A True, True Friend

Chapters

Life in Equestria
A Beauty of a Beast
The Helm of Nightmare
The Southern Holds
Scaleside
The Mines

Life in Equestria

Canterlot bustled with the regular chatter of market day. Ponies busied themselves with haggling and chatting, and a few guards even snuck away to take off their armor and fraternize. Among the Unicorns, Earth Ponies and Pegasi, a few different types of ponies mingled.

On the left, sitting on a bench with an shading tree, a thestral couple snuggled, bat-like wings wrapped around each other. Walking past them, a Griffon with a red crest bickered happily with an undisguised Changeling. The fountain in the middle of the square splashed onto the ponies nearby as the small school of seaponies inside played under the warm sun. A small group of dragons sat on the edge, alternating between eating and tossing in gemstones for the seaponies.

On the corner, Twilight Sparkle sat inside a small cafe, her scaled back shimmering in the summer's light. Rainbow Dash frowned at the other side of the table, letting out an exasperated snort and flaring her draconic wings as she tossed her cards down. Applejack grinned, fangs flashing, and scooped up the pile of sugar packets between them. Rarity eyed them with disdain, using a small brush to shine the dirt off of her scaled hooves. Fluttershy gently sipped at a cup of tea, bat-like wings shuffling as Pinkie tested the sharpness of her claws on the legs of the table.

Twilight's attention jerked away from the ponies outside as Pinkie's side of the table collapsed, leg having been fully clawed through. "Pinkie!"

"Sorry, Twilight. I guess my claws are super-duper sharp!" She pulled her hind legs up, flexing her claws in front of her face. "Same as always!"

"Consarnit, Pinkie, you're gonna dry up the treasury if you keep clawing through things! Can't you get a scratching post or something?" Applejack caught the sliding sugar packets with one hoof, only half-glaring at the party pony.

Rainbow grinned, flapping her wings as she stood up on her hind legs, sweeping the packets from Applejack's hoof and collecting them at her place. "I win!"

"Hey!" Applejack turned, snorting at Rainbow. "Stop that!"

Rarity rolled her eyes, levitating a napkin in her magic to help Fluttershy dab up her tea. The winged Kirin whimpered softly as Rarity's magic sparked, holding through sheer will. "Girls, please, we're in public."

"Rarity's right." Twilight added, re-folding her bat-like wings and levitating her spoon. She waved the utensil at her friends, frowning. "We should all be on our best behavior. And Pinkie, I'm taking the cost of this table from your allowance."

Pinkie sighed. "Yes, Twilight."

One of the stranger species in Canterlot trotted up to the table, frowning at the damage. Twilight knew her from many afternoon visits, and the Mountain Pony was relatively friendly, most of the time.

The long-haired mare tossed her curled mane from her eyes, a front hoof tapping on the tile. "Sparkle. Yur friends have bin causing mur damage than gud in hir."

"I-I know, Mist. I'll pay for it all."

"With tip?" The pony tilted her chin up haughtily, a friendly twinkle returning to her eyes.

"With a tip." Twilight relented.

The mare trotted away, long tail sweeping over the floor. Four of her hooves kept her steady while she gathered cups from other customers with her first pair.

"Who's that?" Pinkie asked, kicking up the edge of the table and sticking a napkin box underneath to hold it up. "She acted like she knew you."

"I come down here a lot. It's quiet, and gives me a chance to keep from being gawked at. Her name's Mist; she's one of the Northern Mountain ponies. They have six legs so they can steady themselves better when they climb." Twilight set her spoon down, not having noticed she was still carrying it. "But really, Pinkie, you can't kick tables like you used to, okay?"

Pinkie pouted, slouching with her chin on the table.

The door opened behind them, and a small group of armored guards trotted in. They located Twilight quickly, surrounding the table. "Princess Twilight Sparkle."

"Yes?" Twilight stood up, glancing to her friends for them to do the same.

"The Princesses have requested your audience. Trouble is brewing in the south."

"Of course." Twilight nodded. "Girls, go ahead. I'll meet you there."

As the guards let her friends away, Twilight took a deep breath. Mist trotted up, eyeing the quick-fix Pinkie had implemented on the table. "Pony friends will do well, Sparkle. You need not worry."

"It's not them I'm worried about." Twilight whispered, levitating a hoofful of coins over to the mare.

Princess Celestia smiled as Twilight pushed the door open, galloping up into place with her friends. Princess Luna and Cadence stood at either side, the latter of which looked just as confused as the ponies who had just arrived. A blur of motion in the glass panels nearby signified Discord was listening in.

"My little ponies," Celestia said, bowing gently, "and my fellow Princess; I have gathered you here because of dire news that has reached me from the Southern Hold. The native dragons there have been attacked by a number of neigh-boring countries, including one of the Changeling hives and some Griffon settlements. The letter itself outlines their predicaments."

Twilight noticed the scroll in Celestia's magic and hovered it over. "Dear Equestrian Allies, our lands have been under constant attack from the surrounding areas, and I fear that when you get this letter it will be too late. Our allies have turned against us, and something is not right. There is a great darkness on the horizons that will not fade. Many of our own kind have vanished during attacks, and our numbers are dwindling. The phoenix I have sent to you knows the way to our Hold. We wish to warn you so you may better protect yourself; we may attack under the influence of that great shadow."

Twilight glanced over to where Philomena usually perched. Beside her, a gray bird sat, preening it's half-feathered wings. It blinked back at her with bright yellow eyes.

"It's signed by an 'Elder Stoneclaw'."

Celestia nodded. "He was the dragon who originally signed the peace treaty between Equestria and the Holds."

"If he believes he is in danger, than they stand no chance." Luna added. "He was the greatest fighter we have ever known."

"What does this have to do with them?" Cadence whispered. "You're not sending these... these girls up against something like that! No offense, girls."

Celestia sighed. "If such a threat is true, we need to remain in Equestria to keep the military lines strong. Cadence will be returning to the Crystal Empire shortly. As the Elements of Harmony, and as a Princess without a kingdom, it is your duty to protect Equestria, by going to the heart of the danger and eliminating it from it's source."

"Now," Luna continued after a few moments, "the farriers have been working on new sets of armor to accent your capabilities. They will be waiting for you in the armory."

Twilight turned, leading her friends out of the hall.

"Do not worry, Twilight Sparkle." Luna called after her, even as the door fell shut. "Everything is going to be fine."

A Beauty of a Beast

Twilight and her friends shuffled awkwardly into the narrow space, lines upon lines of armor pieces lining the walls and ceiling. From the back of the hallway came a soft orange glow, which intensified as an aura of magic lifted a ball of molten metal from the forge and placed it in a tray.

"Princess, Elements." A gruff voice called, a pony emerging from the armor and smoke. "I assume you have heard of your goal?"

