The Dragon Princess

It was already late afternoon by the time Rainbow Dash parted company from Dragon Lord Ember. After scarfing down her lunch and racing back to town, Rainbow dashed off a letter to Queen Celestia about her findings. By the time she was done with that it was already evening. The next step was delivering it to Canterlot right away. For that, she needed a certain purple nerd. Luckily, this was the perfect time for it.

She pounded on the library door. “Twilight, open up! It’s me, Rainbow!”

The solid wooden door did nothing to hinder the sheer amount of frustrated sarcasm that seeped through from the other side. “Yes Rainbow Dash, I know it’s you, you don’t have to tell me.” Somehow Rainbow could feel Twilight’s eyes burning into her from behind the closed door. “Not only do I know what your voice sounds like, you’re the only pony who knocks on my door like it did something to personally offend you. Plus it’s after library hours which means it’s time for my private studies, which everypony else knows and is able to remember except for you.”

Okay, so maybe this wasn’t the best time for it.

“Alright, alright, I get the picture,” Rainbow sighed. “Sorry, but it’s an emergency!”

Twilight hesitated. “An emergency as in you’re waiting for the newest Daring Do book to come in or an actual emergency?”

“That was an actual–” Rainbow cut herself off. “Just open the door before I fly in through the window and call it a night!”

“Okay, okay…” The door was suddenly gripped by shimmering purple magic and pulled open. “Come on in.”

Rainbow entered, looking for the unicorn in question. “Thanks Twilight.” She found Twilight sitting at her desk, staring intently at an unfurled scroll. “Celestia just sent it?”

“Maybe an hour ago,” Twilight confirmed as she looked up. Judging by the cups of coffee Rainbow saw scattered around, Twilight was going to be at this for a while. She wasn’t surprised. Once she’d gotten Celestia to start sending Twilight magical lessons through the mail, usually once or twice a month, Twilight naturally leaped at the opportunity. She was so grateful and so eager that Twilight would set aside the entire evening to work on them whenever one arrived. Rainbow couldn’t help but notice the contrast between her studying methods and Twilight’s.

Then again, Twilight got to study cool stuff like magic, rather than the lame, boring things Celestia kept tossing Rainbow’s way. Like diplomacy. She shook her head, getting back on track. Rainbow dug the letter out of her saddle bag and placed it on the table. “Can you spell-send this to Celestia?”

Twilight nodded. “Of course. I take it you found out what was causing the smoke the Queen asked you to investigate?”

Rainbow Dash nodded. “Yeah, sure did. Turns out we got a dragon camped out in that mountain.” She took a second to let Twilight’s eyes widen at that before adding, “and not just any dragon! We’re talking the Dragon Lord, basically the Queen of all dragons.”

“Oh. Wow.” Twilight’s voice was shaky. “That’s–a lot to take in.”

“It was an afternoon,” Rainbow commented wryly. “Would’ve been here sooner but you know how I am about writing. It always takes more time than you think.”

Twilight shook her head, trying to refocus. “I’m surprised nopony saw her arrival.”

“It’s not like she’s one of those jumbo-sized dragons,” Rainbow explained, “which—yeah, was a bit of a surprise to me too. Her name’s Ember, and she’s not that much bigger than we are. I mean, I was able to keep her on her toes when we fought–” She bit her lip when she saw Twilight’s face. “That probably could’ve used some context, couldn’t it? And maybe more of a lead-in?”

“Did you just start a war with the Dragon Lands?!” Twilight whinnied with horror, leaping to all fours. “That isn’t–I can’t–we need to start fireproofing Ponyville! You start gathering up the foals, I’ll get all the library books and–”

“Whoa whoa whoa!” Rainbow shot up from the couch and flew in front of Twilight, trying to head off a panicked stampede through the middle of town. “It’s not like that! I mean, okay I did get into a fight with her but that actually kinda-sorta helped? It was a whole thing. I wrote it all up so Celestia can decide what to do now. But I promise, it’s fine. Ember’s not going to come burninate Ponyville or anything.”

Twilight’s eyes flickered over to the letter, as if she wanted to open the letter to read for herself–and probably proofread while she was at it. “I–okay. I believe you.” She exhaled and sank back into her seat, running a hoof through her mane. “What do you think the Queen’s response will be?”

“No idea. It’s probably gonna be out of my hooves anyway.”

“What makes you say that?”

Rainbow shrugged, heading over to a nearby couch and flopping back onto it. “I mean, this is the Dragon Lord and she’s in Equestria. That makes it a diplomatic something-or-other and that’s not really my thing.”

She thought that was an obvious enough answer on its own, but Twilight didn’t let it rest there. “Maybe, but you are Queen Celestia’s student, and she can’t be everywhere.”

“Twi, the first thing I did when I met her was buck her in the gut. Trust me, you could get anypony else here and they’d be a better fit for all this talky stuff than me.”

Twilight pursed her lips and blew an exhausted nicker. “I’m not so sure, but in any case I better send this now if it’s that important.” She turned and trotted back to the table, closing her eyes and concentrating as she cast the spell. Rainbow’s letter to the Queen began to glow and lift up into the air before dissolving in a swirl of magic that carried itself out the window and towards Canterlot.

