

"My dearest teacher," she spoke the words out loud as she wrote, a habit that usually let Saphira act as a secondary proofreader. "My continuing studies of pony magic have led me to discover that we are on the precipice of disaster!"

"'Precipice?' Are you certain you're not being overly dramatic?" Saphira raised an eyebrow.

Twilight didn't THINK she was being dramatic at all, but she reconsidered. "Threshold?"

"Ehhh..." Saphira waggled her claw uncertainly.

"Brink?" Twilight suggested, feeling that making her language any simpler would steal the gravity from her message.

"That's better."

"For you see," Twilight continued, "the mythical 'Mare in the Moon' is, in fact, Nightmare Moon, and she's about to return to Equestria and bring on her eternal night! Something MUST be done to make sure this terrible prophecy does not come true! I await your quick response. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle!"

"Really took the 'overly damatic' critique to heart, didn't you?" Saphira rolled her eyes.

"Oh, hush..." Twilight muttered, rolling the parchment into a scroll and stamping it with her personal seal. "If I'm right, then the fate of all of Equestria could be at stake! That deserves a little bit of dramatic language!" With a well-practiced spell, Twilight sent the letter on its way to the intended recipient.

"And, considering the Summer Sun Celebration is the day after tomorrow, you think that this old legend should really be something Princess Celestia gives her time and attention to?"

"That's just it, Saphira! The day after tomorrow is the thousandth year of the Summer Sun Celebration! It's imperative that the princess know right away!"

"Alright, but I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for a response..." Saphira started to walk in the direction of her bed, only to stop as the sound of an arriving scroll echoed through the room.

"See? I KNEW she would want to take immediate action!" Twilight smiled as she picked up the scroll and unrolled it as she began to read the royal response out loud.

"My dearest, most faithful students, you know that I value your diligence and that I trust you completely." That brought a swell of pride to Twilight's chest. "But you simply must stop reading those dusty old books- WHAT?"

"HA HA HAHAHA HA HA!" Saphira began to laugh so hard, she was forced to lean on a nearby shelf for support.

"Bu-Bu-But..." Twilight stammered for a moment before continuing to read. "My dear Twilight, there is more to a young pony's life than studying! So, I'm sending you to supervise preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration in this year's location: Ponyville. And, I have an even more essential task for you to complete: MAKE SOME FRIENDS?" Twilight balked completely at the contents of the letter. If it hadn't mentioned her by name multiple times, she might have thought that it wasn't intended for her at all! "I have arranged for you to stay at the Golden Oaks Library, and I expect that you will approach these tasks with the same zeal you have given every other task up to now. Given your love of checklists, I will be sending you an Official Overseer's Checklist in a letter to follow. Your loving mentor, Princess Celestia." Twilight shook her head. "I- I don't believe it! There's no way this can be right, right? Saphira?" Twilight turned to look at her partner, only to catch the tip of her tail disappearing down the stairs. "SAPHIRA! Where are you going?"

"To get our bags!" After a second, she poked her head back around to give Twilight a smug look. "It's a long flight to Ponyville, so pack light, or I'll lighten it FOR you over the Everfree Forest!"

Twilight groaned and pressed her hoof to her forehead, hardly able to believe her eyes and ears. "This is a TERRIBLE idea, I just know it..."

Author's Note

Thank you, fellow adventurers, for making Sappire Scales an absolutely smashing success!

Originally, this commission was only 7,000 words, but once we reached Twilight's entrance exam, Ro wanted to extend it to 20,000! That brings us all the way to this point. Unfortunately, this is the end of what has already been written, which means that daily updates will come to an end. There is good news, however!

Ro is going to continue taking extensions on the project on a monthly basis, which means that there IS more of this story to come! In addition, given the unexpectedly fervent reaction, I've made Sapphire Scales extensions my goal on Ko-Fi, so if you'd like to help support this story, you can do so there! We still have lots of ideas about what kind of hijinks Saphira and Twilight can get into along with their soon-to-be friends!

I'll be starting on the next update to this story as soon as possible, and thank you one and all for making this little "what if" story a success!

Until next time, happy adventuring!
-Pennington Inkwell

Chapter 7: A New Start

The sun was shining brightly as Twilight and Saphira soared through the sky, flanked on either side by pegasus guards. Saphira raised her nose slightly into the oncoming headwind to take a deep breath.