Twilight looked him up at down; a thestral stallion with a long burn down his right cheek. His wings were currently wrapped under a series of gritty bandages, the basic safety protocol for Pegasi working with molten metal. His coat looked rather navy, but that could have been the soot.

"My name's Carbon, and that pony back there's Liquid Steel." The pony grunted a greeting. "Now, one of you step ahead so we'll have room to fit you."

Rainbow shoved ahead, spreading her wings and filling the small space.

The thestral grinned. "Didn't doubt you'd be first. Steel, toss me some armor!"

A red halo surrounded many small pieces of metal and drifted over, circling slowly around the batpony. He pulled a curved shell out of the spiral, using his wingtips to place it over Rainbow's forehead and pull her mane through the back. "Hey now, how's that?"

Rainbow lifted her head. The dark metal glinted over her face, and the helm ran from the back of her head to her nose. A short rim ran around the front half of the eye-holes, deflecting attacks away from one of her most vulnerable places. A similar sheath ran up along the sides of her ears, but it was attached more to the base of her ear than it was to the helmet. As she flicked her ears around, the metal covers spun along with them.

"Fits great," she chirped, grinning. "Although, I may need to change the color. navy isn't really my style."

Carbon smirked, picking out another piece from the levitating collection and holding it up against her wings. "Once we are sure it fits correctly, I will be giving it a final flame for color and shine, as all Nocturne forgers are trained to do." He looked up, the flames from the forge behind him dancing in his golden irises. "And I have a question for you five and your thestral Princess."

Twilight stepped around Rainbow, bowing down to look the batpony in the eyes. "Yes?"

He opened his wings and bowed, folding a forehoof over his heart. "I wish to join you on your adventure."

Silence fell. Steel hissed softly as he spilled a streak of molten metal over the side of the template.

Twilight regained her composure, shaking her head. "It's much too dangerous."

"And it will be dangerous here too if you fail." He stated, resting a piece of metal on Rainbow's back as he roughly measured another one against her chest.

Twilight noticed Rainbow's hooves shuffling. She was never really the patient type, and Carbon had been taking his sweet time. "I can't risk your life on this mission."

"You won't be risking my life, thestral Princess. I'll be risking my own."

"I couldn't."

The batpony pushed his hooves against Rainbow's upper shoulder, and the metal pieces he had placed clicked together as the flesh moved. "The question was not whether you will risk my life, Princess. The question is whether or not you will allow me to accompany you."

Rainbow arched her back, stretching out her wings. The metal plates shifted and spun like a dragon's scales, keeping a sturdy shield between the outer air and her vital organs. The bands themselves wrapped across her chest, wove around her front legs, and followed her sternum to her gut. A series of ridges ran over the softer skin of her lower belly, up to her legs.

"Wow." The once-Pegasus muttered, bending her head around to look at the subtle detailing. "How long did this take?"

"Steel wouldn't say." The batpony tossed his head, glancing back towards the shadowed pony. "Doesn't like the attention, but I figure 'e fancies you girls. You're lucky, going off to make names for yourselves."

He placed another piece of metal over Rainbow's rump, covering her flanks with a single, unbroken sheet.

"Most of us don't get that chance." He mused, wrapping the first of four scale-patterned boots around Rainbow's hooves, sliding the clasps shut. He looked up with a grin. "Most of us get to stay in a basement forge and make decorative armor for an honor guard."

Twilight watched as the last piece of Rainbow's armor slid into place, shingles and chain mail making her look more like a pony in a dragon's skin than a mix of the two. Her eyes glinted between a pair of dark slats, and her wings were cupped and edged with a series of spines and sheaths. Her front hooves were hidden behind a set of blunt claws, raised as if to slice down at a moment's notice. Her hind hooves were raised slightly at the back by a pair of sharp spurs, mimicked in threes on the front of the hooves. Her helmet was covered in raised spikes as well, spears that lifted from her crest and continued down her neck plates.

She turned to face her, and for a brief moment, Rainbow Dash was nothing but a faded memory behind a dragon's scales.

"Brilliant." She whispered in awe. "What... what is it made of?"

"A titanium and moonstone alloy. Titanium for strength and lightness, and moonstone for heat resistance." Carbon stepped back, admiring the work. "The finish for it will be a mixture of crystal and pearl to refract like your wing scales do, essentially turning the whiteness into a faded rainbow. It will be a spectacular feat in the daytime. Twilight, you're next. Rainbow, if you could just tilt your head like so, the clips will undo and it'll come right off. No, no, don't put it on the floor!"

Twilight stepped up, standing stoically in front of him. He turned to Steel's shadowed form, catching a piece of armor mid-flight.

"I would like to tell you something about thestrals." He stated, pressing a piece of cold metal to her shoulder. "We have long been a silent race, left no land or honor. We have stolen, lied and killed under the shadow of our lost Princess's shining moon. It was a long time ago that we were created, ripped from the very womb of darkness and given form to serve as Her wicked army."

He frowned, tossing a piece of metal to the side and putting a different one in it's place. "She was no kind mistress, but Luna does little to bear in her stead. She did not wish to rule us, but her sister told us to remain. After all, we were never Luna's. We were Hers, and She was gone."

Her back chilled suddenly as the metal plates along it slid into place. The batpony's eyes glinted in the corners of her vision.

"And then a third Princess came, but she was nothing like She had been. She was prim and proper, and could not set herself in shoes that had once glinted with blood and malice. She left for the ponies who had been found and lost, not the ones that had never been found at all." A band slipped around her belly. "Imagine the elation of our lost cause when such a Princess was created. One that had been ordinary and powerful, and crippled down to nothing. Imagine how we felt, as one, when she returned from death itself."

He stepped back, a set of armors Twilight knew very well still hovering behind him.

"In you, we saw Her. And our undying loyalty of a thousand mournful years will not be lost upon you."

He pulled the Regalia from the air, dim firelight glinting off of blue moonsteel. Moonsteel; indestructible and unforgettable. He bowed again, holding the armor ahead of him on outspread wings.

"Will you take Nightmare Moon's place and take the thestral under your wings?"

Twilight stared at the armor. Despite it's notoriety as completely unchangeable, small ridges had been added to deflect attacks away from her wings, belly and eyes, and short spikes lined the outer edge of every opening. As the light changed, she noticed it had darkened to the same shade as her mane, like a living extension of herself. Her breath caught in her throat.

"Steel. Please come here."

The shadow jerked, and molten light sprayed across the ground. Firelight glinted where eyes should have shone.

"Steel, please."

The shadow shifted, hobbling into the light.

Whatever she had been expecting, this was not it. This was a mare, not a stallion, and her mane had been near-shaved to create a dark, asymmetrical stain across her forehead and neck. Her tail was cropped short, and her sides were covered in bandages that mimicked those of the forging Pegasi, except they wrapped down half of her forelegs. Her head was tilted back with a defiant glare, and a thin band of burgundy scales ran over her tan forehead.

