Luna led the dragons back to Ponyville, as they arrived they saw the town's dragons gathered at the town stage.

“Sheesh, they weren’t kidding,” Garble said seeing the dragons and they ascended the staircase and Luna approached the mic.

“Greetings my little ponies,” Luna said

“You mean dragons,” A green dragon behind Luna said before Ember thumped him.

“These here are the true dragons who will aid us in adjusting to our new forms,” Luna said.

“Reluctant-ow!” Garble thumped as well by Ember.

“Does this mean we’ll all be dragons longer than anticipated?” A drake asked.

“Unfortunately, but at least Discord has managed to make living accommodations while keeping the rest of Equus safe.

The Ponyville dragons didn’t seem happy to know that they were stuck this way longer than they hoped.

“I understand it is a lot to swallow, but for now we must make the most of it,” Luna said before turning and seeing Discord approaching the stage.

“Hello, so who’s who? I have trouble telling these days,” Discord chuckled.

“Hello Discord, have you set up the course?” Luna asked.

“Yep, let us go!” Discord said before teleporting everydragon to an open field, with multiple course obstacles, lava pools and crystals.

Discord was wearing a coach outfit and he blew into a whistle.

“Alright you all, let's get exercising!” Discord cheered.

“This isn’t quite what I had in mind…” Luna sighed.

“Don’t worry there’s a few things for dragon intermingled,” Discord said.

“I’ll take over here,” Ember said walking in front of them as Discord left to go back to Fluttershy and Ember called out an order.

“Alright, line up! Let’s begin with the basics of feeding habits!” Ember said and the Ponyville dragons did as instructed and lined up.

“Um… miss? You should come out by now,” Razer asked as Fluttershy began to look dizzy.

“I don’t need to…..” Fluttershy said.

“You're about to pass out from the heat…” Razer said.

“I’m just scared…” Fluttershy said.

“Scared of what? Were you rejected by a mate? I don’t see any scratches on you so I doubt you were abused,” Razer said as he lay beside the lava pool.

“U-um… you know what happened in Equestria recently… right?” Fluttershy asked.

“Course I do… Ember forced me to leave my hoard for it,” Razer said.

“Well…. I was a pony beforehand,” Fluttershy said.

“....That actually explains some things…” Razer said.

“And…. I think I know you…” Fluttershy said.

“What do you mean?” Razer asked.

“...I’m the one who made you leave,” Fluttershy meeped.

“....Oh….” Razer said before sighing a cloud of smoke “I see, uh….” He suddenly found it rather awkward he was hitting on the same mare who scared him away…

“To be fair you were threatening to cover Equestria in smoke clouds,” Fluttershy said finally leaving the lava pool to avoid passing out.

“Yeah… I was… but also to be fair I have nasal problems and your friend assaulted me first,” Razer said.

“I just hope there are no hard feelings between us,” Fluttershy said.

“....some….” Razer said.

“Well…. I won't apologize for protecting Equestria from your snore clouds,” Fluttershy said.

“But I had to find a new cave… it was hard, I even had to wrestle some diamond dogs to get it,” Razer said meekly.

“Still, I did the right thing by making you relocate,” Fluttershy noticing his suddenly meek demeanor.

And then he started crying.

“Huh?” Fluttershy said.

“I'm a loser… a bad dragon… I’m begging you to not tell any dragon about what happened back at that cave, or I'll be a laughingstock,” Razer pleaded.

“Um… no need to worry, I won't tell,” Fluttershy cooed to calm him, honestly not expecting him to cry again.

“Oh dear,” Rarity said trying to climb a giant wall that Discord had set up.

“Come on! Pick up the pace!” Ember called.

“I fail to see how climbing a wall has anything to do with being a dragon,” Rarity grunted out.

“Dragons are good climbers, slowpoke,” Garble taunted as he climbed past the bigger dragoness.

“Come on Rares, you got this!” Rainbow said from the top of the wall.

