Beat of the Heart

Chapters

Chapter 1: In the Name of Science!
Chapter 2: Of Dragons and Ponies
Chapter 3 Double Date
Chapter 4 Dr Claw
Chapter 5 The Real Date

Chapter 1: In the Name of Science!

The world of dreams was Luna’s realm. She was there constantly. She worked in other ponies’ dreams all night then finally collapsed into her own when she was done. In her dreams she maintained complete control. She could choose whatever she wanted those dreams to be. Today she was wondering what sort of mate would be best for her.

Or she would have. If her bed didn’t explode in a shower of blankets and grey feathers. The Princess’s head shot up off her pillow and pulled her face mask off.

“What is the meaning of this?” Luna demanded, looking at the disarray her bedding was in.

“Oh, hi,” said a small voice next to her. “You have a really comfy bed, Your Highness.”

Luna glared at the little grey mailpony in her bed. “You! Why must you constantly dive-bomb me? You crashed into my bed, smashed through the art I painted, and crushed my beautiful flower garden! Why do you torment me?!”

“Uuuh I deliver the mail,” the cursed mail carrier corrected. “I don’t have any torment. I could find some.”

Luna sighed. This tirade wasn’t going to get through, either. “What did you bring with you?”

“Oh, I have this letter for you Princess,” the pegasus said, presenting an ornate envelope to the exhausted mare. “Wow, this bed is sooo soft.”

Luna ignored her loathed bedmate and opened the letter with a flash of dark blue. The letter floated out of its prison and hovered in front of the Princess’s muzzle. She stared at the source of her annoyance, then sighed when it told her nothing. The bedside table drawer opened itself and a pair of reading glasses floated out. They alighted themselves on her face and the note’s scribbles became clear.

“Dear Princess,

I have built a marvelous machine that will change the way you see the world. I was hoping to demonstrate this brilliant discovery to Ponyville tomorrow. It will further everypony’s understanding of science. I would be most honored if you were in attendance. There I will explain the jghhfgvcgbth and gncbcb of the bjbjggbnvb.

Your Subject
Dr Whooves”

The Princess shook her head, but again the words at the bottom still made no sense to her. It was some sort of scientific jargon that she couldn’t comprehend—it looked like gibberish to her.

She placed the letter down and wondered what sort of machine the doctor had constructed. Change the way you see the world. It sounded interesting. Perhaps she would…

Luna’s thoughts were cut short by the snoring of the mailpony in her bed. The little pegasus was curled up, snuggling her pillow like a teddy bear.

Luna threw her hooves in the air. She was too tired to worry about it. She gave the mail carrier a gentle headpat and laid back down once more. The gentle rhythm of the slumbering mare helped the Princess of dreams find her own once more. They snored the morning away together.

***

Luna arrived in Ponyville on the evening of the date indicated by the letter. The town was lit in a strange orange glow by lightbulbs. A large wheel dominated the skyline, and ponies walked around eating cotton candy. It was a fair.

The Princess of the night landed with no sound. She skirted the bulk of the crowds, preferring to stay inconspicuous. The mistake of arriving in splendor in Ponyville was still present in her mind. She didn’t want the fanfare; she just was there to sate her curiosity, not to cause a scene.

Those that knew her waved and she approached them cautiously. “Princess Luna,” cried Lyra Heartstrings. She was always a welcomed sight—her music had always found a way to soothe Luna’s stress.

“I’m sorry to say that Twilight and the others aren’t here in Ponyville right now.”

“I am not here to visit her,” Luna responded. “I was invited to witness a modern marvel of our age.”

“What, the Ferris wheel?”

“It is most glamorous, but nay, this is a new invention. Its creator informed me that it would change the way I see the world. I am most intrigued.”

“Huh, well I don’t know about that, but if you’re talking about Doc's new machine, it looks really neat.”

“I am indeed,” said Luna, as she looked around for this “neat” machine.

“Well, it’s over there,” Lyra directed with her hoof. “And be sure to swing by that Phenomnomenons booth. They’re the best.”

“My thanks.”

“No problem.”

The Princess strode towards the indicated direction and could feel a slight tickle in her nose. It was a sugary sweet scent, some sort of baked confection that caught her snout and pulled her towards a booth like a magnet.

“Are these the famous Phenomnomenons I was told about?” she asked as she approached the booth.

“P-P-Princess Luna?!” stammered the vendor. “I didn’t know you would be here. Care for some Phenomnomenons? On the house.``

“That sounds most glorious,” cried Luna as she took the coveted treat.

“Gar gar!” shouted a voice near her. “You spent all the money on games?! I wanted to try one of those Phenomnomenons that Silverstream was raving about.”

The Princess looked over and saw two dragons: A large, brutish- specimen with a scowl and protruding razor sharp front teeth, and a small one that Luna recognized from a class picture that Twilight had sent to her and Celestia..

What was her name? Scorch? Smokey? Ah yes, Smolder.

“Excuse me. Smolder, is it not?” the night princess hailed.

The little dragon looked stunned. She stood straight up and awkwardly bowed. She gave a death stare to the other dragon. The big one folded his arms and glanced away from her in indifference.

“Princess Luna, I’m sorry—I mean, yes! I’m Smolder… uh, Your Highness.”

“I couldn’t help but overhear that you wished to purchase some of these confections.”

The little dragon nodded.

“And perhaps you could clear up something for my sister and I. Twilight has written that, recently, Spike has begun dating a fellow dragon.”

Pinkness appeared on the dragon’s cheeks. She looked like a bucket of cold water had been dumped on her.

“I thought so,” chuckled the Princess. She turned to the vendor once again and placed a shiny bit on her counter. “Please give this dragon some of your fine wares. She is the special some...dragon of a dear friend.”

“Really?!” the reddened Smolder asked. “Aww, thanks.” She gratefully asked the vendor for one of each flavor. The larger dragon rolled his eyes, but grabbed one or two of them when Smolder wasn’t looking. Luna was about to scold him when an alarm sounded from the Doctor’s machine. It was a sharp whistle of steam.

“Whipping stallions, that’s a lot louder than the tests. What did you do, Derpy?” Luna heard an elegant pony shout. A brown earth pony popped up on a large booth lined with various copper tubes. In the middle were two large openings that looked like chambers. Steam rose unsettlingly from the chambers.

“Ahh,” said the Doctor as he noticed he had the audience’s attention. ”Hello, ladies and gentlecolts! I have built for you a machine that will change the way we look at time. We like to think of time as a slow plodding weight. Things we do are forever etched into its unyielding tapestry. But what if it’s more malleable than we originally believed? What if we can slide in between the holes of the tapestry without disturbing the weaving? This machine will allow us to do just that. Without the use of magic I might add.

“No more will we suffer the injustice of consequences. No more will our mistakes be forever our burdens to bear. No more will I get cold soup from continuously working on this machine!”

The crowd murmured in excitement. They chatted about different times that they would return to. Different mistakes they would fix.

“As if,” scoffed a voice from the crowd. Luna turned and saw the brutish dragon from before. “Travel through time? Give me a break. No pony could invent something that awesome. It’s got to be a scam.”

“Ahh, a doubter!” cried the excited Doctor. “I’ll have you know this machine has been tested multiple times, and the subject was mostly unharmed each time.”

“Yeah!” cried Derpy, flapping up to land next to the Doctor.

It’s her! What is she doing here? Next to such a powerful machine?!

Derpy looked into the audience and locked an eye, possibly two, onto Luna’s eyes. She gasped and shouted, “Look, Doc, it’s her!”

“Her?” the Doctor asked, suddenly disengaging from the audience. Then looked down the pegasus’s pointing hoof. “The snuggle princess?”

Snuggle princess? What had this mare told him?

“Yeah we slept together this morning,” continued the deluded mare. “Then she held me so tight. I felt so snuggly in those big forehooves.”

The crowd gasped in shock. The uncomfortable mummers started immediately. Luna could hear the words “snuggle princess” and “slept with Derpy” continually repeated by their lips.

“What?!” cried the snuggly princess. She pointed her hoof accusingly at that accursed pegasus. “You have not done me justice! You crashed into my bed whilst I slept and then fell asleep upon it. I did not sleep with you, as you suggested.”

“But, but we did,” Derpy countered, starting to tear up. “We spent all morning together in your bed. I would have stayed longer but I needed to finish my mail run. But you did hold me in your hooves while you slept.”

“But that is not the same as your suggestion earlier. You made it sound as if you and I… you and I… had coupled.”

Derpy looked at her in confusion. “Coupled? I don’t understand.”

“Do not make me spell it out for you,” hissed the angered alicorn.