She had caught whiffs of the wind coming in from Ponyville from time to time in the past, but now the scent was full-bodied and easily distinguishable: apples and flowers, predominantly, though now that they were coming up on the town from above, she could also make out hints of livestock, wood smoke, and freshly-baked pastry.

"The guards are hardly necessary, I could go faster if it was just you and me! They're just slowing us down!" Saphira grumbled, keeping her thoughts private between her and Twilight.

The princess wanted to make sure we got here safely. If anything were to happen to us en-route, the school would be held accountable! Just bear with it. Twilight's hoof patted the top of her head. I hear Ponyville has its own weather team! Maybe we can introduce you when we go to check in, you could see if you can find somepony to go flying with!

Saphira rolled her eyes, momentarily considering giving Twilight a toss, just to shake her up. "Don't patronize me. It's not like they could compare to flying with the Wonderbolts!"

Well, at least it'll give you something to do while I gather evidence of Nightmare Moon's return at the library!

Saphira twisted her neck around just enough to catch sight of Twilight. "You're still on that? Didn't the princess tell you not to worry about it?"

Twilight gave Saphira a frustrated glare, but it ricocheted harmlessly off of the fact that Saphira didn't care.

I HAVE to worry about it! The fate of Equestria could be at stake!

Saphira sighed, turning back to face straight ahead again. "Whatever you say, Twilight. But don't expect me to do your work for you so you can go study early! The festival prep is YOUR responsibility, not mine!"

A twinge of disappointment trickled through their connection, making Saphira turn angrily back around.

"You WERE expecting me to do everything for you!"

I- I was NOT! Twilight folded her front hooves and pointed her nose upwards in a haughty look.

"You totally were!"

I WAS NOT!

"If you make me do all of this for you, I'm definitely telling the princess!" Going straight to Mom was the nuclear option in these arguments, but the Princess was only one step down from that. Saphira sometimes wondered which of the two Twilight was more worried about disappointing.

"Okay, OKAY! I'LL DO IT!" Twilight shouted out loud, drawing the attention of both guards. She instantly seemed to realize her mistake, chuckling nervously and rubbing at the back of her head. Great! They're gonna think I'm crazy!

"They were probably trained by Shining Armor, they already know that."

Twilight's hoof slapped harmlessly at the back of her head. Oh, would you just cut it out?"

Saphira simply chuckled. Truthfully, she would have kept up the teasing if she had a good follow-up, but Ponyville was finally coming into sight, which meant their attention would soon need to be focused on the task ahead.

It was... quaint, compared to Canterlot. Most of the buildings were whitewashed with thatched roofing, which Saphira took note of. She was going to need to be careful, or the whole town could be up in flames before she knew it. From her bird's-eye view, she could see a central meeting hall, a windmill, and a small marketplace that stood out slightly from the rest of the town.

Together, they swooped down towards Ponyville, coming to a landing on one of the wider main roads. Things weren't necessarily busy, per se, but there were a number of earth ponies around. In a matter of seconds, Saphira's presence had been noticed, and the reactions were... honestly, more subdued than she had expected. Most ponies seemed to find some excuse to run into the nearest building, others simply froze in place and stared at her with eyes the size of dinner plates. A select few had managed to keep their nerve, trying their best to go about their business while keeping her in the corner of their eye.

Twilight clambered down from Saphira's back, nodding politely to the two guards. "Thank you, sirs!"

The two guards puffed up with satisfaction at a job well-done before taking off again in the direction of Canterlot.

"I don't suppose you have any intention of following Princess Celestia's most IMPORTANT instruction?" Saphira asked, raising an eyebrow. "'Make some friends?'"

"Please, the fate of Equestria does NOT rely on me making friends!" Twilight declared, completely missing the point.

"Ah, Miss Sparkle and Miss Saphira!" a gray-haired mare with a tan coat ran up to them, clearly in a hurry. Once she'd reached them, she was panting for breath and wiped a bead of sweat from her brow. Once she'd taken a second to adjust her collar and her glasses, she drew back up to her full height and offered her hoof to Twilight. "The princess sent word ahead to let us know you were on your way!"