"Steel, can you take off your bandages?" Twilight prompted, kneeling down. "Please?"

The mare's eyes widened and she shook her head quickly, backing up into the shadows. Carbon backed up alongside her, placing a wing on her back. He muttered something in a language Twilight didn't know, although the clicks and gentle whimpers made her imagine it was a thestral language.

Carbon glanced up at Twilight. "She wishes to do so only in your company."

Twilight nodded. "Girls, can you wait upstairs?"

They shuffled out, exchanging glances and frowning. Twilight waited until they were far up the stairs before shutting the heavy door. Steel frowned down at her bandages before lying down on her belly, gripping an edge in her teeth and pulling gently.

The whole strip unraveled, hanging loosely around her leg. She grit her teeth and pulled it off, exposing the upper half of her forelimbs.

Where Carbon's wings had been fully developed, Steel's were stretched down over her front legs, wrapping around them like a forced embrace. Her wings extended as nothing but fin from the back of her shoulders, but she didn't falter her steady gaze. She was not ashamed, and it showed.

Twilight met her gaze. "Where did you come from? You're not pure thestral, are you?"

Carbon rested a wing over her back. "Our clan adopted her as a filly. We have grown up as siblings."

"Do you know where she's from?"

"There's only one place where Lost Hearts come from." He snorted. "Pony settlements in Dragon Holds."

Twilight stared at the scales and fur with a whole new awe. "You mean...?"

Carbon nodded. "She is the same as you. Half-dragon, half-pony. She is a refugee from the Southern Holds, which are now in danger."

Steel nodded, opening her mouth as if to speak before closing it again. The inside of her mouth had glinted with shimmering scales.

"You must understand, thestral Princess, that when I follow you to Holdlands, that I only go because the one I love the most cannot."

The Helm of Nightmare

Twilight watched the last of her friends emerge from the armory, each a matching shade of dull navy. Every suit of armor was vastly different in minor ways; where Rainbow's had been all sleek and spikes, Fluttershy's was rounded and soft, blades hidden and armor altered for a more Earth-Pony physique. Where Pinkie's was flashing claws and pouncing attacks, Applejack's was sturdy and built for powerful kicking with underbelly protection. Rarity's was a mixture of them all, elegance mixed with efficiency, crest of the helm studded with magical crystals and tail banded with a single spiked chain.

Twilight's chest, head and feet were still bare, however. Carbon held her boots under his wings, while Steel levitated the helm and neckpiece with an amulet Carbon had described only as 'a gift from Celestia'.

The thestral stared up at her, frowning. "Will you wear Her helm, thestral Princess?"

Twilight took a deep breath. "I... I will take her place as Guardian of the thestrals. But I will not take her Stone."

Carbon glanced over at the neck-piece, the small gemstone inside flickering in the light. "W-why not, thestral Princess?"

"The Stones are the core of a Princess's immortality. In taking that, I would take her life and make it mine. I cannot do that." Twilight levitated the boots and helm from Carbon and Steel. "I will lead you, but not with her life as my protection."

She slipped her hooves into the boots, finding the rear set adapted for claws. The helmet slid easily over her skull, and the dark violet glimmered brightly against the rest of her dull black armor. She could almost feel the phantasmal skin of the previous bearer taking over her own, a sensation she quickly dismissed.

"If it comes to a point where I must die to save you, I will not hide behind magic to do so."

"The Southern dragons are not the same kind of dragons as those you are bonded with. You all have some of Spike's essence in you, and he is a Northern dragon." Luna turned, unrolling a wide poster with her magic and holding it open.

She pointed a hoof at one of the two large dragons taking up the canvas. "This is an Equestrian, or Northern, dragon. They are under our rule like any other Equestrian, and because of this do not have the constant fights for dominance like those of the South. From generations of this, they have grown rather soft and rotund."

Luna turned her gaze over to Fluttershy. "You have defeated an Equestrian dragon by talking to it, yes? That will not work on a Southern. Pony hooves will do little but glance from its scales, and magic," here, she turned to Twilight, "will do little to no good. You will have to use everything at your disposal to take but one down, and you will be going to a Hold, which normally contains near to a hundred."

She pointed at the other dragon. "The Southern dragons live under constant threats from other dragons and survival itself. Gems are far less plentiful in the South from ages of relentless mining, and territory relies on dominance. Rainbow Dash!"

"Uh, yeah?"

"You saw the dragon's hoard, yes?"

"Yeah." Rainbow scuffed a hoof on the ground. "And?"

"Rarity, you saw how much Spike grew when he gained his material wealth?"

"Yes, Princess."

Luna nodded briskly. "Southern dragons do not have hoards. Their size is purely from age and fighting. They pride themselves on their knowledge and skill, not on petty belongings. This also allows them to leave areas without needing to bring anything with them, as anything they need with them to stay strong not be in physical form."

"So how do you beat them?" Pinkie asked. "You make it sound like they're invincibubble!"

"Invincible, yes." Luna corrected. "Nearly. The only way you'll be able to defeat one is through sheer strength. Once challenged, they will not wait for you to recover, and chances are they will not let you live. You may be able to seek refuge as they are not themselves. The force seemingly overpowering them may be more relenting than they are."

"Do we know anything about this force?" Twilight questioned. "Do we have any idea of what we're up against?"

"One of the dragons, the one that sent us that letter, once vanquished both my sister and I during the battles prior to peacetime. Had we not mastered the stones of immortality," she brushed a hoof against her neck-piece, "we would not have lived to sign the treaty."

"We're so dead." Rainbow muttered.

Twilight folded a third map, sliding it into her saddlebags alongside various blank scrolls, an inkwell, and a quill. She knew from experience that Rarity would pack any clothes they could possibly need, and Pinkie would cover food. She had a whole second set of bags to carry her armor when she wasn't wearing it - Carbon had repeated that it was enchanted to be lightweight, and to fold up for convenient storage - so that wasn't a problem.

As she puzzled through a stack of books, she was faintly aware of somepony shuffling their hooves outside of the door. "Hello?"

The hooves stopped moving, followed by a soft knock.

"You can come in. It's alright." She looked up at the door, letting her books hover in a pink-tinted cloud around her.

Steel edged around the door, looking up at Twilight's magic in mild awe. Twilight smiled at her guest, patting the ground with a hoof to invite her in.

Twilight set the books down in a ring around her, leaving space for the second pony. "I'm just trying to figure out what to bring."

The kirin frowned, scanning the titles around her. With a smile, she tapped her hoof on the cover of a nearby tome.

"'The Royal Equestrian Bestiary'?" Twilight read aloud, laughing. "Even I should have known that."