Derpy was about to say something else when the Doctor whispered something in her ear. She stopped. Then the color drained from her face. She looked at the princess with wide horrified eyes. Then toppled over backward striking a nearby lever.

Of course.

The whistles screamed an alert and the pipes and tubes bulged with the great energy they carried inside. The lights of the town flickered and dimmed. Steam billowed out of both chambers. It enveloped the crowd who began to scream. Luna saw a bright, white light surge forward and strike her body. Then she saw and heard nothing.

Chapter 2: Of Dragons and Ponies

Luna was jolted by a bump underneath her. It hurt. Her whole body ached. She could tell immediately something was wrong.

Her body didn’t feel right. There was a heaviness to it that she wasn’t used to. She lifted her forehoof to her head but found it stuck; her only explanation was a clinking sound. She turned her head and opened her eyes.

The first thing that she saw was huge, sharpened teeth. She tried to back away quickly, but was held by the restraint on her leg. She looked closer at the teeth, and found the lips and face attached to them; they were red and covered in scales.

Her eyes refocused and put the images together properly. It was that horrid brute of a dragon that Smolder was with. What was he doing here? Where was here?

Luna looked around to assess for threats. She found she was in the back of a cart padded with hay. The sky looked the same, but creatures filled the air. By the shape of their bodies, she could tell they were dragons.

Had this foal lunk kidnapped her to his homeland? Celestia would hear of it and race to her rescue. Not that Luna normally needed rescuing. But, for some reason, her ability to call her power did not work. The magic was gone!

“Huh? What? Where am I?” the oaf next to her uttered.

“You?” the Princess spat. “Obviously we are in your lands. So the real question is, why have you brought me here?”

“Whoa, whoa,” the dragon said, rubbing his head. “You are talking way too much. I have no idea where we are or who you are. I just remember some stupid pony festival Smolder dragged me to.”

“Yes! Gar Gar, wasn’t it? You were with Smolder, is she involved in this plot too? I will have to inform Spike immediately of this offense.”

“You leave my sister and her wussy boyfriend alone ok?” Gar Gar threatened with an offensive claw poke to the chest. “And the name is Garble. Not Gar Gar! Only Smolder can call me that… and her lame-o boyfriend I guess. When nodragon is around.”

“If that is your attitude, I don’t think your superiors would appreciate the way you treat your captive.”

“Look lady, I told you I don’t know you. Why would I kidnap somedragon I don’t know. Besides, I don’t answer to anyone.” Garble crossed his arms in defiance. His arm pulled the chain that connected their handcuffs and Luna nearly fell over.

The Princess tried to steady herself with her forehooves, only to look down and find her forehooves gone. In their place were strange, thin arms covered in scales. They were dark blue, as her coat had been. At the end of the arms were two clawed hands. Hands. Things that she had wondered about for millennia. She opened and closed each one, then tested and flexed each finger. The sensation was so new, so foreign that Luna nearly passed out again.

“Hey, are you alright? Something wrong with your fingers?” Garble said with a raised eyebrow.

“Am I alright? Am I alright?! Look at me. I have ...hands! And fingers! What have you done with my hooves?! Where is my precious mane?!”

Garble began to laugh. He did so openly; no hand over his mouth, just wide-open laughter at the Princess’s plight. “What do you think you are? A pony? Mane. Pffft.”

“I am a pony!”

“Huh? You’re the most dragon-looking pony I ever saw.”

“Dr-dr-dragon?!” Now the princess couldn’t help it. The world blurred and darkness overcame her. She could feel her unfamiliar body flop into the wagon, and distantly heard Garble’s voice shouting, “Hey! You ok?! Hey! Can you hear me?!” Then the quiet, soothing darkness encompassed her.

***

The light returned and again Luna was unfamiliar with the surroundings. It was a room this time. With concrete walls, concrete floors, and even the ceiling was concrete. The only things that weren't concrete were the metal bars that lined one wall.

Metal bars?! It was a prison cell! They had kidnapped her. That wretched Garble had lied to her. But, then why was he sitting next to her in the same cell? And wearing that robe?

“You awake there, ‘pony girl’?” he snickered unhappily.

“What has happened? Why am I in a cell if I am not a captive? What is your game?” Luna puffed her scaly cheeks in agitation.

“There is no game. We were arrested. That’s all.” Garble sighed and lazily waved his hand.

“A-A-Arrested! On what charge?!”

“Public nudity.”

“Nudity? Nudity! But I am a Princess of my kingdom and wear very little clothing. And you don’t wear clothes at all!” the Princess of Very-Little-Clothing protested.

“We’re not in Equestria,” Garble said flatly. “I don’t think we’re anyplace close. This place is really different. The dragons here are weird. They wear clothes and talk about friendship. It’s lame.”

“Please,” Luna finally exhaled,” I don’t understand what you are saying. Tell me what has happened and where I am.”

“Well, ‘princess,’ we’re in some place full of strange-acting dragons and no ponies. It all started after that weird flash of light from that stupid pony’s machine. The one that he said would send you to the past.”

“Doctor Whooves’ machine,” Luna whispered to herself. Then she continued louder, “It must have been that wretched mail pony. She did this to me. I don’t know what I did to deserve such treatment.”

“So that’s what happened,” sighed Garb. “That stupid pony blasted us both. The dumb doctor’s machine messed up or something and sent us here. So you were actually a pony before?”

“I wasn’t just a pony,” exclaimed Luna. “I am Princess Luna, controller of the moon, Princess of Dreams!”

“Eh” shrugged the lout. “So what. You’re just a teenage dragon now, Miss Princess of the Moon. And we just got busted being naked together. I guess that’s a bad thing or whatever.”

“Another incident of proposed indecency! Must I be slandered in every realm? What sort of penance must I bear in this world for such an infraction?”

“Umm, that would be community service,” a gruff voice said from the other side of the bars. A larger dragon wearing a blue suit and an official looking badge stared at them with a disapproving stare. “You two whelps should take your shenanigans to the cliff side like everydragon else. We don’t like that kind of display in the middle of Craterlot. Now your sisters have come to collect you. You go home, and we’ll assign you the work later.”

“Sister?” Luna jumped up with excitement. “Celestia is here?!”

“Yeah, Luna, she’s right outside. To be honest I wouldn’t think a dragon of your standing would be... doing that with a delinquent like Garble,” commented the guard.

“Hey!” cried Garble. “I’m a well respected dragon. I was nearly king once. But I was tricked by that little half-pint my sister is dating.”

“Spike?” said the guard. “You’re talking about one of the most famous dragons in the land.”

“And your best friend,” reminded the small dragon sister as she approached. She looked exactly the same but wore a bright pink frilly dress. “Or should I say your only friend. You should treat him better, Gar Gar.”

“What?! What are you talking about? I have plenty of friends. I’m one of the most popular dragons,” the annoyed Gar Gar pointed out.

“Oh really? You push dragons around, bully them, call them names, play pranks on them, should I go on? Dragons hate that.”

“Those are the most dragonish things I can think of,” Garble pleaded. “How could dragons possibly not like me?”

“Did you get a bump on the head, bro?” Smolder inquired with a raised eyebrow.

“That is exactly what I was about to ask,” called a familiar voice.

“Sister!” Luna cried in excitement. “Surely if anypony can clear this confusion up, it…” Luna was struck dumb as a massive white dragon entered the room. She had a large quad-colored crest on her serpentine head, and wore a black cotton dress. Luna looked into the reptilian eyes, but still could see Celestia inside them. “You’re a dragon! We have not been teleported through time, we have been teleported to another dimension!”

Luna felt her legs shake again and cursed this body’s lack of resolve. The darkness was coming again.

“Oh, don’t do that again, Your Highness“ Garble snarked. Luna felt the strong hand of the dragon on her back. She swooned slightly but recovered. She had to think. How could she return? Where was she in the first place?

“Luna?!” cried the dragon Celestia. “Are you alright? Unhand her, you brute!”

“Sister, calm yourself,” Luna said as she stood back up. “He is... a friend.”

“Friend?” her sister spat. “Oh Luna, don’t tell me it’s true. Are you really dating this dragon?!”

Luna’s mind whirled in thought. She quickly came up with a plan. “Yes.”

“Wait! Wha?!!” Both Garble and Smolder shouted simultaneously, proving their familiar bond.

“Yes, Garble is my boyfriend,” affirmed Luna with a mischievous gleam in her eye. Garble was about to refute her but she glared up at him from her shorter position. She whispered to him quickly, ”We will need to work together if we are to leave this world. This will be more convenient, and arouse less suspicion when we talk. We must find out the conventions of this realm. You find out as much as you can, and I shall do the same.”