That explains why there wasn't a panic when I arrived... Saphira thought to herself. Canterlot had gotten used to her presence over the years, and she took a small amount of pride in the fact that she had become something of a sought-after sight for tourists, but both she and Twilight had considered the possibility that another town like Ponyville might not be so... desensitized to the presence of a dragon.

"Ah, wonderful!" Twilight took the offered hoof and gave it a single firm shake. "Then you must know we're here to oversee the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration!" With a glow of her horn, the checklist Celestia had given her floated out of her saddlebag and into the air. As she did, Saphira caught the mayor giving her an anxious look out of the corner of her eye. The moment they made eye contact, the earth pony instantly looked away again, clearly nervous about having been spotted.

Saphira wasn't certain what she was so worried about, she wasn't even making any effort to put on a frightening expression.

"First on the list is the catering services! According to my information, they're supposed to be provided by... Sweet Apple Acres?"

"Yes!" The mayor seemed to brighten up at the mention. "Ponyville's very own orchard, producing some of the finest apples and apple products in all of Equestria!"

"I see..." Twilight mused, giving Saphira a glance. Saphira's nose had wrinkled somewhat, and they both knew why.

"Is there any place I could get something a bit more... hearty? Something more appropriate to a carnivore's appetite?" Saphira asked, leaning down to get closer to eye level. "It was a long flight from Canterlot and I find myself famished."

A pallor fell over the mare's face as she obviously tried to restrain herself from retreating. Saphira had to admire her ability to keep her nerve under pressure, no matter how misplaced her worry may have been. Strengths of a lifetime politician, I suppose...

"Y-Yes! The princess mentioned your- ah- diet. Ponyville has an animal care center that tends to all kinds of animals, but the rations of-" she swallowed nervously, "-meat... were delivered to in independent caretaker at the edge of town. Y-you should find her cottage if you just continue a short distance past the orchard!"

"Thank you." Saphira did her best to smile while showing as few of her teeth as possible before turning back to Twilight. "Shall we each grab a bite to eat and reconvene at the next station?"

Twilight eyed her checklist. "Well, the next item after catering is supposed to be weather management... You can probably handle that on your own, right?"

Saphira raised an eyebrow. "I thought I told you I'm not going to do your work for you-"

"I'm just dividing the work to who can do it best!" Twilight countered. "Come on, we can meet at the town hall and check the decorations together! Things will go twice as fast."

Saphira sighed. She would have argued, but logic was on Twilight's side, which always made her irritatingly adamant.

"Fine. But so help me, if you ditch me to go to the library early..."

Twilight grinned and drew a quick X over her chest. "I'll be at the town hall, cross my heart! See ya!" With a grin hiding just the slightest hint of mania, Twilight took off in the direction of the orchard.

Twilight had taken the princess's checklist with her, but luckily Saphira didn't need any help with knowing where to go to check on the weather: up.

With one last polite nod to the mayor, Saphira took to the skies, once again enjoying a bird's eye view of the small town. Why Celestia had chosen this place, she had no idea. Apparently Ponyville had some significance as an exporter of artisan zap apple products, but that was about all that she could think of that gave the town much renown at all. The Summer Sun Celebration was obviously going to require absolutely clear skies, lest a stray cloud ruin the view of Celestia's sunrise for everyone... but the sky here was absolutely riddled with clouds. Tufts of cumulus had been scattered around, just left wherever had been convenient after the last rainshower once they were spent. It was messy, completely careless and without a scrap of organization.

I guess small-town ponies might enjoy some randomness in their cloud cover... it COULD be a conscious choice, she mused. But not for the celebration. This isn't acceptable today. She arched her head from side to side, then executed a quick roll and flip to make sure she got a glimpse of the whole area above the town. Aside from a small multicolored blur in the distance, there were hardly any pegasi around, let alone anyone who seemed to be trying to clear the skies. Saphira considered her options. First choice: she could try to track down the pony who was supposed to be doing the work and give them a... friendly reminder. While she enjoyed the thought of getting to scare the horseapples out of the slacker, the fear she'd inspired just by LANDING in the town had given her more than her fill of weird looks for the day... which left her with the second option.

If you want something done right... she thought to herself as she drew a deep breath. With a grin, she flew up to one of the clouds and reared back, then put on a show while you do it!