“I’m not as athletic as you both!” Rarity said before she lost her grip and fell and Ember stepped out of the way of her landing on her.

“Again!” Ember said.

“Oh come now dear, can’t I just fly up there?” Rarity begged.

“Not happening, Razer, show her how to-.... Where’s Razer?” Ember asked looking around.

“He… went to take a restroom break?” A green dragon said.

“This is why I told you all to go before coming here!” Ember sighed.

“Sorry,” The green dragon said.

“Alright, Garble, you come here and help her,” Ember said.

“Ugh…” Garble climbed down and stood by Rarity “dig your claws in and pull yourself up.” Garble said.

“I know how to climb, climbing as a dragon is different,” Rarity said as she began pulling herself up the wall, Garble flying beside her.

“Come on pony! You got this!” Garble said with a hint of mocking.

“Shut it!” Rarity said as she made her way up to the top, a half an hour later.

“Whew!....” Rarity collapsed at Rainbow and Applejack's feet.

“This is why ya need to exercise more,” AJ said smugly.

“Ugh… I get it,” Rarity said.

‘Now climb down!” Ember called.

“Oh dear…” Rarity sighed knowing she had to do more climbing and she got up and saw AJ and RD doing it easily "I do hope I don't break anything if I fall..." Rarity said before getting to it... and falling.

She gave a loud 'Oooof!' as she landed on the ground.

"You must be one of the least athletic adult dragons I've seen..." Ember said.

"I know..." Rarity sighed.

After the climb down they approached a lava pool.

“Alright! We’re going for a swim!” Ember said.

“But we’ll die!” A dragoness cried.

“You're a dragon now…” Ember sighed.

“But what if I turn back into a pony before I get out, I could die!” Another dragoness exclaimed.

“It’s already confirmed that isn’t happening until we find a certain dragoness is found, now go!” Ember ordered.

The pony dragons seemed too hesitant until Applejack and Rainbow stepped forward.

“Race you all in!” Rainbow said jumping into the lava with Applejack, the lava splashed the other dragons and at first they panicked but they calmed when they noticed the lava wasn’t burning their flesh.

Rainbow and AJ poked their heads out of the lava and Rainbow spat some out.

“Whew, this feels great!” Rainbow said.

“Ah agree,” AJ said.

The other dragons hesitated but a few decided to enter, and after some more minutes of hesitance the others climbed into the lava.

“Wow… this feels even warmer than a hot tub, and it feels nice,” Lyra sighed.

“Whew, this is relaxing,” Mayor Mare said.

“YEAH!” Bulk cheered.

“It’s like pulling teeth with them…” Ember said with a sigh.

“Yeah,” The green dragon said.

“Can somedragon find Razer? We need all claws on deck,” Ember ordered.

“I’ll go,” Garble said as he walked away, hoping to get away from having to help train ponies how to be dragons.

“Soak for an hour, no more, don’t linger too long or the heat will make you dizzy and you risk passing out,” Ember said as most of the dragons listened.

Garble flew after Razer's scent, thankfully dragons can detect each other from a mile away.

“Ugh, can’t wait to go home and… huh?” Garble flew lower and perched on a branch, watching Razer and an unknown dragoness talk.

“Heheh, Razer you sly lizard,” Garble said seeing as he was clearly trying to court her.

“And I was thinking we could go take a dip in a volcano sometime, and maybe… hang out by the local gem cave?” Razer asked.

“I’m flattered but I have animals to tend to,” Fluttershy said.

Razer knew she was really a pony and the one who shook his confidence but she was such a pretty dragoness he couldn’t let this opportunity miss, maybe she’ll be like this forever?

“Wait did you say you had animals? As… food stock or as pets?” Razer asked.

Fluttershy looked appalled “I would never eat my own animal friends!” Fluttershy said.

“Right right, you are a pony…” Razer nervously thought of a way to change the subject.

Meanwhile on the branch Garble was struggling to not laugh “As much as I want to watch this all day, I gotta get moving,” Garble said before flapping to the ground and coughing into his hand.