“Uhhh, conventions? Like those things in lava pits?”

“How this world works, you dolt!” Her frustration was released with a light bop to his head.

“Oh, uh, right,” Garble mumbled and rubbed his sore head.

“A girl just hit my brother and he didn’t do anything back?!” gasped Smolder. “They must be dating.”

“Is this true, Luna? What do you see in him?” demanded Celestia eyeing her in suspicion and disbelief.

“It was Spike’s suggestion. He speaks highly of Garble. He told me underneath his oafish, haughty, lout-like demeanor exists a good dragon. So I wished to see that for myself,” explained Luna. “Or do we ignore the opinion of one of the more famous dragons now?”

“Mmm, that does sound like Spikey,” Smolder pondered out loud. “Well, if you can tolerate this goof, I don’t see a problem.”

“Well, I am glad that you have finally shown interest in that area of life, Luna,” Celestia said as graciously as she could. Each word felt like it was dancing on the head of a pin. “If you are content then I cannot see an issue. Perhaps Spike is correct. He generally is.”

“Well, thanks, I guess. Umm, see you later, Snuggle-” Garble began then caught the eye of his “girlfriend.” “Er, um, Princess.”

Luna began to exit the cell when she caught a look from Celestia. Her mind spun as she tried to figure out what the issue was.

“Are you feeling ok, Luna?” her sister prodded.

“Look just because Garble might be your choice-“

“You are not standing and crawling oddly. Have you been doing drugs as well?”

“What?! No?!,” Luna cursed this new body. She slowly stood up and found the sensation so jarring that she nearly toppled over again. She forced her new muscles to comply with her request. Then stiffly shuffled out of the cell.

“Are you..certain?” asked Celestia, truly concerned. “I will not judge you if you did.”

“I am just…tired. The events of today were most unsettling. Can I please just…get dressed?”

The group split into its respective families and Luna changed into the clothes Celestia provided. It was a black shirt with a band logo that Luna couldn’t understand the meaning of. What was Rwar? With a shrug she placed it on, and the plaid skirt that accompanied it.

Celestia waited outside the police station with her arms folded. She opened her bat-like wings and waited until Luna followed suit. As soon as they were high up enough, Celestia let out a long-held sigh.

“Garble?! Really, Luna?! There were plenty of interested dragons, but you picked the most mindless, garish, crass dragon to ever live in Craterlot.”

“Are you quite finished?”

“Seriously, what do you see in him? Or are you trying to get back at me for something I did? Did I push you too much? I know things haven’t been the same since our parents died, but I’m doing my best. Thank goodness Starswirl the Bearded Dragon is there to help.”

“Well,” Luna knew she had to choose her words carefully. Any slip up could cause her ruse to break and in this place who knows what would happen. “He is the most different dragon I have encountered.”

“Always with the bad drakes,” Celestia said with a shake of her head. “Well, he doesn’t seem strong enough to hurt you nor smart enough to be conning you. So just be… careful with this one. I don’t want to see you injure another suitor. You’ll get as bad a reputation as him.”

“I shall be careful,” sighed the moon dragon. This Celestia was as picky as the one at home.

Home. She had to figure out how to get back there. If she could not, then she would be stuck as a dragon forever. And probably end up with that numbskull just to not give up her own fabrication.

“Have you ever thought of different dimensions that could exist alongside our own?”

“Dimensions?” Celestia said thoughtfully. “I suppose that could be a possibility. You learned this from Starswirl, no doubt. Just don’t end up like that kooky dragon Doctor Claw. He keeps saying he invented a machine to access those things.”

“Doctor Claw. Hmm,” mused Luna, “perhaps I should speak with him.”

“Well, you can do whatever silly plan you have tomorrow. Tonight you must be punished for your actions, and I don’t think Starswirl will go light on you this time.”

Punished.As if she hadn’t been punished enough. But she said nothing and returned to her cave, following her sister’s lead. It was not the castle she was used to, it was just a large cavern with a small opening in the front. There were no guards, no fanfare at their arrival. They were not royalty here.

“What task must I complete?” Luna asked, expecting some sort of cleaning or similar drudgery.

“That is for Starswirl to decide,”said Celestia with pity in her voice. Luna swallowed hard; it had been thousands of years since the old wizard was in this position, and this was the dragon version. Who knows what he would do or say for such lewd behavior?

The defeated dragon followed her sister through the long, vast caves. It felt like her own execution was imminent, but nonetheless she took that time to look at her surroundings. The cavern’s walls were painted in a way that was reminiscent of her true home, yet there were stand out differences. No windows, no carpets to catch your claws on. No crystal-based art.

Then she saw a mirror in the hallway. She gazed at her dragon self in wonder. She had a small body similar to Smolder but a little taller. Her snout had been replaced with a beak-like structure. A hard bony frill circled the top of her head that was the color her mane used to be. It was quite a shock.

“Luna,” a deep voice called from a room loaded with books. It boomed down the hallway snapping Luna out of the mirror. It did not sound like the voice she was used to. Some of the cadence was there but it was much lower.

Luna entered the library and found a gigantic wyrm. The enormous form barely fit in the room. The little dragon wondered how he moved through the home at all. Its massive head swiveled and looked at his ward. Luna felt those eyes perceive more than just her mood. It was unsettling. Those wise eyes she knew were still there but the pool of knowledge was deeper. He turned back to the small book he was reading and sighed.

“To be found in such a predicament is not befitting of one in your status,” the old dragon began. “I understand that one at your age has more hormones than thoughts in your mind. That is no excuse to give into them. Now, what would a fitting punishment be?”

The mentor placed a mighty claw in his mouth in mock thought. “I could assign some menial task to show you the status you would have if you continue your impulses. But I don’t think such things will really help you. How about you reread the books on culture, history and science. That way you may remember your responsibilities as a dragon of nobility.”

Luna couldn’t catch the gasp before it escaped her lips. It was the very information she needed. Did she just see a smile and wink from the old lizard? She shook her head and found the books he had indicated.

“I want a scroll on each summarizing the major tenets and major events please,” said Starswirl in an overly dry tone.

“I knew it would not be that easy,” sighed Luna. She detested writing assignments. She didn’t even know if the glyphs would be the same as the ones at home. Never mind the fact that she now had to write with her new hands. She noted she was the only one of them walking on all fours. She pushed herself upright and tried to maintain her dignity as she ambled forward.

The old dragon watched her with interest. A rumble seemed to fill the room and Luna wondered if it was a stifled laugh. She found the seat comfortable enough and sat back with the book on dragon culture. Luckily the glyphs were close enough and she could figure out the ones that weren’t in context. It didn’t take her long to grasp the language but she had studied draconic before.

The night wore on and Luna could feel these hands of hers ache. She wasn’t even sure which one she was supposed to be using. But both seemed to shake of their own volition and cause ink splatters on the parchment. It was in the wee hours in the morning when the weary dragon finally placed down her quill. Her mind whirled with the laws, and social moraes of this new world. The ways were almost exactly as her own in Equestria.

She started the dredge to a room she was hoping would be hers. The stupid face of Garble appeared in her mind. She chastised herself for being so rough with him. He grew up in such a different world that such brutality was both necessary and encouraged. Perhaps she should keep that in mind when dealing with him tomorrow. It was the least she could do in order to keep up this “girlfriend” charade. She wondered what sort of information the dragon would find and report back.

***

“You dolt!” Luna’s voice shook with frustration as she found her little hand bopping him on the head once again. It must be the dragon hormones. She rarely lost her temper. But being trapped in a body that wasn’t hers had made her agitated.

“But that’s really all I found out,” Garble whined.

“You had an entire evening and all you can say is that Spike does not meet your standards as a friend!” berated the dragon, shaking in annoyance.

“I didn’t say that,”explained Garble with a quick glance around the schoolyard to see if any dragon was listening. “I said he was a wimp. But uh, I guess that can be ok...for a friend. Not that he is one.”

“Arghh this stupid male posturing of yours is making me ill. I, on the other..hand , researched the customs of this world. We are in luck. They are exactly like those in Equestria,” Luna said triumphantly.

“What?! I have to act...like a pony?! No wonder I wasn’t fitting in. These dragons have become soft!”

“Soft! Soft!? Do you know how hard it is not to strike?” Luna explained.

“You mean how you just hit me?”

“Err..well that was in error. But to be kind, that is much harder than to injure. I know because I used to hurt others,” said Luna, looking around as if Nightmare Moon was laying in wait behind every bush. “Trust me. That path of pain and arrogance is very easy compared to being civil when you don’t wish to be.”

“Uhhh ok,” Garble shrugged. “But what do I do? Dragons in our world always act like that. I don’t know how to be… lame.”

