Chapter 2

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In the beginning, there was nothing, an empty void.

Then, suddenly, there was a great solar explosion and, from that fiery starlight, an Enchanted Dragon was born.

The dragon then used her fire to create all the different magical worlds and spread life and magic across the universe.

One world she touched upon personally, creating many in her image, imbuing them all with a fragment of her fire, granting them her protection.

At the end of her journey, the dragon landed on a distant world, whose name was lost to time.

She chose to make it her home and eventually became one with the very world on which she rested.

It is foretold, however, that she would have twin heirs to dragon, each chosen to guide their homes to great prosperity and protect them from a dark fire that would one day arise to claim all magic for its own.

Neither twin would ever meet the other, living their lives separate, for all time, never even knowing the touch of the other.

Each, however, would play key roles in the safety of many lives and will be called upon when in need.

When it is her time to rise, the dragons shall be protected by the might of the one who is a dragon, but look not like any dragon ever seen.

She will be known, however, by the will of the dragon within her.

Until that day, the Dragon Lord shall be chosen, from generation to generation, until the time the power is given to the one destined to rule all dragons.

She will be… the Dragon Princess.

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“For when the dark fire rises, only the light of the Dragon Princess shall be able to quell its hunger away and restore peace to the land,” Torch’s booming voice says from outside the cave.

I’m standing in a chamber deep underground, far beneath the Dragon Lands, at the very heart of its territory.

Upon the walls of the cave are depictions I recognize from Winx Club, in the episode where Bloom was told what of the Dragon Fire’s history Feragonda knew.

Some of the legend here differs creatively from Winx Club’s, but, that makes sense.

The legend not only would be so ancient now, parts of it would no doubt be misunderstood by the ancient dragons of old, but, parts of it happened outside this dimension.

The world whose name was lost to time? Obviously Sparx, Bloom’s home planet.

But… what’s this nonsense about the Great Dragon having two heirs?

I mean, I guess you could call Bloom its heir in some respect, since she did inherit the Dragon Fire, but that’s a huge stretch.

And what in the world is the part of two heirs?

It can’t be referring to Bloom’s direct family, as she only has one sibling, her older sister, Daphne and that’s provided she and Bloom still are sisters in the 4kidz version.

And, even then, regardless of whether it was the Nickelodeon dub or 4kidz dub, she was never referred to as an heir to the dragon, in any sense.

Hell, in both versions, her aspects are based around water, a Nymph in 4kidz, a fairy of Sirenix in Nick, so this second heir sure as hell isn’t her.

Not to mention, it said twin, implying Bloom and this second heir were born on the same day, which I know for certain she did not have a twin.

Unless it’s referring to Baltor, though he was created from a fragment of the Dragon Fire; he’s not Bloom’s twin.

The eerie part though, is… that mention of a dark fire?

I can only think of two beings from Winx lore who fit that manicure: Baltor himself, being a darker, more twisted version of the Dragon Fire due to being created by the Ancestral Witches and id try to take all magic for himself… and Lord Darkar.

Either is an unsettling idea, as both were mirror images to Bloom in a sense.

Baltor, born from a fragment of the Dragon Fire, giving him and Bloom a direct link to one another.

Darkar… he was the Dark Fire (something literally named in the legend), the evil version of the Dragon Fire… or, at least, from what I was able to gather.

I never exactly tried to be an expert on Winx Club lore… and now I’m kinda regretting I didn’t.

It’s obvious this information would’ve come in handy now.

Then again, how was I supposed to know I’d need to have this kind of stuff memorized for the day I got turned into Bloom?

It’s not like they prepare you for that kind of shit in school or anything.

Today class, you’ll learn all the things you’ll need to know on the offhand chance you get isekai’d into a universe of a fictional show with aspects of another fictional show within it.

One thing that makes me less anxious about whom the foretold Dark Fire is, is there’s an image of a quadruped and, while I do believe both Darkar and Baltor took on animal forms that could match that from time to time… the illustration of this quadruped doesn’t really give me their vibes, the more I look at it.

Some of the paint is faded from the countless centuries, possibly eons this legend has existed.

Heh. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think it kinda looks like an Alicorn.

But, an Alicorn, taking Dark Fire as their power and attacking the dragons?

I may have joked about Celestia being able to wipe out the dragons in an instant by just thumping the sun down on the Dragon Lands, but, aside from Nightmare Moon, there’s never been, nor ever will be an actual evil Alicorn.