Steel nodded in agreement and continued onto the rest of the books as Twilight packed the bestiary away. By the time the large book had been shoved, Steel had sorted out a pile of much smaller books, each surprisingly suited to the task at hand.

"Dungeons and Dragons? Really?" Twilight hovered the last book above the bag, tossing a quizzical glance back at the kirin.

Steel shrugged.

Carbon jolted to attention as Twilight trotted into the hall, Steel trailing behind. As she passed to join her friends, she caught a glimpse of the two hugging, Carbon obviously trying to convince Steel he'd be okay.

"Are you ready to go, girls?"

Applejack smiled, claws clicking on the tile floors. "Ah reckon as ready as we'll ever be."

"Ready to kick flank!" Rainbow cheered.

Fluttershy dipped her head. "I guess seeing some new sights would be nice."

"Do dragons like parties?"

"Oh, what colors go with fire and brimstone?" Rarity fretted, re-opening her bags. "I hope something I brought matches!"

Twilight smiled, turning around at the click of metal on tile. Princess Celestia smiled down at her faithful student.

"We're ready."

"I'm coming with you." Carbon interrupted, filling the space beside Twilight. Between when she had glanced at him and now, he had slipped on a full set of black armor, offset by the navy accents of the Night Guard. His eyes gleamed from behind a thin sheet of wire. "I won't let you go in this alone."

Princess Celestia laughed as Twilight glared Carbon away from her side. "Let him come. He can do no harm."

She paused, shuffling her wings.

"And remember, Twilight, you are never alone. Equestria will always stand at your back, and the sun and moon will guide your travels."

Twilight nodded, wings opening slightly in her excitement. "I know."

"Good luck, my faithful student."

And with that, she stepped back, allowing Twilight and her friends outside, to where a line of navy carriages awaited. The six Kirins harnessed to their carts beamed as Twilight looked towards them.

She was stopped as a navy Alicorn stepped into her path, letting her friends by but holding her with a firm teal gaze. "You're leaving so soon?"

"Yes." Twilight looked over the Night Princess's shoulders, trying to see her friends. "The sooner the better. No lives should be lost from our late arrival."

"You make a good point, Twilight Sparkle." Luna nodded, "but promise me one thing."

"What?"

"That you will come back alive."

Twilight's breath hitched in her throat as a sudden wave of emotion pulled her deeper into the Alicorn's eyes. Flashes of fire and white, yells thrown over crashing thunder, heat and chills, a sister's love torn away. Icicles pricked along her spine, making her fur stand up.

"I-I will." She choked out, turning her gaze away from Luna.

The Princess seemed not to notice. "The sky is a rather lonely thing to paint alone."

"Yes."

"I want you to use all the power you can, should you be in a fight. Whether it be your own," she pointed a hoof towards Twilight's neck-piece, the small socket where a Stone would fit currently vacant, "or that of another," she pointed towards the slim back of Nightmaren armor peeking out from her bag. "Remember you must survive."

"You... you want me to use Nightmare Moon's Stone?"

"I want you to live." Luna clarified.

Twilight glanced back at the pale blue armor, noticing Carbon's finish had turned her full suit the same shade. She'd have to have a talk with him about that. "Of course."

Luna simply nodded and breezed past her, a misplaced wingtip drawing a cold snake down her side. Twilight's breath felt like ice in her throat, fading quickly as the Moon herself vanished into the castle.

"Are you ready to go?" One of the Kirins asked, looking back over her shoulder. Her cart jolted as Carbon leaped on, curling up on the seat and inviting Twilight to join him.

She studied the mare as she climbed onto the chariot. Faces she didn't know, but wings and scales she did. Another five ponies willing to give up their soft furs to stand by her side. She sighed, letting the wind wash over her as she was pulled into the air. Carbon crouched beside her, shaking in fear and pressing up against her side. She let a wingtip drape over his shoulders, protecting him somewhat from the wind.

It was going to be a long time away from home.

She glanced towards her friends, each returning her gaze with a smile. Even Carbon halted his terrified shivers enough to give her a grin and a short, "thestral Princess?"

She took a deep breath, feeling her magic run through every vein and muscle, filling her with power.

It was going to be a long time away from home, that was for sure. They were fighting blind against a legendary enemy, and darkness seethed at the edge of the Southern horizon. Her bones ached with predictions of restless nights, and her skin itched with the promise of filth and dirt.

She wrapped her magic around her heart, the calm dun-dun pulling her back to the here and now. She scanned the eager faces of her friends for the second time, tracing the edges of scales and the cat-like pupils in their eyes.

It may have been a long time away from home, but she was not alone.

And as a distinct fire blossomed in her soul, she realized she never had been.

The Southern Holds

The night sky draped ebony and silver over the lands blurring past below, the steady wingbeats of the Kirins one of few sounds in the calm air. Twilight watched the night sky from her seat on the bench, horn flickering occasionally as she adjusted stray constellations. Carbon slept beside her, leaning up against her wings in his unconsciousness. From what she could see, her friends were all asleep as well, curled up or sprawled out across the soft cushions.

"How long until we arrive?" Twilight asked softly, glancing at Carbon to make sure she wasn't waking him.

The Kirin glanced over her shoulder. "Princess! I didn't know you were still awake. Uh... we'll probably be landing soon, and then we'll only have a few hours' travel until we reach the Icarus unit, where the ponies will be expecting you."

"How many units are out there?"

"Icarus is the largest one, stationed directly on the border." The Kirin dipped her wings, beginning a slow, spiraling descent, her wingponies following in stride. "There's four others I think. The Atlas unit is on the outskirts of the closest pony town, making the second wall of resistance should the dragons get through. Behind them is the Hermes line, closer to Ponyville and Everfree, and their job will be to kill as many intruders as possible, as they are made of weaker warriors. The final line is the Ares line, which holds the two Princesses. If they fall, Equestria does as well."

Twilight shivered, remembering Luna's icy touch. Could anything beat them both? "And us?"

"We're the Asteria patrol, to bring the very stars down upon those who attack." The Kirin smiled grimly, "after all, what other use is the power of the stars than to smite our enemies?"

Twilight was silent, choosing to look up at the night sky.

"I didn't mean you, of course." The mare stammered, her voice hitching as her flight ended with a short canter. "It just seems like a rather helpful power to have."

Twilight nodded, frowning as she disembarked the carriage, trotting stoically across the small clearing they had found and jumping up into the branches. She hooked her claws around a branch, turning around as she heard the approaching hoofsteps of her guide.

"You sure you want to sleep away from camp? This is still Everfree, even though it's a distant reach..."

She trailed off as Twilight let her remember exactly who she was talking to. "Go stay with your friends, Miss...?"

"Sky Drop." The Kirin replied. "You have a good night too, Princess."

Twilight watched her go before she clambered up through the thick branches, perching near the top, where starlight filtered through the leaves above.