Rainbow sat back, folding her hooves behind her head. There was no telling how long a response would take; sometimes Celestia wrote back right away, other times it took her a bit. No point in getting all worked up while waiting.

She closed her eyes and took a little nap.

In what felt like no time at all, Twilight was shaking her awake. “Rainbow! The Queen wrote back!” A scroll gripped in her magic floated above her while Twilight’s hooves danced up and down on the floor.

“Okay, okay, let me see it,” Rainbow reached out and grabbed it with one wing, pulling it open to read. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Twilight’s wide-eyed expression and look of unabashed eagerness. Rainbow suppressed the urge to smile as she made a show of looking over the contents. “Hmmm, let me see–oh that IS interesting. Very interesting. That’s certainly a unique approach to how to handle things…”

Twilight looked like a pot about to bubble over with excitement. Rainbow couldn’t resist pushing it a little further.

“...I mean, building a library for dragons? Huh, would not have called that. Do I know anyone who’d be interested in putting together a list of books for dragons? Ooof, not a clue. Hey Twilight do you WHOA!” Rainbow yelped as Twilight dove at her like she was delivering muffins to Derpy at the end of her shift.

Temporarily flattened into the sofa by an excitable purple nerd, Rainbow’s commentary heard only by the cushions as Twilight read the letter for herself. “Rainbow!” She felt as much as heard Twilight’s indignation, prompting her to snicker even as Twilight stood back to let her up. The wounded look she was giving her only made it even funnier. “That’s not funny!” she protested, despite all evidence to the contrary.

Rainbow stretched, dusting herself off. “Your fault for making it too easy.”

Huffing, Twilight held the letter out to her. “I just hope that isn’t an example of your best diplomatic behavior, Ms. Ambassador.”

“Heh, what’re you talking about?” Rainbow blinked before letting out a bark of laughter. “Oh, hey, nice recovery! Good effort at a payback prank, you almost had me for a second but you made it too obvious and ridiculous.”

Twilight looked at her as if she’d grown a second head. “But I’m not joking,” she stated. “Didn’t you read the letter?”

“Not exactly…”

Rainbow didn’t like the grimace Twilight made. “I think you’d better. If you’ll excuse me, I think I’m going to look up some books about dragons. You’re going to need them.” She trotted over to the shelves and started searching.

“Nice try, but I’m not falling for it!” Rainbow called after her as she picked the letter back up to read for herself.

Rainbow Dash, My Dearest Student:

The encounter you described is most troubling. This is the first I’ve heard that Torch is no longer Dragon Lord. That his successor is currently taking up residence in Equestria and attracting dragons to challenge her is even more worrisome.

I am impressed at how you were able to establish a common ground with Ember and used that to get her to open up to you. Your approach was … shall we say direct, but nevertheless quite fruitful. Given the importance of the situation and the strides you’ve already made in establishing a rapport with the new Dragon Lord, I would like you to continue to manage this encounter as Equestria’s official ambassador.

I have every confidence in you and your abilities to rise to this challenge the way you do to all others.

Sincerely yours,
Queen Celestia

P.S.

Do tell Twilight that her homework doesn’t need to be completed the night I assign it. Staying up to all hours is a task best left to Luna. After all, you needn’t tell her this part, but even a queen needs her beauty sleep!

-Celestia

Rainbow looked at the letter and read it over twice before registering her reactions with the universe: “The BUCK?!”

“Language!” Twilight sing-songed from the shelves.

“Seriously? Celestia just assigned me to be Equestria’s ambassador to the Dragon Lord I got into a fight with and that’s what you’re worried about? Weren’t you panicking about me starting a war like five minutes ago?”

Twilight sighed. “Alright, so I might have overreacted a little…”

“‘Save the books! Save the foals! We’re all doomed!’” Rainbow flailed her limbs while affecting a, in her opinion, very accurate and hilarious impression of Twilight. “Won’t somepony think of my noooooootes?!”

“Ha ha, very funny,” Twilight huffed. “I was concerned, certainly, but if Queen Celestia thinks you’re the right pony to handle this then I think it’ll all work out.”

Grumbling to herself, Rainbow went over to Twilight’s desk. Grabbing a blank scroll and a quill, she began composing her completely measured response to Celestia’s letter.

C,

Is your tiara on too tight or something?! What in Equestria could possibly make you think this is a good idea? You want an ambassador? Get someone capable of ambassadoring! The last time I heard an idea this bad it was when somepony thought Pinkie Pie could use some coffee. Is that what’s going on here with you? Switch to decaf and go to bed, you clearly need the sleep.

-RD

She rolled it up and tapped her hoof, waiting for Twilight to send it. Twilight sighed but whisked it to Canterlot. The response came less than a minute later this time.

Rainbow Dash,

I realize that I’m asking you to step out of your comfort zone by taking up this responsibility, but I would not have done so if I didn’t truly believe you were the best pony for the task at hoof.