Corrupted by dark magic? Maybe, but outright evil?

Ha. Gimme a break.

This is MLP we’re talking about, here. Mixed with Winx Club, yes, but, still, MLP all the same. As if that would ever happen.

“Well, Your Highness?” Torch’s voice booms from up the pathways of the cave, him having been far too large to fit inside.

I turn and walk out of the cave.

Waiting for me outside are Torch, Smolder, Garble, Spike, Twilight and her friends and the other princesses.

“The legend does hold some truth, I’ll grant it,” I fold my arms. “But, nowhere does it say anything about how I’m specifically the Dragon Princess.”

“The Bloodstone Sceptre chose you, Your Majesty,” Smolder holds up the rod to me.

I hesitantly take it, looking it over, before scowling up at Torch. “So, what, I’m supposed to just drop everything, not bother trying to find my way back home, to become your leader? I wouldn’t know the first thing about ruling a kingdom, let alone a kingdom of dragons.”

“I can vouch that it takes a while,” Twilight says, stepping forward. “But, given enough time, you should find your way as a leader.”

“Again, what about my having to give up on finding my way home?” I turn to her, waving my arms in the air. “Twilight, I’ve a family back in my world. They must be worried sick. I doubt my having disappeared has gone unnoticed after all this time. Besides, that legend has some serious holes in it.”

“It… it does?” Garble looks worried.

I glance to him, nodding, holding up two fingers. “That legend said the Great Dragon would have two heirs, but I only know one, Bloom. And, I’m not really Bloom. I need to figure out why I’m in her body, get her back into it and then she can figure things out from there. She’s way more experienced in this kind of thing than me. And, she doesn’t have a twin. A sister, yes, but she was born multiple years before Bloom, so they’re certainly not twins.”

“You mean… you won’t stay and help us?” Smolder looks up at me sadly.

I give a growling sigh, rubbing my temples. “I never said that. I just… I’m going to help, but I feel like I’m in way over my head, here. I can’t figure out why I’m in Bloom’s body, what the looming danger to your future is and be your ruler at the same time! That’s just too much to pile on all at once.”

“But, you’re our princess now, um, princess,” Ember says, blushing slightly at her grammar flub. “We need a ruler and, now that you have been chosen by the Bloodstone Sceptre, no dragon will ever be able to claim it again.”

“I know, I know!” I rub my temples again. “But, can’t I…, I dunno, appoint you as Dragon Lord as my Regent or something, Ember?”

No sooner have the words left my mouth, the jewel on the end of the sceptre glows brightly.

Everyone cries out in alarm, Spike hiding under Twilight’s legs and Fluttershy hiding behind Rainbow Dash completely.

We all stare at the glowing red jewel for several moments, waiting for something to happen.

When it doesn’t, I look into the jewel, frowning.

It’s like… I can see something, but not anything with shape or form.

After staring for what feels like hours, my eyes widen as it suddenly becomes clear to me.

I turn to Ember, my expression firm. “Ember, daughter of former Dragon Lord Torch, kneel.”

At once, she does so, her expression one of willing respect, her head bowed, wings folded, resting a fist on the ground in front of her.

“Do you swear to guard my dragons with your life? To govern them in the ways of truth? To keep this land from falling to chaos? To be my voice in times when I am not here?”

“On my word as a dragon, you have my promise, Dragon Princess,” she nods. “I swear it on the fire inside.”

I hold out the sceptre, tapping it against each of her shoulders in turn. “Then, by the power invested in me by the Dragon Fire, I dub thee Ember, Dragon Lord and my vassal. Rise, Dragon Lord Ember.”

The jewel of the sceptre glows brightly, a red aura passing from it over Ember’s body, which shines brightly.

After several minutes, the light fades and Ember stands, looking at her claws in confusion.

“This… this doesn’t make any sense,” she says, glancing to her father. “Dad, I feel the energies I did back when I was Dragon Lord. But, I shouldn’t be able to do that, should I?”

Torch’s eyes go wide. “No, you shouldn’t. The legend clearly states we dragons shall only have a Dragon Lord until the Dragon Princess comes.”

“The thing about legends,” I say, turning to look up his hulking form, “is there are always details left out. I wouldn’t have been able to make Ember Dragon Lord again if that part was true.”

“Bu-but… But the Bloodstone Sceptre,” Garble stutters, pointing to it. “Does that mean it won’t answer to you now, only Ember?”