“Well for one thing you should listen to Spike more. But if you want to be taken seriously in this world you should place more care into your appearance.”

Garble rolled his eyes. “Come on. I threw these lame clothes on, ok. That’s what I have. They’re weird enough to wear as it is.” He was wearing a varsity style jacket with a t- shirt and shorts. He stared at her with a frustrated uncertain expression.

“Not your apparel. Your appearance. Stand up straighter. Stop slouching like a brute and curl your lip over your teeth,” Luna commanded. Garble actually obeyed each command until she mentioned his lip.

“Hey, we can’t all be born as pretty, and beautiful as you!” he snapped. Then quickly placed his hands over his mouth in surprise.

“You think I-I am pretty?” gasped the shocked dragon. “In-in this form?”

“What’s wrong with being a dragon?”

“Well, these hands are quite...unusual. And the frill is heavier than my mane,” Luna began but stopped at Garble’s raised eyebrow. “I guess..I could get used to it after a while. I suppose I should change my attitude as well.”

“Huh,” snorted Garble. “Even a princess can learn.”

The new dragon was about to protest when a bell rang and all the dragons entered the school. Luna had never attended a school. It was a strange experience. The way her classmates stared and whispered. She caught words like “I can’t believe they’re dating” and “Garble showed up on time.” She was used to walking down a hallway with a lot of commotion but not used to blatant disrespect on their faces. It made her uncomfortable.

Garble placed his arm on her protectively. His contantance was stern. He was trying to stand straighter and his little lip tried to curl over his enormous teeth. Luna felt surprised but stifled a giggle watching the uncomfortable display.

“You do not have to try with your lip,” whispered Luna, with a smile. “Your teeth are fine.”

The rest of the day was an exercise in restraint and concentration. The former princess of dreams was not used to daylight and being awake for it. Nor was she used to fighting through a droning dragon lecture. The top of her desk was growing bigger and bigger in her view. Soon it was all she could see.

“Care to join the rest of us Ms Luna?” the droning dragon teacher asked.

“Oh I am sorry,” Luna said with a head whip. She brushed the back of her neck with her frill. It caused her to jump.

“Now that the whole class is here. Pop quiz.”

Chapter 3 Double Date

Luna walked out the school with a soreness from sitting that she had never known. The desks seemed to be made of uncomfortablium. It was a wonder that any dragon learned anything at all. She looked at her fellow classmates’ drooping faces. How was she supposed to retain such a brunt of information? Each class was like a battle to fight both sleep and filter the dearth of facts that were hurled at them.

She was so tired she was able to easily ignore all the whispered comments and sideways glances. It was strange so many of them looked similar and had the same names as those in Canterlot. She had spent an entire class sitting next to one called Twilight Sparkletooth. The lavender dragon answered all the questions the teacher gave with the same precise precision that her pony counterpart had.

Garble ambled up. He looked bored, and irritable. So his normal expression. He made eye contact then turned his stroll over to her.

“Hey, babe,” he said casually.

“Babe! Am I a foal now?! Do I look like a babe to you?!” snapped Luna. What was wrong with this physiology? She could feel the anger rise up within her.

“No, I just mean..uh hi Princess.”

“Better. Pet names aren’t required for this ..arrangement,” the Princess said curtly.

“Right,” said Garble, rubbing his spines with his claw. “So what did you think of school?”

“This form of teaching seems to lull one to sleep rather than instilling knowledge. Somepony should reform the process.”

“Hey, you should probably keep it down with the pony talk,” Garble cautioned.

“Some ...dragon. It does not carry the same elegance to it.”

“Dragons can be elegant. Especially these dragons around here. Not that I like that sort of thing of course,” the inelegant dragon said with a snort of disdain. He suddenly stopped posturing and stared across the feild. “Oh no! He found me here!”

“What?!” Luna frantically searched for danger. All she saw was a harmless, purple dragon that was barely half their size running towards them with his arms open.

“GarGar! What’s up, bud?” asked Spike as he flung his arms around the older dragon.

“Don’t call me that!”

“And hi, Princess Luna,” Spike said with a low bow.

“Is he mocking me?” gasped Luna.

“What?! No!” cried the little dragon with a quick jump. “Gar Gar told me all about how you and he are from a different world. He said you were a Princess. A pony Princess. I was showing respect. Do they not bow in your world?”

“Dolt!” The Princess cried with another quick bop to the lout’s noggin. “Not only did you fail to acquire any new information but you told everything to your friend.”

“He had some sort of weird power,” whined Garble. “He was all nice and helpful and well I needed to tell some dragon. And he is not my friend.”

“I am sorry,” sighed Luna as she looked at her small clawed hand. “I seem to keep striking you. I am not usually so violent. But I suppose of all the po..dragons you could have told, Spike is a decent one.”

“You can count on me, Princess,” Spike said with a salute. “I could totally be helpful. I know all there is to know about Craterlot. And my big sister is one of the smartest dragons around.”

“Big...Sister?” repeated Luna. “Oh do you mean Twilight Sparkle..tooth.”

“Yeah, her family adopted me when I was an abandoned egg. I have been with them ever since.”

“Well, that makes sense,” nodded the royal wyrm. “Actually you might be helpful. My sister said only two dragons would know about inter-dimensional travel. Starswirl the Bearded Dragon, who seems to be my caretaker and a Dr Claw.”

“Why not ask Starswirl?” Spike asked with his hands in the air.

“I am not sure how he would react. I don’t know if he will believe me. It is a rather far fetched notion and I don’t want any po..dragon to doubt my sanity.”

“So you want to ask Dr Claw huh?”

“Do you know where we can find him?”

Spike turned his eyes up in thought. “Dr Claw lives in Dragonville I think. It’s not too far a flight. We could fly down there and back before I need to get my homework done. Can I ...invite Smolder to come with us?” The little dragon’s cheeks burned with a deep crimson.

“No! No!” Garble waved off the idea like a dragon afraid to get clubbed. “I do not want to pal around my little sister while you two get all lovey-dovey.”

“C’mon,” pleaded Spike. “It’ll be like a double date. It will arouse less suspicion.”

Luna had never realized how manipulative Spike could be. The more dragons that knew their secret the more likely they were discovered. The thought of being probed and prodded for answers about Equestria or incarcerated in a mental home for believing she was a pony princess flooded her mind.

“Very well,” she said at last, “ but you mustn’t tell her the truth about us. As far as she is concerned her brother and I are dating. Just let us know if there is some convention we miss.”

“No problem, your highness. I’m your dragon. I know all there is to know about dates and relationships and love.” He waggled his eyebrows in a inferative fashion.

***

“So you expect me to kiss that lout?!” cried Luna. She flew next to Spike on the way to Dragonville. Garble and Smolder were ahead presumably in a similar conversation about the dos and don’ts of dragon relationships. Spike had revealed an awful truth.

“It’s normal if you’re dating to kiss. Or hold hands and snuggle in each other’s arms,” explained the love expert. “Smolder will get suspicious if you don’t do those things. Unless we just tell her what’s going on.”

“No! The less dragons that know the better. I fear she might be upset if she finds out my relationship is a ruse.”

“She was pretty excited for him,” agreed Spike. “And when Smolder gets mad, look out. She can shoot some pretty hot flames.”

“Well as an older dragon, I assume my flames would be equally hot,” grumbled Luna. She felt oddly competitive.

“Do you even know how to breathe fire?”

“I never tried to but I am a dragon. Is it not in our nature to breathe fire?”

“It’s not as easy as it looks,” the little wing dragon explained. “If you don’t know what you're doing it could be disastrous or not work at all.”

“How odd. Well with any luck I shan’t have to make use of it. Now where does this Doctor Claw live? I am eager to see him.”

Spike pointed to a strange cavern covered with pipes, and gyroscopes. Luna was about to descend when a swift look from Spike reminded her of her “purpose”.

“Now Crystal Cube Corner is over there,” Spike pointed to a crystal covered cave a little distance from her own destination. “Pinkie Pyrite is one of the best at crystal cupcakes. She really knows how to spoil a dragon. She’s a little ..excitable so don’t be too surprised.”

****

“Hey everydragon,” screamed a bright pink dragon with a large magenta frill. Unlike Luna’s, the frill shook and fanned out with every expression. It looked like a fan on top of her head that would open or close depending on her mood. It was fully open as they approached. “Oooh couples. I bet you guys are on a double date huh?”

“How did you know?” Smolder asked in wonder.

“Pinkie dragon sense. Oooh,” the dragon suddenly stopped. Her frill shook and jiggled. Luna thought she could hear some sort of rattling coming from it. “I sense a doozy! Some dragon here is not all they pretend to be. It’s you isn’t it?!”