“Huh?!” Both spun to see Garble.

“Yeah, hello, who’s the pretty one?” Garble asked.

“Mine!” Razer growled at him.

“Pardon?” Fluttershy asked.

“Uhm… not yet but I’m courting her,” Razer sheepishly said.

“Yeah, cool, look pal Ember is getting impatient, c’mon,” Garble turned and flew away.

“Uhm… ok… Hey uh, want to come with me?” Razer asked.

“I’m fine here, I… am still getting used to this and a friend is helping me,” Fluttershy said.

“Oh… ok,” Razer said and he flew off disappointedly.

“Now I wonder when-” Fluttershy knowingly said when Discord popped around a corner.

“Hello!” Discord said walking up to her.

“Hello Discord,” Fluttershy chuckled.

“I see you knew I was peeping on the two lovers-to-be,” Discord said.

Fluttershy blushed “Wh-what are you talking about?”

“Oh, nothing…” Discord chuckled “Shall we get started on flavors of crystals?” Discord said.

“...Sure…” Fluttershy said wanting to change the subject as well.

“Whew… spent a little too long in there,” AJ said looking a little woozy as she exited the lava pool.

“Ditto…” Rainbow said as she exited too.

“Ok, next up is crystals,” Ember said.

“Come to think of it, I’ve never had one,” Bon Bon said.

“I bet they taste nice,” Octavia said from the back.

“Ok! Listen up, crystals do have varying flavors depending on their age and type, but listen well, there are three types of stones you shouldn’t eat in big portions, opal, jade, and black diamonds,” Ember instructed.

“Why?” Rarity asked.

“Opal causes indigestion, jade is for laxative uses only, and black diamonds are straight-up poisonous,” Ember said making the dragons cringe at the thought.

“So… I cannot use them for dresses anymore?” Rarity asked.

“Dresses? Do you want to put dragons into dresses? Typical pony,” Garble said.

“Clothes are impractical for dragons,” Ember said.

“B-but how else will you look fashionable?” Rarity attempted.

“I don’t care,” Ember said before noticing Razer and Garble returning “Good excuse Razer, now,” Ember demanded.

“I… had to pee?” Razer said nervously.

“Ugh… whatever just get ready to help with the flying portion later,” Ember said getting ready to resume instructions.

Tirek sat in his cage, it was a boring life but it was all he could do… oh and he had noticed there were dragons instead of ponies checking up on him lately.

As Tirek watched yet another dragon guard pass by he suddenly saw a spell hit them and they collapsed snoring.

“Huh?” Tirek asked before seeing another dragon guard walk up to his cage.

“It wasn’t me,” Tirek promised.

“I know,” Suddenly the dragon guard turned into a red and orange dragoness.

“...Ignia?...” Tirek said.

“Hello again… pathetic parasite,” Ignia said.

“Hmmph, I see you haven’t changed from your spiteful self, reptile,” Tirek snorted.

“I do not care, I need something from you,” She said.

“And why pray tell would I help you?” Tirek said.

“You know the ancient secret to completing Ponykinds ascendance into a superior race, and I plan to extract it from you,” Ignia said as her claws glowed and she slashed the cage apart with it.

“Oh no, I’m not coming, I’d rather stay here than be associated with you,” Tirek said.

“You're mistaken half pony… I wasn’t asking…” Then Ignia used Devnak to shoot Tirek and put him to sleep, she then scooped him up and escaped back past a sleeping Cerberus and out of Tartarus.

“Soon Ponykind will be completely dragon, and I will have fulfilled our dream, my dear Magmus,” Ignia said with a smile before looking into the distance.

“Next stop… The Crystal Empire…” Ignia said.

Author's Note

Bit of a short chapter for such a wait, sorry.

College plans, shifts at my job, and general procrastination are the reasons.

But this chapter does show some things, also what does Ignia plan to do? Why does she not consider her job done?