"What am I meant to do?" She whispered to herself, lying down across the crooks of a few branches. "Am I really just here to... to kill? I don't want to kill."

The wind sliced through the leaves, filling the air with their clamor. Twilight wrapped her wings around her sides.

"I don't want to become Nightmare Moon."

"Twilight? Are you okay?"

The Alicorn slowly came to, eyes slowly focusing on a butter-yellow muzzle a few inches from her own. "Fluttershy?"

"Oh, yes, you're okay." She pulled back, turning to face the ground. "She's fine, girls."

"Why was I not fine?" Twilight asked, sitting up.

"Oh, um, it was nothing really."

Pinkie Pie jumped up to one of the lower branches. "Sky Drop said you went to sleep in a tree but then we couldn't remember which one! It was like a big game of hide-and-seek! You played really super-duper well because you didn't say anything when we were yelling for you!"

"How long was I asleep?"

"Oh, only a few extra hours," Fluttershy replied. "Miss Sky says you were up pretty late last night, so I don't blame you."

"Only a few - only a few?!" Twilight sputtered, climbing up out of the leaves. "We're going to be late!"

"We'll be fine if we get," Sky Drop trailed off as Twilight leaped out of the tree, wings pumping furiously as she climbed over the trees, "going."

It wasn't long before the Everfree Forest dimmed into a wide, rocky wasteland. Mountains towered in the distance, and dragons were very much visible at the border and in the skies. The small pony camps were marked with bright, striped tents, both sides obviously making it very clear to the other that they were there.

The chariots slowed and dropped, Twilight still flying ahead. She landed swiftly near the outskirts of the camp, adjusting to the dank, dry air as the chariots landed nearby.

As Twilight wandered over to meet her friends, Carbon stumbled out of the chariot, curling up on the ground. "Much too high. Perfectly okay with the ground."

"You're afraid of heights?" Fluttershy questioned, hopping down beside him. "Oh, you could have just said so."

"Not afraid of heights." He stammered, getting to his hooves. "Much more afraid with the impact of the ground."

"Princess Twilight Sparkle and the Asteria patrol?" A colt asked, trotting up behind them. "You're late. The general's been waiting for you for quite a while now."

"Sorry." Twilight smiled, offering a hoof. "We got held back."

"I-I think you better go see him. He's a bit... temperamental." The colt glanced back towards the tents, tail flicking anxiously.

She nodded. "Could you take us to him?"

"No!" He blurted. "I-I mean, I'd rather not. Y'see, I'm just a recruit, and he's really not fun to be around when you're new... orange and red tent."

"Thank you." The colt scurried away, and Twilight turned to her friends. "I'm going to go meet the general. You guys can just relax and explore. I'll be back soon!"

The orange and red tent was rather small, compared to the others, but surprisingly much darker inside. Despite seeming to be made of the same material, no light shone through, and a small candle in the middle of the room provided the only light.

Twilight noticed a shadow shifting on the other side of the small flame, and she let the tent's draping entrance fall close behind her. The shadow turned, firelight glinting off of a small yellow eye.

"Pony." The creature grunted, moving the candle to the side, the flame dancing as it was tilted to another wick. "Welcome."

"H-hello." Twilight squinted into the dark, trying to get her eyes to adjust. "Are you the general?"

"I lead ponies, yes." Another tilt, another flame. "Sorry for dark, the sun is bright for my kind."

Another flame lit, and Twilight's eyes flitted over shifting outlines. "I don't mind. Princess of the Stars and all," she laughed, "I better be used to the dark."

"Well, Star Princess," another flame lit, and fire danced across a dark gray muzzle protruding with sharp teeth, "meet the leader of the mud."

Twilight took a cautious step back, wary of the paws that calmly folded themselves on the table. "You're a Diamond Dog?"

"Does it trouble pony?" He tilted his head, gemstone-studded collar glinting. "I thought Star Princess liked not-pony."

"No, it's fine. Just unexpected." Twilight dipped her head, embarrassment rising in her cheeks.

The Diamond Dog laughed, a few candles blowing out as he did. He cursed softly, rummaging around for the matches. "My name is General Stone. Pleased to meet you."

Twilight grinned sheepishly, shaking his paw. "So, you wanted to see me?"

"Yes, of course!" He lifted one of the candles from the table and loped over to the back wall, the dim outline of a large poster appearing as her drew closer. He transferred the candlestick to his mouth, left fangs sliding into the warm wax, and gently unhooked the poster from it's hanging place. He set it down on the table, removing the mangled candle and replacing it on the table.

Twilight took a step back as a square of bright light appeared under the poster. The Dog smiled, face lit hauntingly by the harsh glow. His paws moved beyond the light, and reappeared holding several small figures. He set them down gently, along lines and grids that appeared as the light below them brightened.

She leaned in towards the table, peering at one of the smaller figures. It was a pink pony, suspended above it's pedestal by a thin wire. The pony itself seemed to glow when the light hit it, and the rear half of it's body had contorted gracefully into a set of draconian claws.

"Is that Pinkie?"

Stone nodded, placing a few more ponies on the field. The rest of her friends were all present, including herself. Along with them were others she didn't recognize, Stone himself, and a fistful of dragons scattered across the other side of the map. Stone picked up his own piece, tilting it so that the crystalwork shone.

"For each Equestrian pony, there are hundred ponies serving with them. Star Princess and General have more." He set his piece down, lifting a red dragon from a mountain. "We do not know what dragons have. We think many, but more may be in mountain. Scouts do not return."

He picked up Twilight's piece, moving it towards the mountain and following it quickly with her friends. "Star Princess will enter mountain and look around, try to get numbers. She and her friends will not choose to fight unless attacked. Understood?"

Twilight nodded.

"Once we know how many dragons there be, we correct our numbers. Small patrol goes in back of mountain with dragonsbane plant and smokes them out towards our lines. Drachomachia - dragon killers - will be waiting when they escape. Dragonsbane makes dragons very weak. Almost..." he tilted his head, one claw pressing on the back of a nearby dragon, "fragile."

Twilight winced as the small figure snapped, shattering on the battlefield in a jumble of shards and limbs. "What do the Elements do during the attack?"

"They fight like other pony, ten times better than other pony. They take dragons to where other pony can attack." He swept the dragon shards into a paw, tossing them into his mouth. "Then we take Holds and wait for Sun Princess's orders."

Twilight nodded, staring at a small sliver of crystal still remaining on the board. It shimmered amethyst, one tip pointing directly at her piece and the other at the heart of the Hold. As she watched, it spun on a third point, swiveling between the two areas.

Stone noticed it and picked it up, crushing it between two fingers. "Star Princess may go."

"O-of course." She ducked her head, backing up. "I'll see you later, then?"