An accusing claw pointed at a small furry beaver in the corner. The beaver shook its head and gave her an indignant look.

“Aww Stumpy I knew it wasn’t you,” giggled Pinkie. She looked at her customers suspiciously. Then she flew into action, somehow appearing in impossible places asking each customer “is it you?” “Or you?” At one point she asked “is it me?” The customer threw its claws up in uncertainty.

“Weeeell,” the confectionery said as she returned to the front. “When I find out who it is they’re going to wish they weren’t a liar mc-liar-pants. Liars are bad news. Oh, you cute couples go find a booth. I know just what to get all of you.”

The four found a red vinyl booth and slid in. Luna found her big oaf sitting next to her. She sighed. It was going to be a long date. Smolder sat across from her. Luna could feel her eyes assessing and judging. What sort of reputation did she have before now?

Spike, however, looked like a giggling school foal. His little hands covered his mouth that was pulled up in a large smile. His eyes sparkled with anticipation. Did he expect her to act now? Was that typical in a relationship?

Luna steeled herself. She would not back down from any challenge. Smolder could get suspicious if she didn’t sell it. She turned and gazed into that dim face. It stared back with a look of innocent buffoonery. She smiled at its lack of awareness. Her head shifted and her body leaned into the large dragon. She gently placed a kiss upon his awkward lips and was immediately assaulted by a rush of excitement that she did not expect. Her body filled with electricity and her awareness slipped away.

Indeterminable time passed. And Luna felt her weak body finally drift away. She opened her eyes. The glow from Garble’s cheek scales was a blinding red. She could barely make out anything else on his face. She turned in triumph to Smolder but was met with a look of shock and awe. Confused, she looked at Spike. The little dragon was beaming. Of course! Spike was Garble’s best friend. He would champion his cause regardless of the circumstances. He held no loyalty to her at all in this world.

Luna could feel her own scales glowing. It was the first time she had kissed somepony in a long time. And the first time ever kissing a dragon. She was determined to maintain her composure. Her arms crossed, and she leaned back in the booth. She hoped her look was one of ease instead of the confusion and embarrassment she felt.

“Please don’t ever do that in front of me again,” said Smolder, recovering. “I don’t want to barf.”

Garble was still frozen. He just stared at Luna. Until a large bump under the table from Luna’s tail spurned him into breathing.

“Oh yeah, huh, Luna is just like that,” fumbled the bright red Garble. “Sometimes.”

“Oooo,” cried Pinkie. “Some dragon is a fast mover. She must really like you. Here you go. Hot crystal cupcakes coated in colors that correspond with your scales. Eeeenjoy. And if you find that liar let me know. I’m on the lookout for them.”

The eccentric dragon placed her tray of cupcakes down and walked back to her counter. Her eyes darted back and forth. Each dragon around her was a suspect. Including inanimate objects.

It turned out that double dates were far different than Luna had envisioned. Ponies in her court had always spoken highly of them. They were seen as a bonding experience. This was an awkward, stale, silent event. Spike started up a conversation about lava surfing while Smolder stared at her uncomfortably. Luna decided that cupcakes rolled in sapphires were not nearly as unpalatable as she had thought. The hard crunch made a satisfying element to the soft sponge of the cake. The sapphires themselves were a unique flavor but to her dragon tongue it was delectable.

“So huh, did we want to go to the river or check out the Everfire forest?” Spike asked hopefully.

“We should probably find the dragon we came here to see,” countered Luna. “Perhaps you two could take in the sights. Garble and I shall visit this dragon.”

“What dragon?” Smolder asked suspiciously. “You two aren’t sneaking off to do ...things again?”

“Of course not!” Luna shouted much louder than she anticipated. “That was a misunderstanding.”

“How do you accidentally take off your clothes?”

“I..”

“It was a bet,” injected Garble. “I bet Luna she wasn’t bold enough to go streaking with me. She said just because she was a noble doesn’t mean she didn’t know how to prank. I told her to prove it. We didn’t make it out of the alley before we were spotted. But man that would have been funny.”

Smolder placed her head in her hands. “Uhh streaking? Again? That makes sense. At least it’s not ...something else.”

“I am not that type of dragon,” insisted the former pony. “I have an old acquaintance that I want to visit. I want him to meet Garble as well.”

“Wow,” Smolder said. “You’re actually showing off my brother as your boyfriend huh? Well I told you that you were special Gargar. Looks like you finally found some dragon that sees it too. I know it’s hard it for him to show his sensitive side.”

“Sensitive side?”

“Oh he hasn’t shown it yet? Wait until you get a load of his poetry!”

“Poetry? Garble? I am quite fascinated by poets.”

“Yeah! He’s like a primo beat poet. I’m surprised he hasn’t told you yet,” informed Smolder with a shake of her head. “Always has to be so ‘macho’. It’s just an act. He secretly wants to be accepted for who he really is.”

“But how can we accept him if he never allows us to see it?”

“He’s not the sharpest rock in the quarry. But maybe you can help him. He is your boyfriend after all. I never would even think of wearing a dress like this before Spike. I loved them but I didn’t think my friends would accept me. Spike was the first dragon I showed my dress collection to. He encouraged me to wear them. And now I don’t care what others say. I am me.”

“You are a great sister to your brother,” Luna commended. “Do not ever let him tell you otherwise.”

“I hope he finally opens up to you. Just don’t push him so hard. Spikey wikey and I will be down by the river. We’ll meet up before we head home, ok?”

With a gleam of pride in her eye Smolder got up and led Spikey wikey off towards the exit. Garble and Luna followed suit and the former princess looked at the large cave with its pipes.

“You should have warned me before you kissed me back there,” Garble said with a sulking expression. “I would have stopped you.”

“Spike had said it was typical among couples,” protested Luna.

“Well, it’s not typical of me. I don’t really like all that mushy stuff. Gag!”

“Well you must get used to them. I don’t want any dragon thinking we are deceiving them. If Spike says such acts of affection are typical, then we should do them.”

Garble glared at the Princess in a despondent manner. Luna’s expression didn’t change. She met his hard stare with a metal gaze of her own. For a moment the will of the two dragons clashed and danced around the street. Eventually Garble sighed. “Find you can do the hand holding, kissing thing. But only in public and don’t think that I like it.”

“Agreed,” Luna curtly said then turned on her heel and strode towards the cave. As if to drive home her victory she grabbed his claw as they walked. She wasn’t expecting another rush of excitement. It was Garble the stupid dragon. But Smolder hinted there was more to him. Perhaps, in the interest of friendship and their common plight, she should find out what.

Chapter 4 Dr Claw

The cave of Dr Claw was filled with shadows. Luna had knocked on the door. A robotic voice said” come in” and the door opened itself. It was so dark that Luna’s great eyesight could barely make out any details at all. All she could see was a high-backed armchair. The couple made their way in still holding hands.

The darkness did not relent. It was saturated with gloom so that no light penetrated it. All that was lit was a fire in the fireplace in front of the chair. They approached and Luna could see a metallic arm gleaming from the side of it. The robotic looking appendage was gently stroking a black and white cat.

“Dr Claw?” the little dragon asked though the question was lost to the wind in the cavern. No response came. Luna reached her hand out and touched the chair. It spun around revealing there was no body inside.

“Ahh,” shouted Garble in shock.

“It’s just a robotic arm, you dolt,” the Princess again found her hand striking his head. But it was less forceful. It was playful. Garble gave her a look that suggested he noticed.

“Correction,” said a voice. “It is an arm-chair.”

“Duh,” snarked Garble. “I can see that!”

“It’s an arm chair,” Luna said, pointing at the mechanical arm that waved at them in greeting. “Dr Claw I presume?”

A bronze dragon appeared from the darkness. He wore a three piece brown suit and had large round goggles over his eyes. Two large horns curled off of his head. “Great whistling drakes! It’s two fledglings,” he cried.

“Good day, Dr Claw,” Luna said in a formal tone with a slight bow. “We are students of Craterlot High. I am Luna and this is Garble, my boyfriend. We are wondering-“

“Students! But you are thousands of years old!” cried the drake. “And he, well, he doesn’t appear to be any different than he looks.”

“How how could you..”

“The goggles, my dear, the goggles. I developed these in case any dragon tried to sneak in here and mess with my equipment. Little did I know when I invented them they would show me everything that is hidden. Including souls and emotions. Right now both of you have two souls. It is not natural. Is this why you are here? I don’t have any equipment to get rid of extra souls.”

“My my soul?” gasped Luna. “Wait two souls?”