At the end of the day, once you remove all the pomp and circumstance that you’re letting yourself react to, diplomacy is the art of forging connections and making friends. In that regard, there’s nopony I’d trust more to handle this than you.

Yours,
Celestia

Rainbow fired off another reply so quickly ink splatters dotted the page.

Looking over her shoulder, Twilight tried speaking up. “I think the Queen has a good point. Besides, won’t being direct and … not-fancy help you? She is a dragon, after all. It seems like you two have a lot in common.”

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Yeah, that was the kind of thinking that had me go to a reception for the Prince of Yakistan. You wanna guess how well that went?”

Twilight winced. “Is that why there was that trade embargo about two years back?”

Since that really didn’t require an answer, Rainbow went back to her letter.

C,

Yeah, diplomacy might be about making friends or whatever but it’s not just me and Ember, it’s me and the Lord of all Dragons. Plus, you might not have noticed, but there aren’t exactly a ton of dragons around Equestria. I don’t know what they like or don’t like, or what would offend them or any of that stuff! I’m all for trial and error when it comes to working out a new flight routine—not so much when I tick some creature off so much that an entire country ends up blaming you and Equestria for it.

Going off her exchange with Twilight, she couldn’t help adding:

How are relations with Yakistan nowadays?

-Rainbow Dash

She thought that pointed little reminder would make her case for her. But Celestia was as stubborn as she was, and had a lot more patience.

Rainbow,

I have not forgotten the reception. However, Prince Rutherford is not Dragon Lord Ember, nor are you quite the same pony that you were back then. You’ve had time to grow, reflect, and learn from your experiences with the yaks and can now use them to help you with the dragons—and this time you won’t have to worry about excess shedding or a lack of regard for your personal space.

Since you asked, the return of the Crystal City (nee Empire) and the vanquishing of Sombra has actually helped greatly improve relations with Yakistan. I understand you now have some minor celebrity status there (minor only inasmuch as yaks prefer to extoll yaks as celebrities) for your roll in those events, as well as for your ability to keep up with Prince Rutherford’s impromptu smashing contest when he was in Canterlot.

Even those experiences you consider failures have proven beneficial and I think it would be wise of you to look at this task in a similar light. We cannot always measure our successes from our own vantage point at the time, but need the input of others and the benefit of hindsight to gain their true measure.

If you remain concerned about a lack of familiarity with dragon history and culture—which I commend you for taking into consideration—I can send a specialist to Ponyville to assist you. I would also suggest enrolling whichever of your friends happen to be available. I know many of them are preoccupied with other things, but I hope you’d coordinate with Twilight at least. I will send her some books on dragons in advance of the specialist’s arrival for her to peruse.

I would not ask you to undertake this entirely on your own. You will always have the support of your friends and myself in all your endeavors. You are held up by more than your own two wings.

Forever yours,
Queen Celestia

Rainbow sighed. She knew that whenever Celestia started getting smultzy it was a sign that she wasn’t about to change her mind. Instead she settled for showing the letter to Twilight. “You in?”

“You have to ask?” Twilight smiled. “Of course I am! I know the others would be too, if Fluttershy and Rarity hadn’t gone to Manehattan for the week, and Applejack wasn’t in the middle of harvesting. And Pinkie Pie is…”

“So random,” Rainbow tossed in. “Also still sleeping off her sugar-and-caffeine rush. How long has it been so far?”

“About a day and a half, last time I checked,” Twilight shook her head. “Looks like it’s just the two of us then. Come on, we can get started on reading the books I have about dragons while we wait for the others to show up.”

Rainbow gritted her teeth and smiled. “Oh. Goody…”

“So, who do you think Celestia sent?” Rainbow Dash asked. It was two days later. Celestia had sent over the books as promised, prompting a very long and drawn-out study night that she still hadn’t recovered from. She and Twilight were currently waiting at the train station for the specialist to arrive from Canterlot.

“Somepony who has experience with dragons, I would think,” Twilight answered, thinking it over. “Fancy Pants?”

Rainbow shrugged. “The guy’s been around, according to the stories, but I don’t really see him hoofwrestling Ember into respecting him.”

“Not everypony makes friends by attacking them first,” Twilight wryly pointed out. “Though I guess given how thick your head is, you are uniquely qualified to get knocked around as a first impression.”

Rainbow gently whapped Twilight with a wing, taking the opportunity to muss up her mane. “I dunno, yours seems pretty sturdy. It must be all that reading you do.”

From underneath her half-ruined hair, Twilight glared at Rainbow, making her snicker. The train whistle blew, announcing the upcoming arrival of the express train from Canterlot. As Twilight frantically tried fixing her mane, Rainbow tried to get a better look at the luxury car. Whoever Celestia had sent would be riding in there, but she couldn’t spot anypony through the windows.

The car in question pulled up to a halt right in front of Rainbow and Twilight. There was a final whuff as the train stopped and the doors opened.

Standing there wasn’t anypony Rainbow or Twilight had expected. In fact, it wasn’t a pony at all.

A small, stubby-looking dragon with purple scales and green head spines waved to them. “Hi there! I’m Spike!”