Stone rumbled a laugh as the tent's door folded shut after her. "If there is a later."

Twilight trotted through the small camp, watching the training slow as the sun neared the horizon. A young Unicorn colt stood nearby, firing arrow after arrow into a dragon-shaped dummy. An Earth Pony mare sat near a forge nearby, grinding a curved blade sharp while a second mare detailed small emerald scales into the hilt. A rangy-looking stallion hunched over a table, leering at his allies through a foam-topped mug.

Twilight shuddered as she felt eyes slowly drawn to her. Mutters broke out, hushed under crackling fires and steady 'thunk's of the colt's arrows. Her ears flattened, but her draconian senses picked up on their words anyway.

"What help will she be? She's half enemy."

"Another one of those unholy mutts."

"Hah, some Princess, being part demon. I'd like to see her with her own kind!"

She stared around at them, fear closing her wings and rising in her throat.

"Bet she's already rutted one!"

"I hear half-dragons have teeth in some nasty places..."

Whimpering, Twilight broke into a run, tears threatening to run down her muzzle as her so-called allies blurred into a colored smudge around her.

She collided with something, halting her progress and sending a firm ringing through her ears. She looked up, seeing a pair of curious blue eyes looking back.

"Princess Twilight?"

A mare, voice rough with age and work, coat orange and slightly dirty with soot. She reached out, helping Twilight to her hooves. With a gentle hoof, she wiped the tears off of Twilight's cheeks. "Don't worry about that them. They're mean as drakes, the whole lot of 'em."

"Is it true?" Twilight muttered. "Am I really a monster? Still?"

"Hey, if you're a monster," she smiled, small fangs poking out from her grin, "then you're a monster among friends.'

Scaleside

The orange mare who had half-rescued her, Twilight had learned, was named Shock. She said that a dragon name honored her heritage and that, since her mother had died shortly after giving her such a name, it would be sin to change it.

Shock herself was a natural Kirin of the prettier variety. Her wings were small but complete, folded up against her back most of the time. She had a thick stripe of green scales running down her back, and three out of her four hooves had scales over her fetlocks as well. The green was certainly an odd contrast to her orange coat, but her scarlet mane made a color scheme that brought the garish down to a tolerable level.

She was also a member of Applejack's division, restricted to the ground when her wings proved too small for the flight needed to be in the Pegasi units. Shock had complained continuously until she had realized that wouldn't have helped and she toughened up. She also believed, now, that the ground units were ultimately the most helpful and it would be an honor to serve in them. She had also given each race nicknames because saying Earth Dragon Pony was too long and you can't be all of those things because that's cheating; Twilight was an Alikirin, winged Kirins were Pekirins, horned or magical Kirins were Unikirins, and the others were just Kirins.

The rest of what the mare had babbled on about for the past hour Twilight had trouble remembering.

"...and that's why my Cutie Mark is a spark instead of a sandwich!" She finished grandly, slamming her hooves down on the table. Cheers and clapping rose from the table, as well as a few snickers from tables who could see the blank expression on the Princess's face.

"Good for you?" Twilight replied.

"It is good for me!" Spark grinned, "could you imagine having sandwich as your special talent. 'Hey there new friend what do you do?' 'I sandwich.' Like, c'mon, where's the fun in that?"

"Spark, look at her! Give her a little while to digest!" A pale blue Unikirin laughed from another table. "Not all of us are used to your excitement!"

One of the few pure-bred ponies in the room turned around, smiling. "Say, Princess Twilight! How's it like in Canterlot? Most of us have been stationed out here for quite a while."

"Some from before you were even a Princess!" Another voice called out.

"Or never there at all!" A Kirin laughed back.

Twilight laughed, blushing. "Well, there's been a lot of change. You know how Canterlot used to be almost all Unicorns?

"Well, I introduced a social network into the city that gave grants to non-ponies of exceptional talent. With permission from Princess Celestia, we introduced a diversity-friendly school for arcane, flight and natural magic education. I personally review the student applications and choose who is let in.

"Because the school is near the center of Canterlot, the economy around it is bustling! There's new housing and park development, and other schools and cities are picking up on the prosperity of the project and starting up their own version too! The school is a great addition to Canterlot, and it's helping the population become more open-minded too! It took a while, admittedly, but the Royal Guard didn't mind actually taking on a job to keep watch on street corners and stop closed-minded Unicorns from assaulting any of the newcomers.

"And on top of that, Celestia managed to redesign a spell to safely transform ponies into Kirins without affecting their talents! It lets Unicorns keep their magic, and works in reverse on Unikirins - and me - to restore magical power lost before the spell was perfected. At first it was mostly in support of my Princess-hood, but now it's become as common as getting a tattoo or plastic surgery; which don't happen often, but they happen enough."

Twilight broke off her train of thought as she noticed she'd been rambling. Intense stares and mutters followed her silence, as well as a few suspicious glances being passed her way.

"You're saying," the Unikirin who had spoke before said, "that us half-Unicorns can be the equals of the Unicorns?"

"And that a Pegakirin can match a Pegasus in flight?"

Spark grinned, "and that a Kirin can grow crops like an Earth Pony?"

Twilight nodded cautiously.

"Cider all around, on me!" Spark yelled, standing up on her hind legs. "For Princess Twilight!"

"For Princess Twilight!" The crowd echoed.

Rainbow Dash passed her hoof through the fire, grinning widely as she made it through. "Beat that, farmpony!"

"Ah'll see your scorch and raise it tenfold!" Applejack replied, standing at the opposite side of the pit. With a growl, she jumped through the flames, leaving black soot along her belly and legs. "Beat that!"

"Applejack, you knocked my marshmallow off!" Pinkie frowned, leaning forward until the flames flickered over the scales on her muzzle.

"Sorry, sugarcube. Hey, where'd you even get those?"

"So, we're heading out tonight." Twilight interrupted, her horn glowing as she levitated Pinkie's burned treat of of the flames. "The dragons will be sleeping now that the sun's gone down and they can't bask. If we strike now, they won't be expecting us. After all, we just arrived."

"Do I have to attack?" Fluttershy asked. "Can I just wait behind?"

"We'll be scouting this time around. We have to learn our way around the Hold, and possibly find the source of the 'darkness' the letter was talking about. Does everyone have their buddy with them?"

The Elements of Harmony nodded; beside Applejack, Spark sat ramrod-straight; Pinkie Pie was accompanied by a Kirin mare with a green coat and blue mane; Rainbow Dash was accompanied by Sky Drop, the chariot-puller; Fluttershy had a scarlet-coated, yellow-maned Pegakirin mare beside her; Rarity had a Unikirin mare with an orange coat and a red mane; Carbon lay relaxed in the dirt beside Twilight.

"Well, then," Twilight levitated the Element's armor over to them, which they quickly busied themselves with putting on, "we'll set off."