“Give it a try,” I toss the sceptre to Ember, who hurries and fumbling with it before grasping the rod in her claws.

At once, her eyes widen. “It… it doesn’t recognise me.”

“HUH?!” is the loud reaction from all gathered.

I nod, smirking as I fold my arms. “Thought so. Dragon Lord is more like a mayor, governor or president. The rank of a princess still hangs above it, but it’s a role that can be delegated by a higher power.”

I hold out my hand and the sceptre glows red, levitating out of Ember’s hold and flies towards me and I catch it with one hand.

“But, hang on a second,” we all turn to Dash, who’s wearing a frown of thought and confusion. “If that part of the legend wasn’t true, how much more of it is?”

“Well, the part of the radiant Dragon Princess is clearly true,” Rarity flourishes her mane, giving me a joyful, but predatory expression. “Darling, you must come to my boutique after this. Oh, the royal regalia I’ve been inspired for.” She giggles, clapping her hooves together like a school filly. “Oh, I can’t wait to get started.”

“Well, I… yes, thank you, Rarity,” I hesitate, quickly giving the princesses a look that screams “Help me!”.

“Sumthin’ Ah don’t get.”

We all turn to Applejack, who’s giving me an approving look.

“Princess Bloom here says the part o’ the legend o’ her havin’ a twin ain’t right. But, if’n that’s true, why would the dragons of the ancient past have put it in the legend ta begin with?”

I sigh, frowning at the sceptre’s jewel. “I agree, it’s vexing in the most frustrating ways, Applejack. Bloom had a sister, but she was her older sister and she was no heir to the Dragon Fire. It’s not like I understand any of this. It just doesn’t match what information I do know.”

“It would help if you could contact these of girls whom you claim are Bloom’s friends,” Luna says, frowning as she thinks for a moment. “The... Winx you said they call themselves?”

I nod, before scowling. “Contacting the Winx would help so much. Maybe they could let us know why Bloom ended up here in Equestria and why I’m in her body instead of her. Plus, if they don’t know what’s going on, we could at least ease some of their burden… while adding more.”

I finish that dejectedly, realizing that any communications we somehow might manage to have with the Winx would include having to inform them that, when it comes to her spirit, as far as I can tell, Bloom is dead.

Her body survives, but Bloom herself, her personality, her life essence?

Whatever put me in her body completely overrode or erased that.

“Would you tell them?”

We all turn to Celestia, confused, both by her question and the firm expression she’s giving me.

“Um, come again?” Dash asks, thought Celestia does not take her gaze away from me… and the firmness is really starting to unnerve me.

From Luna, it feels natural, but Celestia?

I feel like a child getting told off for trying to steal cookies before dinner or something. What the hell?

“If you were to find a way to contact the Winx, Bloom’s closest friends, would you tell them? Tell them that you have, unintentionally or not, taken over her form? That you are not truly the friend they know? Or, will you hide this from them? Keep them believing you are their Bloom, despite not being her at all?”

I blink, staring at her for a moment, before my expression firms. “Of course I’d tell them the truth, Celestia. For fuck sake, I’m not a monster! I’d never hide that from them! They’re too close for me to do that and it would be beyond cruel!”

“So, if there was indeed a point where we meet them, you will tell them the truth from the start? You wouldn’t hide anything from them?”

“Of course I wouldn’t!” I’m actually getting angry and offended now.

In the time they’ve known me, short as it is, when have I ever given the indication I’d do something like that?

I literally said, from the start, because I know something’s coming, I want to help them.

If I’m willing to do that, why would I be willing to hide from five of Bloom’s closest friends what happened to her?

“If you could speak with them, right this moment, you would tell them the truth from the very beginning, hide nothing of their friend’s fate from them?” Celestia says, her words seeming to carry some force behind them I can’t name.

Okay, I’m done with this shit.

“YES!” I scream at the top of my lungs, my hands feeling warm for some reason. “IF I COULD SPEAK WITH HER FRIENDS RIGHT THIS SECOND, I’D TELL STELLA, TECHNA, FLORA, MUSA AND LAYLA WHAT HAPPENED!”

Celestia’s expression changes to… a knowing smirk?!

“WHAT’S SO FUNNY, CELESTIA!” I demand, only to feel a small claw on my wrist.

I glare down to see Smolder, who winces, backing away slightly, before meekly pointing to her right.

Cocking an eyebrow, I turn… to see a swirling white energy hovering several metres away.