Dr Claw’s enlarged eyes peered at her through the dusty lenses he wore. The small amount of light glinted off their convex form as Dr Claw’s eyes fixed on Luna. “Yup! Two souls,” he said with a nod of satisfaction. “One of them is being pushed out by the other. The one you’re using now is going to be forced out by the other one. Uhhh. Great Whistling Drakes! You’re not even a dragon!”

“Well that saved me having to explain.”

“No, now you must explain,” Dr Claw emphasized. “In great detail. Hold on while I set up my scanning equipment.”

The bronze scales gleamed in the light as the excited Dr turned and disappeared into the darkness. A strange click and buzzing noise sounded from the shadow. They grew in decibel level as the cave was bathed in a blue glow from high placed light sources. The intrepid doctor turned on various machines and gyroscopes. The room hummed with electric current.

“Now if you please come with me, I’ll be able to see what’s the issue at hand,” Dr Claw said with a wave of his claw. He ushered them into two large cylindrical cages. Garble eyed the containers suspiciously. “Are you sure these things are safe?” he asked.

“Of course, I tested them on my assistant and she came out mostly unharmed,” assured the doctor. “Now just step in the chambers and allow your bodies to be scanned, if you please.”

The dragon couple looked at each other in worry but Luna boldly stepped in. Garble finally relented and climbed into his. Loud alarms sounded and a red light flashed. A green line made of light descended on them to their feet then returned to its place of origin.

“Yes, yes, I see,” the elder dragon muttered to himself. He looked at a monitor in front of him and squinted at the display. “It would seem you’re both from a different dimension. Did you know that?”

Luna sighed. “Yes, that is why we have come to you for aid.”

“Oh, it is? How did you know about my study of extra dimensional travel? I haven’t published anything on the subject yet.”

“Your counterpart from my dimension sent us here.”

“My counterpart? That’s it!” the dragon shouted with a snap of his claws. “You have supplanted your own counterparts! That’s why you have two souls! Oh dear this isn’t good. From what I can see the original souls are pressing against their bonds and will eventually push you out.”

“What will happen to us?” Garble whined.

“Your souls will remain here unattached, wandering and never finding their place. Or some such thing. But you have time. Looks like at least three days. I assume my counterpart was smart enough to give you a recall device.”

“No, this occurred by accident from that infernal pegasus,” spat Luna.

“Oh dear. A pegasus you say? That is strange,” the dragon placed his claw to his chin in thought.

“Not really,” shrugged Garble. “Pegasi are all over the place in that town. I can barely tell them apart.”

“It was Derpy!” cried Luna with a slash of her mighty tail.

“Yes?” asked a voice from a stack of empty boxes. A silver dragon popped its head out. There was no mistaking it. Luna could see the eyes pointing in different directions from there. It was Derpy. Well a dragon version.

“No!” the Princess shouted. “Stay away from me! You have caused enough trouble!”

“Ahh Derpy, good morning,” Dr Claw exclaimed, turning back to the agitated wyrm. “She is a little different but not usually a troublemaker. So tell me what you were in the other dimension?”

“I was a Princess of night and dreams. An alicorn that co-ruled our land. I raised the moon and my sister raised the sun.”

“So..uh Princess,” said the doctor, a little taken back. “Well I am sorry to say but it looks like the resident soul has already begun to take your body. Specifically the emotional control center of the brain. Have you been feeling unusual emotional fluxes?”

“I don’t think I ...my anger,” gasped Luna. “It has been quite potent as of late.”

Doctor Claw nodded knowingly. “She has regained some control. So I think it might be best to get you two home.”

Luna sighed. She was about to berate the dragon again but remembered it wasn’t she who was feeling this heat. It was the dragon her within her. She internally apologized and felt some of the fire relent.

“Mmm probably sooner than later,” the elder dragon said again examining her with his goggles. “I will have to modify this machine to extract the resonant soul vibrations and return them to the base vibration. I will have you home in no time. And by no time I mean I will be ready in two days.”

“Are you sure?” asked Garble. “I don’t want my soul trapped. I haven’t even used it.”

“Oh yes, barring some unseen complication, I should have you right back. But in the meantime be wary of your emotions. They could turn out differently than you expect.”

“Ooh a Princess?” Derpy said, approaching. “Your Highness.” The dragon bowed her head and her large crest knocked a bottle off a nearby shelf.

“Please keep her out of here while you fix it,” sighed Luna.

***

“Are you sure it will be safe this time?” Garble whined as they walked back towards the river.

“We have no recourse. We have to get home,” the Princess explained.

“But you saw that little grey dragon. She could mess this up again.”

“Yes. She does seem to be just as meddlesome as the Derpy in Equestria,” pondered Luna. “We need a distraction for her. Perhaps someone at school could befriend her.”

“We don’t know any dragon. Who would be so friendly that could handle her?”

“I think I know a dragon that would.”

***

“Oooh hi,” cried Pinkie Pyrite as the pair returned to Crystalcube Corner. “It’s that cute couple from before. You're Spike's friends right?”

“Yes, we are. I am Luna and this is my boyfriend Garble,” introduced the former princess. “We are in need of your aid. There are a few dragons that I think you could help if you can keep Derpy distracted. For the next two days.”

“Wow!” cried Pinkie as her frill reached maximum expansion. “You’re asking for my help already? Aawww I knew you two would make great friends. And great friends help each other.”

“So you will help?”

“Absotootly! Especially once you help me it will feel like true friends.”

“That is ...help you? Do you need our assistance?” Luna said, picking up the vibe Pinkie was sending out.

“Oh!” cried Pinkie with a face full of surprise. “You want to help? I do need some help.”

“What sort of help?”

“I need some dragon to do a poetry read. Ink Scale was supposed to read some of his works for the customers but cancelled due to too much confetti at the welcome party. Who could have guessed that five barrels was too much?”

“Five barrels?” gasped Garble. “That would fill an entire house!”

“It did. That’s the problem. He’s in there somewhere we just can’t find him yet. We’ll get him before long don’t you worry, but right now we need a poet on stage. Do you know any? Hmmmm?”

Pinkie stared at Garble like she knew exactly who she was asking. It made sense. If Spike was friendly with Pinkie he would have mentioned his best friend is a poet. Luna stared at him curiously as well. There was some part of her that was extremely interested in seeing what this dragon had inside.

Garble immediately threw up his hands in protest. “No! No! No! I can’t do that in front of other dragons. I never perform in front of any dragon except Spike and Smolder.” He crossed his arms then caught Luna’s stare.

“I must say, I would like to hear it,” Luna purred. She could feel the curiosity poke something deeper. But was it her or the displaced soul?

“You haven’t even let your girlfriend hear it?” cried Pinkie. “That would be the most romanticaltastic thing ever! Now you have to do it. Luna is sure to swoon.”

“Yes! Yes! I would indeed enjoy a good swooning.” A strange sensation came over her. It felt like her body was too warm and tingled with energy. She was fascinated with the sensation. Would Garble actually do something like that for her? She kept the same amused expression on her face as she stared down the flustered dragon.

“Sheesh alright! I’ll do it. But you have to keep Derpy busy tomorrow,” Garble said, turning a bright shade of red.

“Okie dokie artichokie!”

“Do you have any instruments? Bongos would be nice.”

“Are you kidding me?! I have every instrument you could think of and some you don’t,” Pinkie cried as her frill opened fully and shook. She began to pull a myriad of instruments from behind the counter. An expensive looking pair of bongos caught Luna’s eye while Garble seemed to be overwhelmed with choices.

“Here is what you require,” the Princess said, presenting the glistening drum set.

“And here’s yours,” the presumptuous male dragon said, holding up a tambourine.

“What?”

“I thought it would be nice if you helped me out,” said Garble with a smile. “Like a girlfriend would.”

Luna found herself blushing. What was this lightness she felt? It had been thousands of years since she had entertained love. Why now? Why for this dragon? She hoped it was merely her dragon counterpart reacting.

“Very well,” said the startled dragon. She had no qualms about standing on stage in front of others. She had done so numerous times. This time it felt different because all eyes were not on her or her sister. They were on “her boyfriend.”

Garble looked shell shocked. He placed a beret on his head with shaky hands. Perspiration began to trickle down his head and soak into the felted cap. He glanced at Luna quickly then his brow furrowed. He sat on the chair and began to bop the bongos in an odd rhythm. The tambourine shook in Luna’s hand at odd intervals where she thought it might help.

He stopped playing. Then spoke.

“The sky. The sea. The ground. The rain. All gathered together… all moving as one. Two not seen, not heard. Strangers in a strange world. Against the earth. Against the sky. Against the sea. Against the rain. Moving ..together. Against all.”