Twilight looked down at the Nightmare's helm before sliding it back into her saddlebags. She got to her hooves, armor silent as it flickered in the firelight.

She nodded to the two guards watching over the flames and the border, and the group set off into the night.

Twilight brought up the rear as they reached the Hold's entrance, a gaping maw in the sheer stone of the mountain. She waited until Pinkie's companion struggled over the ledge before flapping her wings and finishing her climb.

"Is the coast clear?" She muttered, glancing at Carbon.

His eyes glinted as he nodded.

Twilight looked up to the sky, eyes closing in focus as she dimmed the star's light. "Can everyone still see? It'll just keep our armor from shining too much."

There were nods all around, the Kirin's eyes glinting in the dark as they did so. Twilight crouched down, flicking her wingtips to bring her companions to her sides. With a glance to make sure everyone was near, she set off at a crawl into the darkened tunnel.

She felt the warmth of the ponies around her as she bit the tip of her tongue, a habit she had acquired a few months after being Princess. She tasted brimstone and chalk in the air, and hints of gemstones. Without a doubt, this was the sleeping place for many dragons; it was the same way Spike smelled when he told her he was too old for baths.

A wingtip tapped her shoulder, and she looked back to meet glinting pink eyes through Rainbow's armor. "Twi, something's up."

"Rainbow, be quiet." Twilight muttered. "We're in enemy territory."

"I know!" Rainbow snapped, voice breaking a whisper. "Don't you think there should be more enemies?"

Twilight felt an unnerving prickle as the hair on her back rose. "Now that you say that... everypony! Retreat! Run!"

Her party exchanged glances, unsure of what to do. As Twilight started herding them away with her wings, a dark shape blocked the door.

Torches lit as a jet of flame surged around the cave. The shadow in the doorway wavered weakly in the light, fading around the edges. Two gleaming red eyes shone from the shadow's head.

Before Twilight had time to react, adolescent dragons dropped down from the ceiling, pinning her and her friends to the ground. Metal armor gleamed on their bellies, and the plates screeched across the pony's spikes.

The shadow walked up to them, each step making a hollow 'thud' where it should have connected with the floor. This close, Twilight could see the denser bones of the creature, and a chain of faintly glowing gold lights around its' neck.

"Take the useless ones to the mines." It ordered, looking up at the dragonets. The Elements watched in horror as the dragons atop their partners hauled them up to their hooves and half-walked, half-shoved them away. The shadow demon watched them go before turning his - his voice had made the definition - burning red eyes to the remaining warriors.

"The Elements of Harmony." He huffed, pacing in front of them. "How does it feel, to be pieces of history? Of course, I would know, if nobody had forgotten me.

"Nonetheless, you all seem fine specimens of these... half-dragon mutants that live around here. Pray tell, how did you walk into a trap this easily? I'd rather like to know."

"Who are you?" Twilight shouted, knocking her captor off-balance. "Why have you done this to the dragons?"

The golden glow around his neck intensified as he smiled. "I've done nothing. This is all their own free will. With a little persuasion, of course. Guards, take all but her to the mines. I feel like she should be tested before she's put to work. Save their armor."

As her friends struggled, she felt herself getting to her feet. There was something else in her mind, dark and conniving, and it slithered to her memories like a leech.

"Ah, Celestia's student. Has she stopped with that banishing habit yet? No? Ah, well." The aura disappeared, and Twilight followed the shadowy beast as it walked down a smaller hallway. "I apologize for the mind control, but I'd rather you didn't slip away."

"Why are you doing this?"

"To do what I've always wanted to do. Rule Equestria. And Flutter Valley, and Tamberlon. Everywhere, really."

"Flutter Valley and Tamberlon don't exist." Twilight protested. "They're just foal's tales."

"Then I'd like to ask how the Bell of Tamberlon broke, finally letting me free. Or how I was ever there at all, actually."

"You were-" Twilight cut off with a muffled scream as the dark presence jabbed into her memories. Images of fights with her parents, the wedding, her friends; the scenes faded out to the miserable cave, and she felt tears running down her face.

"Don't interrupt me again." He warned. "It's much to draining on the both of us."

Twilight nodded.

"I was once the King of Tamberlon, which I can assure you is very much real. The ponies were... more or less pleased with how I ran the place. Some human girl showed up and rang the Tamberlonian Bell, sealing me back into limbo. Not a pleasant sensation. So now I'm back, seeking revenge, the usual. Although, seeing as the Bell is broken and the humans have left, it's probably going to be much easier this time." He tilted his head, turning two gleaming red eyes in Twilight's direction. "My name is King Grogar. This is Scorpan."

A creature dropped from the ceiling, covered in some ragged mixture of scales, flesh and fur. It hissed with an elongated beak, hovering beside it's master on all fours. Two wings were folded at it's back, but Twilight couldn't tell if they were large enough to carry it or if they were just for show. A small red cloth was tied around it's neck ruff, and an even smaller golden bell was hung from it.

"He will be your guard, sparring partner and probably your death." Grogar continued. "But for now, he'll be your chauffeur. Scorpan, take her to one of the dungeon cells. I don't care which. Oh, wait, not the one with the corpse in it. That thing's got more plague than a devil's boil. Oh, and Twilight, do enjoy yourself. After all, you won't be leaving."

The same dark aura as before took hold of Twilight's muscles, forcing her to walk after the creature that Grogar had summoned. The dark King watched for a few moments before dissolving into a shadow on the floor and darting away.

The Mines

"Why are you doing this?" Twilight managed to say, the black aura stiffening her jaw as she did so. "Where are you taking me?!"

Scorpan did not reply or slow down, but turned down a hallway and led her down a set of steep steps. She noticed that he was able to walk on his hind legs alone when he did, using his tail for balance. The bristles of his partial mane stuck out as he went deeper; Twilight couldn't tell if it was to keep him from bumping into the tight walls, or if he was scared. Soon enough, they reached level ground, and Scorpan dropped back to all fours.

He halted in front of a small chamber, stepping aside to allow Twilight to enter. She stumbled past, feeling the dark grip on her body fade as she did. Her legs gave out, exhausted, and she could only watch as Scorpan pulled down a heavy gate and slammed it into the rock below.

"Lead door," he said after a pause. "Don't bite. Get sick."

Twilight nodded. He gave her a strange look, ears twitching, before turning and stalking away down the dark hall.

Twilight took a deep breath and looked around the cell. It was carved straight out of the mountain stone, smooth enough that it could have been natural. There was a small pool in the back corner that was being fed by a steady trail of water from the ceiling above. Twilight opened her mouth to try and scent it for danger, but aside from the metallic reek that coated the rest of the place, it seemed clean. She couldn't see how it was draining from where she was, but she doubted it was a big enough space to escape. There was a ditch in the back, too, that smelled disgusting but seemed to at some point open into fresh air, but she didn't want to think about what that was for, or even consider trying to fit down it.