We all just watch in confusion, before the Bloodstone Sceptre suddenly shines brightly, a beam of red energy flying from its tip, crashing into the vortex.

It changes, almost looking between a mix of pink and red… hard as that is to imagine, and expands until it’s as big and tall as Torch’s head.

The energy changes colour in the centre, becoming a lighter shade.

As we watch, five silhouettes seem to form within the mass of swirling energy.

When that come into view, my eyes widen.

It’s the rest of the Winx! What the hell?

“No way! We found her!” Layla says, pointing.

“About time!” Stella says, hands on her hips. “That was taking way too long, far as I’m concerned.”

“We’re contacting a dimension that was born completely separate from the magical dimension eons ago. It’s not like we could look them up on the magic web or something,” Musa scolds her, before looking to me, smiling. “Yo, Bloom Two. You’re looking good. Nice glowing mike there.”

Bloom… Two?

“Bloom, it worked. It worked,” Flora says… looking off the side. “She’s alright. And she’s surrounded by so many animals.”

“Lots of them kinda look like ponies with human features. What’s up with that?” Stella says, giving the ponies and dragons a scrutiny eye.

No, wait. Why did Flora just call out to Bloom? I’m Bloom.

“Flora, you… you don’t understand,” I say, finding myself reaching out. “Bloom can’t be with you, because… because…”

Anything I was struggling to figure out how to say to put that delicately dies in my mouth immediately as a sixth figure comes into frame in the energy circle… and my jaw drops.

The girl who walked into frame and came into focus alongside the other five has long red/orange hair with bangs and blue-green eyes.

She’s wearing a blue and yellow shirt that stops a little before her waist, which is as much as the energy window lets us see.

I just stare, my mouth flapping as my brain fails to grasp what in the hell I’m seeing, because it makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

It… it’s Bloom.

Bloom is standing right there with the Winx!

But, I’m Bloom! She can’t be Bloom, because I’m Bloom now. But, she is very clearly Bloom and right there with her friends.

I… no, but… I can’t…

WHAT?!

Author's Note

So... I'm actually surprised I got this out tonight.

After I posted the last update to another fic yesterday, while I'd intended to update this one right after, two things snagged me.

1. I realized I didn't really know how to move forward with the MC constantly worrying about what happened to Bloom for her to wind up in Bloom's body.
   and 2. aside from the mention of the Dragon Lands' version of the Legend of the Great Dragon, I had no idea what else i could do.

Bloom giving Ember the role of Dragon Lord back while still being the Dragon Princes was definitely planned... but not much else.

Plus, it felt like i'd struggle to have the villain talked about or hinted at without giving it away too easily without going STUPIDLY vague, to the point it would basically be insulting the readers, so i was stumped there too.

Then, a couple hours ago, just as i was making dinner, I was hit with a bit of inspiration and this comes from it.

Of course, it helps that there's a song I've been listening to more again I found myself singing while cooking that feels like it works with this story really well: Find Your Flame.

Quite fitting, no?

If I had a nickel for every time there was a decent fight scene in My Little Pony that fit well with the Find Your Flame song, I'd have 2 nickels, which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice, right?

Probably an ass move to leave the chapter on a cliffhanger like that, when I don't really know when I'll get back to this story in particular, as there are several i'm itching to get updates to, but, we'll see where the chips fall there, won't we?

There should DEFINITELY be an update to SOMETHING within the next couple of weeks though, as i should have the house to myself for about 5 days by then, which will make it much easier to focus on writing without anything else going on in the background.

Anyway, it's almost 9:30pm now, so i wanna wrap up here.

There's some movies and shows I wanted to watch before bed that I didn't get to last night due to Daylight Savings time starting this morning, so had one less hour yesterday and I'd totally forgotten that, so it threw off my whole rhythm for that evening.

So... Bloom didn't take over Bloom's body, because there's Bloom in the energy window? What?

How is that possible? What in the world is going on?

And, why was that energy vortex there to begin with?

They said it worked.

What worked? Were they looking for Bloom? Why? They've still got their Bloom... right?

Answers and more questions to come, so look forward to that.

I know I look forward to your speculations in the comments below. They should be quite entertaining.

Okay. Past 9:30pm now. I need to stop so I can move on with the rest of the evening so I can fully enjoy tomorrow's public holiday.

Hope you enjoyed this long overdue chapter, hope I haven't dropped the quality in any way and, til next time, stay safe, stay clean and goodnight everybody