In a plume of blue flames and a hiss of steam, Saphira vaporized the cloud completely. With a small pause to swallow and make sure she hadn't overtaxed her throat showing off, she glided over to the next of the clouds. This time, she used a bit less flame, but the cloud dissolved equally quickly. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see ponies below stopping what they were doing to watch her. She snickered as she realized that she was probably the most exciting thing that this little farming town would ever see. She flew in a tight loop before moving on to the next cloud, thinking about what kind of flourish she could give the next cloud's demise.

She was so preoccupied deciding on how to show off next, she didn't see the blue blur moving towards her at mach speed.

"BACK OFF!"

The angry cry was the only thing she heard before something struck her just under the chin. Her vision exploded into stars as she was knocked completely off-balance. She wasn't able to regain her bearings before the second blow, this one coming down as a kick just between the joints of her wings, causing the muscles to cramp and knocking her into a free-fall.

With the initial shock wearing off, Saphira immediately realized that she was on the road to becoming the victim of a grave misunderstanding. Unfortunately, this wasn't the first time that something like this had happened.

"CUT IT OUT, I'M FRIENDLY!" she cried out mentally. She wriggled her body in the air, trying to work out the kink that the kick had driven into the muscles across her back. More than anything, her body wanted to give her wings a stretch, but she was already falling too fast to do that without too much wind resistance. In the back of her mind, she was counting off how long she had before she hit the ground. She moved one of her wing tips, using the resistance to roll until her back was facing the ground, letting her wrap her wings around her body, pulling those muscles across her back tight enough to finally relieve the cramp. With a groan, she flung her wings out from her body at full length. The skin-covered membranes threatened to painfully tear as she caught the full force of the wind to support her weight and cancel her fall. She could practically feel her claws brush through the thatching on one of the roofs as she pulled back up into the sky, only barely avoiding crashing as she ascended back into the sky.

Her head was skill spinning slightly as she flew back up, finding herself climbing back up to the same height as a blue-coated pegasus with a multicolored mane. She seemed to be regarding Saphira with suspicion at first, but as she drew closer the mare's eyes widened.

"Oh... my... gosh."

Saphira craned her neck from side to side, trying to work out the kinks that the uppercut had left her with. Being able to "grumble" when speaking with telepathy was an art form, and one Saphira had mastered years ago. "I believe an APOLOGY is in order..."

"You're... Saphira Sparkle..." the stranger whispered in what Saphira really only noted was NOT an apology.

"Yes, and you are?"

"You're... the dragon who flies with the Wonderbolts!" The pony rushed up to her with blinding speed, eyes wide and filled with glee. "Holy cow, I'm a HUUUGE fan!"

"Is that supposed to make me forget the fact you just tried to KNOCK ME OUT OF THE SKY?" Saphira roared, snapping at the pony and coming up just inches short of biting her nose off. "You could've killed me!"

"Oh- OH." The pony finally seemed to realize her mistake. "Oh my gosh, I'm SO sorry! I thought you were attacking the town! Ponyville's on the path for the dragon migration, so we try to stay ready for anything, and- and-" she stammered as she seemed to run out of words before finally just settling on bowing her head. "I'm SO SORRY! It was a genuine mistake, I PROMISE!"

Saphira's lips parted, giving a full view of her many, MANY sharp teeth. "If I was attacking the town, don't you think I'd aim a little LOWER than torching the clouds the lackadaisical weather ponies around here forgot to clear out? Use your HEAD you little-" just as she felt her temper was about to run away with her, Saphira bit her metaphorical tongue.

This pony had made a mistake, but it WAS a genuinely well-intentioned one, and no one had actually gotten hurt in the end. Furthermore, she was CLEARLY a Wonderbolts fan, and Spitfire would never forgive her if she found out she'd bitten a fan's head off, literally OR verbally.

She took a deep breath, steadying herself and letting the anger dissipate.

"Just... think a little next time." She took a moment to rub at the bruised spot between her wings with the tip of her tail. With that, she began to slowly glide her way towards the next cloud. "I guess it's not THAT bad compared to the time Spitfire had the same mix-up in Canterlot..."