“No one sees who they are, just another set of hands and eyes to view the great place that others built. But do they truly understand the meaning..”

“The system doesn’t see itself. All know the rules..but two have seen the oppression that happens. They fight to be themselves, to be accepted as they are. But bars hold the self inside..bars made of steel. Bars of dragons. Bars of eyes and looks and laughter. Bars of feelings.”

“Break the bars, break the self. Break the feelings, break the mind. Be free be free be free. Together.”

His bongos struck a strange quick beat that somehow corresponded to the string of words he put together. It was a type of poetry Luna had never heard. Something unique. She couldn’t fathom that this lout had such depth. The crowd began to snap their fingers but not in time. It was a strange form of applause.

The bongos started a crazy rhythm that was fast and upbeat. She tried to keep up with the chaotic tempo changes.

“True love.. true love.. what is true? What is love? Can anything be true? The self knows only so much. It’s not true. It’s just self. Red hearts?..soft cupcakes? A kiss and touch of claw. Is that love?”

“Love is movement. Love is stuff. Love is bought with scales. Love is a word of emptiness. Empty boxes, empty gestures, empty tokens, empty...love?”

“It’s deep. Deep underground. Deep in...the body. It’s in the tails. Love moves, love grooves, love sees, love breathes. Love captures. Love releases. Truth.

“True hearts, true tails, true self. No way, no how, no why. Self. Truth. Looove.”

The bongos stopped and the audience snapped its fingers. Luna was drawn in by the flow of the rhythm. Did that poem mean something? It was like a painter slapping the canvas with color. The activity had meaning not necessarily the end result. There was purpose here. Not just in the words, but on the way they were worded. It was powerful and delicate.

Garble stood up and bowed to the clicking of the audience. He looked at Luna with an intensity and knowledge that she couldn’t fathom. The performance was over. She left with her body tingling with the raw energy of it. She felt as if she just danced on the edge of a knife. She followed him off the stage without question or word.

“Well?” said Garble as they exited the building. He turned on Luna, his beret still perched on his head. “It was lame wasn’t it? I just spoke how I felt. Like a lame pony.”

“I thought it was quite unique and genuine,” responded Luna, still impressed but confused. “I can rightly say I have never heard anything like that.”

“I’m a beat poet,” declared the beret clad dragon. “We don’t do rules and rhymes. We speak from the heart and try to show what the world really is like.”

“Well I can appreciate your intention. I am still not sure I truly understand the method.”

“I can try to teach you, but this is something you kind of gotta get,” Garble said with an air of haughtiness.

Luna’s eye ridge raised. Then she noticed the sun beginning to set. “We must find your sister and Spike. It is time to depart.”

“Tomorrow then,” said Garble, his eyes oddly soft. “We’ll...make a date out of it or something.”

“A ..true date?” The thought that Garble would actually want to try and date her had never crossed her mind. She was a pony. He was a dragon. They were worlds apart in actual age. The only reason for this arrangement had been because of this predicament. Still she had asked a lot of him lately. One date with a dragon that she was supposed to be dating seemed honest enough.

“Yeah, I mean, it’s to teach you poetry...my kind of poetry.”

“Very well. We shall meet after school. You must inform me where.”

Garble nodded. Luna didn’t miss the flush look he had on his face. It seemed like he was genuinely trying to impress her. Some part within her stirred. Probably the true dragon. But it filled her up with a giddiness that she hadn’t felt in a while.

Spike and Smoulder met them at the river and the group took into the air once more. They were heading home. Well Luna’s temporary home. In a few days things would return to normal and this would be like all the other strange dreams she had encountered in her travels.

Chapter 5 The Real Date

The next day flew by in a dragony flash. There were tests, studying, strange looks from classmates, and all the while Luna wondered what this tense nervous feeling was. It couldn’t be the date with Garble. That oaf wasn’t the least bit attractive or decent. Yet her mind recalled the earnest words he said during his poetry session. They were like a butterfly hovering around a flower refusing to land. But they flapped in her mind nevertheless.

She found him standing on the staircase outside of the school. He looked determined. It wasn’t the angry scowl she was used to but was more serious then she had ever seen him.

“You ready, Princess,” he uttered with a harder tone than usual. It was both confident and impressive. He had been quite submissive most of their journey.

Garble grabbed her hand with no hesitation. They walked down a grungy looking street. It was a little uneasy. She noted the dragons there looked at them with a gleam of malice and distrust in their eyes. They looked filthy.

“Why are we here? Where are we going?” demanded the unnerved dragon as she passed another shady character.

“This is the true center of Craterlot,” Garble explained without looking back. “The words are here. And so are the rhythms.”

“I have plenty of words currently.” But she didn’t say them.

“You’ll see,” assured the eager dragon. They moved to a vacant lot. The dragons were playing a game that Luna hadn’t seen before. It was quick and brutal. But the players seemed to enjoy it.

“This is where the heart of the city lives,” declared Garble, sitting on a bench near the game. “You can feel it. Close your eyes. Listen to the rhythms here. These are the real beats.”

Luna gave him a puzzled expression. What was he talking about? But his face was sincere and waiting for her to do as instructed. So she closed her eyes. The sounds of the game blotted out all the normal sounds of the city. Their foot-falls and thuds as they collided with one another. She couldn’t hear anything past it. If they would just stop.

Then a line from one of Garble’s poems snuck into her head. Either memory or dragon Luna’s doing. It matched the strange disjointed rhythm of the game. She listened harder to the sounds. There was a broken meter to each of their movements. It was a natural pace. It was them. The rhythms were dragons being dragons.

“I think I understand,” Luna said finally.

“You can hear, but can you speak yet?” asked Garble in this strange voice that he used for his performance. “The words come from the heart.”

“So it’s just allowing the rhythms of society to dictate the words you come up with at the time?”

“You make it sound simpler than it is,” the beret wearing dragon said with a shake of his head. “It’s not just random thoughts and meters. It’s following the deep questions that drive us. Finding those rhythms and letting the truth come out.”

“The truth? Which truth?”

“Your truth. Your feelings. Your life. You know the same questions as we all do. Then you use the beats of life to help answer them,” said this unknown-to-her dragon. Garble was completely different than she thought. He wasn’t just some goofy lout. He had a heart and passion. She just didn’t see it before.

“Now the only way to know is to try,” he continued. “Close your eyes and feel the rhythm, the words. Allow your heart to open and your mouth to move.”

“I am uncertain of this technique,” Luna said with an air of hesitation. “It is not what I am used to.”

“That’s the point. There really isn’t a technique. There isn’t any right way. Just say what you’re feeling now.” The dragon shifted closer to waiting for the words to come.

The Princess felt the pressure to perform. She swallowed and began, “Nervous..frustrated..uncertain..but kind of excited at the same time.”

“Now just go deeper, find out why. And just speak your truth.”

“I am..”

“Whoa,” Garble said with his hands out. “‘I am’ will kill it. Try not to make it just telling me how you feel. It’s poetry. Hint at it. Let the listener take what they need from it.”

Luna looked at the dismissive dragon with flames and a steel tipped thagomizer in her eyes. She tried to remove herself from the situation and think like the poet instructed.

“Hot. Jittery. Shaking with adrenaline. Tired of dragons. Tired of feeling. Emotions that cause questions. Questions that poke shadows. Is there love in there? Or is it a shadow? Is it my shadow? Is it another’s? Why does it follow me? This red shade. It’s smothering. It’s exciting. It’s scary. The shadow knows I can’t hide it for long.”

“I dig it,” Garble said as she paused for a long moment. He snapped his fingers together.

“What is the purpose of that?”

“What?”

“The snapping. Why do you do it?”

“It’s chill. It’s hip. Clapping is loud and forceful. Snapping still shows that you like it but it’s softer and less grating.” The dragon snapped again and the soft pops spoke their own reasoning. “So tell me what the poem was about.”

“I thought you said it was supposed to be hinted at. That the listener should draw their own conclusions.”

“Well I did. But I wondered what you felt about it. What were you trying to say?”

Luna looked at Garble with a look that was too sheepish and small for the Princess to wear. But she held it on nevertheless. “It is a reflection of ...this feeling that I have. I have not felt it in millennia. It is so strange and new for me to feel this way. Especially over a dragon.”

“And what feeling is that?” the dragon asked, inching closer. His face pleaded for knowledge. She couldn’t deny him that satisfaction.

“Love.”

“Love?”

She nodded. Why is she telling him? This can’t work. He’s a dragon, she's a princess. A pony princess. It had to be the other Luna. It had to be. But she was still feeling it anyway.

“For a dragon?”