"No... WAY! You know Spitfire? Like, personally?" The mare seemed to have instantly and conveniently forgotten all about being remorseful. "What's she like? How fast is she? Can you help me get a chance to show her my skills?"

Saphira gathered up her flames into a sparkling blue fireball, which she tossed lazily through the cloud. She relished in the satisfaction of watching it burn up from the center outwards. "She's a stick in the mud on the training field and a pugnacious speedster off of it, faster than me and that's all I've ever cared about, and NO, I'm not a recruiter."

"Hm... faster than YOU, huh?" The multicolored mare floated out in front of her, flying backwards to avoid causing them to crash. "So... wanna race?"

Saphira narrowed her eyes. "You know, I might actually have said yes, except I have to make sure the skies are clear because the weather team decided not to show up today and SOMEPONY decided to kick me and give me the mother of all cramps a couple minutes ago!"

"Oh... uh... hold on." In a blur of motion, the blue pegasus took off at an all-out sprint, racing across the afternoon sky and pulverizing the clouds with what looked like almost no effort. In a matter of seconds, she had completely cleared away all signs of the scattered weather leftovers. "Sorry about that! I was going to clear those out as soon as I was finished with practicing my tricks for today! I'd never leave Ponyville hanging!" She extended a friendly hoof. "The name's Rainbow Dash, pleased to meetcha! Now that that's taken care of, I can show you the spot I go to ice down most days, it should help with that soreness!"

Saphira blinked. Even for a gifted pegasus like Spitfire, clearing out all of those clouds was akin to flying sprints up and down the stadium field, and this "Rainbow Dash" had just completed it in what couldn't have been more than ten seconds flat. Suddenly, the impact behind her blows made a LOT more sense, this pony was fast with a capital "FAST."

"As much as I'd like to, I'm here with my sister-" she caught a glimmer of excitement in Rainbow Dash's eye. "My UNICORN sister... to make sure all the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration are finished. If we've got time later tonight, I'd love to, but for now I've got to fly out to meet some animal caretaker on the edge of town so I can get the meat for my meals while I'm here."

"Wait, do you mean FLUTTERSHY?" Rainbow Dash tapped her hoof against her chin. "Well, she's not home, she's handling the music, if I remember right. She's got a whole flock of songbirds rehearsing in the park! Also..." she looked Saphira up and down with a critical eye. "She's practically scared of her own shadow. I'm pretty sure she'd have a heart attack if you just dropped in on her!"

Saphira groaned, making a mental note to give whoever sent her food shipment from Canterlot a good roasting when she got back home. What was the point of sending meat over here if they sent it to a pony she'd never be able to get it from?

"Don't worry, I can go talk to her for ya, we go WAY back!" Rainbow waved off her dissatisfaction with a smile. "For now, why don't I show you around? Ponyville's MY turf, and I bet with my help, you can get through that to-do list at least twenty percent faster! It's the least I owe ya after kicking your butt."

Saphira glanced back down at the little town, suddenly realizing that without Twilight or any of the royal guards, the earlier mix-up was likely going to happen again if she tried walking around on her own.

"You didn't kick my butt, you SUCKER-PUNCHED me." She cast a sideways glare at Rainbow, causing her to flinch back slightly and give a nervous chuckle. "But I guess having a guide wouldn't hurt."

Rainbow pumped her hoof with glee. "YES! Okay, so first place you GOTTA go when you come to Ponyville is Sugarcube Corner! Come on, this way!"

As Saphira followed her enthusiastic new acquaintance, she couldn't help but wonder how Twilight was doing.

"Arn'cha gonna stay for brunch?" the little bow-wearing filly asked, her eyes wide and tender with the potential for heart-wrenching disappointment. Deep inside, Twilight asked herself if she really had so little soul as to mercilessly inflict that pain in the pursuit of efficiency.

Well, Saphira wasn't here to call her heartless, so...

"Sorry, but we have an awful lot to... do..." she was almost cut off by the massive chorus of disappointed groans as she realized that she seemed to be disappointing the ENTIRE CLAN of ponies who had come out to meet her.

"...fine."

Twilight sighed as she internally grieved for the time she was sacrificing on the altar of social convention.

Still... it was just brunch, right? She'd just grab a quick bite and go to meet Saphira at the town hall. She'd taste test one, maybe two items, max.