She nodded again. This time was a little slower.

“Uhh who?”

The princess lost her patience again and struck him on the snout. “You, you dolt!” Her nostrils flared and her cheeks burned. Why was this dragon so endearing? And stupid?

“Really? I didn’t think you would ever love some dragon like me,” Garble said. He looked down at the ground. His haughty air dissipated. “I’m more of a screw up. I’m too ‘dragonish’ here and too pony at home. I really don’t fit in either place.”

“You know who you remind me of… Spike. He feels he has the same problem. I often tell him that ponies are more accepting than he thinks. But he does not listen.”

“Spike? But he seems so comfortable around you guys.”

“You have more in common than you initially thought. It would appear.”

“Well...I guess I could be nicer to him. For you of course not that I feel bad for him or anything,” the lying dragon sneered.

“I would very much appreciate that.” She leaned into her companion and placed her head on his broader shoulders.

“I think..I might love you too,” the dragon admitted with a sigh. “I’ve never had anyone treat me like you do. You seem to actually think of me before you do anything. I.. .I wish we didn’t have to go back. I wish you could just stay a dragon.”

“You know we can not. The spirit of our other selves dwells within us. They will not rest. To be honest I can not tell if these feelings are mine or hers.”

“We should definitely stay then,” argued Garble, his face still pleading.

“Alas. It can not be. But we still have two days. There still much we could do,” assured Luna.

A large slam brought both their attention off each other. To Luna’s surprise it was not from the game. Another dragon had flown headlong into the middle of it. The dragons in the center back away from the cracked tarmac and crumpled form. Soon the grey mass shook itself off and looked around with eyes that pointed in two different directions.

“No!” Luna shouted in recognition. “What are you doing here?!”

“Me?” a small yellow dragon asked. She wore a bright red ribbon on her crest.

“No,” said the distraught dragon, shaking her head back and forth. “Her! Derpy!”

“Oh, hi,” Derpy said with a cheerful grin. “I thought I saw you two. Doc’s looking for you. He said it’s ready to go.”

“Now?!” cried Luna. “But he told us two days!”

“Oh, well I played with Pinkie today and he finished early, something about less distractions. So you can go home now!”

“But… But,” Garble stammered. There were tears in his eyes. “If we go back we won’t… damn it.”

The irate dragon stood up and kicked a garage cab over. He knew. He knew it would never work out. As did Luna.

“Why? Why can’t we stay? Just two days at least,” cried the desperate dragon.

“Because we would never truly know,” Luna said in all honesty. “I don’t know if my feelings are genuine or not. It could be. But it could be the other me. Don’t you want to know for sure?”

Garble’s shoulders sank. The princess could see the truth winding through his mind. Illusion or truth? Which would he want? Could Luna proceed if she herself wasn’t certain?

“Fine! We’ll go home,” shouted the dragon. “I don’t want to but I will for you, Princess.”

“You must do this to know the truth,” reminded Luna, she was so uncertain in all of this that she needed something she knew. “As must I.”

“I know...that doesn’t mean I have to like it,” Garble turned and took off into the air. Luna followed. She could tell how upset he was by the way he flew. Had she learned so much about him in such a short time? Was that her? Was it dragon Luna? She had no idea.

“Hi pony dragon!” cried their clumsy escort. Derpy sailed back and forth then did a loop de loop. “Why do guys look so sad? The Doc said you wanted to go home.”

“Well, it’s.. sad leaving new friends,” the pony dragon told the bane of her existence.

“That is sad. I don’t have too many friends, just Doc.”

“That is unfortunate perhaps...I shall be your friend.” Luna said with a sigh. If she couldn’t escape this menace no matter which dimension she was in she could at least keep an eye on her.

“Really?! Wow, that's nice, pony dragon. I love new friends!”

The excited Derpy happily sped up and flew in front of the couple. It wasn’t long before the strange cavern was in their view. Garble remained silent and sullen the entire way. Luna simply pondered her own feelings on the matter.

“Hello displaced souls,” greeted Doctor Claw as they arrived. “It’s amazing what one can get done when there are so few..distractions.”

The dragons entered the soft lit blue cavern. There seemed to be even more gadgets and gizmos than before. The chambers were filled with the same mist that started their journey.

“Wait!” cried Garble. He ran to Luna and grabbed hands in his. “Whatever happens just tell me the truth. I can take it. Don’t spare my feelings, ok?”

“I will not,” promised Luna. There was so much expectation in his face that she couldn’t bear the thought of any disappointment.

Garble nodded. Then he reached down to the smaller dragon and kissed her. She kissed him back and felt the flood of excitement cascade through her body. It left her dizzy. She wished it was a different pony. A different time. A different her. But it wasn’t. They pulled away and walked to their respective chambers to the oohs and ahs of a fascinated but dim dragon.

“Oook, I didn’t expect that,” the Doc said, scratching his head. “Are all souls ready to go back to normal?”

Garble nodded and gave one last longing look at Luna. She nodded as well. Derpy nodded but didn’t understand why.

“Turning on the aft gyrospigmometer!”

“Hey dragon pony,” called the entranced cross-eyes dragon. “Promise to be my friend when you get back.”

“I promise,” sighed the Princess.

“Yay!” cried Derpy, raising her hands. They struck a large lever behind her.

“No Derpy! Not that leve-“ was the last thing Luna heard Doctor Claw say. Things went dark. The world spun and ripped apart and reformed. Luna felt ill.

The room they left became a brighter, cleaner room. It almost looked like a mailroom? Luna shook her head to clear the distortion. As the vision cleared she found herself looking at a familiar grey face. Derpy. Again.

“Another delivery problem,” Derpy shouted. A different Derpy behind her sighed. Luna’s mind nearly snapped as she found the entire room was filled with Derpys. There were Derpys behind desks, carrying mailbags, looking through papers. They all wore the same mailmare uniforms that her own Derpy wore.

“It seemed that Derpy 738 made an ‘error’,” said the grumpy Derpy behind the desk. “Send them to their dimension of origin.”

“Yes ma’am.” The first Derpy saluted and pulled a lever. “Have a nice day!” She said as the world spun again. It didn’t feel nearly as jarring as the last change.

The world became a mist filled chamber again. Luna could feel her hooves, her wings, her horn on her head. It was the most glorious feeling. Her body was hers. She could feel the magic that normally swirled through her body settle into its regular rhythm. She was back.

She turned and saw the huge crowd of ponies from before. She flicked her mane and stepped out of the chamber. She was about to address the crowd when Derpy jumped on her.

“You’re safe snuggle Princess,” the little pegasus cried. Luna could see the tears running down her cheeks. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to hit that lever. I didn’t want ponies to think we...did those things. I never meant to send you away.”

Luna placed a calm hoof on the little mailpony. The odd anger she felt had disappeared . All that was left was the jubilation of being home and being herself again. Even a surprise attack from Derpy didn’t spoil her mood. “It is fine, little one. It all worked out. I didn't mean to be so angry with you. I have promised a friend that you and I would become good friends.”

“Does that mean I can sleep with you in your bed sometimes?” Derpy asked excitedly.

Luna leaned in right next to the pegasus’s ear. “Yes. But you must not tell any other ponies. They will want to sleep in my bed too.”

“Ooo, a secret slumber party, I like that,” Derpy said with a bat of one eyelid.

A strained smile appeared on Luna’s face. What sort of slumber party was this mare thinking? She shook her head and hoped she wouldn’t find out soon.

The crowd was asking a million questions and the princess answered as best she could. Garble wandered out of his chamber. He weakly stood off to the side while Smolder questioned him. He finally looked her way and the Princess’s heart still skipped a beat. Did she have true feelings for him? Was it just from the events of the last days? Did it matter?

If she did have feelings she couldn’t act on them anyway. She was a Princess and he was a teenage dragon. She decided that no matter what she truly felt it was best to let it go. Better a heartache now then further down the road.

Once the crowd dispersed the little dragon approached her. He didn’t want to ask but she could read it all over his face. His eyes pleaded with need and hope. She looked at him and sadly shook her head. His shoulders slumped and he looked at the ground. He walked away without any more words.

Luna watched him as he left the festival. Spike and Smolder found him by the time he was nearly out of sight. Luna knew he was in good claws. She could bear the pain of loneliness like she always had. She wondered if the experience was meant to show her that there was still more to this world than dreams and duty. There was still love, even for her. Perhaps it was time to look for it.

“I’m going to spend every night in your bed, snuggle princess,” declared Derpy in the loudest whisper ever.

Luna groaned. She wondered how long she could last with this pony. How long would she have to endure? But at least the little pegasus was happy. And the Princess liked making ponies happy.