Turning her senses outward, she could hear the muffled growling and grating of workers below, punctuated by roars and crackling bursts of fire. There was no sound of breathing or movement in any of the cells around her, and her only source of light was a dim torch at the end of the hall. She was almost happy for the sound of workers through the stone, even though it was proof of the enemy preparing for battle. The silence she would have faced otherwise would have driven her mad.

"I can't give up," she breathed, getting as comfortable as she could. "My friends and my allies need me. I am going to find them, and rescue them. But I need to sleep. They'll be safe, I just know it."

Muttering encouragement to herself, and lulled by the warmth of the stone, she soon drifted off to sleep.

Twilight woke up to the smell of hot food. As she sat up, she saw that Scorpan was sitting outside of the gate, his tail coiled around his feet. He was watching her, but only vaguely. As she watched, he focused at a point on the gate and ran his claw down it.

"Is the food safe?" She said, breaking off into coughs as she realized how raw her throat was.

Scorpan flinched, his fur spiking again as he jerked his attention back to her. "Yes. Food good."

She wobbled over to it, still feeling weak from Grogar's possession. She sat down quickly, feeling a headache coming on, and tentatively sniffed it. "Hay fries and vegetables? This is a bit luxurious, don't you think?"

"Many dragon. Few ponies." Scorpan halted, thinking. "You prisoner. Not criminal."

"And the water? Is it safe?"

"From rainwater on cliff. Cleaned by fire. Safe."

Twilight nodded again, stumbling over to the pool of water and taking a deep drink. Scorpan watched her for a moment, but soon turned his focus to the sash his bell was hung on. Twilight ate her food quickly, listening to the soft jingling it made as he flicked it.

"Work mine today," he said when she was done. "Mine for gem."

Twilight got up, instinctively trying to use her magic to lift the plate up with her. A slicing pain shot through her horn, and she stumbled.

Scorpan looked at her, alarmed by her sudden movement. "No magic! No magic here. Block - blocked."

Twilight steadied herself, taking deep breaths as the pain faded. She tentatively reached out with a hoof and pulled the plate closer until she could take it in her mouth. Head bowed from the abnormal weight, she walked past Scorpan and out into the hall.

"Leave it." He said gesturing to the plate. "Other will clean."

Twilight set it down near the door, watching him warily. "Who are the others?"

"Dragon." Scorpan replied, head tilted. "Pony. Many kind."

Without waiting to see if she accepted this answer, he turned and began walking away. Twilight noticed that the hall was much brighter than it had been when she first entered. "Is it bright from magic, or sunlight?"

"Both."

Twilight nodded, momentarily forgetting about her situation as she tried to find skylights or feel the familiar aura of magic. Instead, there was nothing but an blankness; not really the lack of an enchantment, but as if the magic had been slowed in place. She felt the hairs on her neck rise as she realized how much dead space was in the air around her.

"Not think about," Scorpan said unexpectedly. "Less odd."

Twilight found herself stepping closer to him, as if he could protect her, and immediately halted and waited for him to draw ahead. She was able to see him much better now too; he was lean but large, and his fur that she had assumed to be solid tan was mottled with smaller dark spots. His wings were covered at the base by short fur, but as they continued outward the coating changed to scarlet, leathery skin. The longer hair around his neck and down his shoulders was a darker brown, as was the fur around his wrists and ankles. His tail, something she had found herself rather unconcerned about before, had the same red color of his wings and was covered in slick scales. The tip was a long, curved blade of sorts, with a small bulb at the base.

"Scorpan," she said softly. "Scorpion."

"Yes," he grumbled, moving his tail away. "Not touch."

She stayed quiet after that, as Scorpan led her deeper into the mountain. The light changed from a pale glow to that of fires far below, the air heavy with smoke and heat. Scorpan stopped suddenly and moved to the side of the tunnel.

"I not go in." He said, explaining. "Too hot. Kirin survive."

Twilight took a few cautious steps past him, checking to make sure she was doing the right thing. He waved her on impatiently, looking visibly uncomfortable in the extreme heat. "How will I know what to do?"

"Not kill dragon," he grumbled, turning around, "and dig."

Twilight watched him go back up the hall before turning her attention the way she was supposed to be heading. She stretched her senses as far as she could, trying to see if there was a guard ahead, or some kind of surveillance, but found nothing. Despite that, she still had the overwhelming feeling that if she tried to flee up the corridor, she wouldn't get very far.

"And what if my friends are in there?" She whispered to herself. "We need to stick together."

She took a deep breath and took a few more steps, stopping as her hoof fell through open air. She froze, staring in bewilderment at the scene below.

The cave was full of dragons. Huge ones, too old and large to join any of the migrations in the past, with tattered wings and dull scales. None paid her any heed as she stared down from the platform of sorts. She could see now that she was rather close to the top of the massive cavern, just below the mantle of roiling smoke that cloaked the ceiling. The walls were smooth and banded with age, and the floor was pitted with deep, bubbling pools of lava. She could feel their heat from here, and was thankful for the protection her dragon abilities gave her.

Slowly, more hovering than flying, she began the descent to the floor. She felt incredibly small among the dragons; while she could have taken up the eye of one of the ones that lived closer to her home, she was barely as long as their pupils were wide. They barely stilled when they did notice her, anyway, just continued on their way and expected her to move. She did, of course; even clipping a wing on their rough scales had the potential to kill her at this height.

"We've got a flier!" A voice shouted from below. Twilight barely had time to look before a heavy net slammed into her side, wrapping her wings up and forcing her to drop.

She hit the ground hard, feeling a wing snap under her side, and barely held in a scream of pain and fury. She heard hooves nearby and struggled to get up, teeth bared and growling.

"Feisty one," A hoof pressed into the back of her head, forcing her back down to the ground. She squirmed under the weight, trying to see who had her pinned. "Anyone know which group she's from?"

"Is that a horn?"

"Shit, Ironhoof, I think you just shot down Grogar's little princess."

"I'm nopony's princess!" Twilight hissed, rolling on to her back despite the stab of pain from her wing, and struck out with her hind claws. She felt them hit flesh and pushed out, unbalancing her assailant, and heaved herself up onto her feet. "My wing's probably broken now, because of you! Did I look like I was trying to escape, flying down?"

"She has a point, Ironhoof."

"Silence, slave!" The pony snorted. "Your wing will mend. Stop complaining."

"Oh, yeah? Are you sure your face will mend once I'm done with it?" She growled.

He snorted, tossing his head. "I don't have time for this. Get to work."

"That's what I was trying to do before you shot me."

He stared her down for a few moments before turning and walking away. Twilight glared after him until a dragon moved in front of him, blocking her view.

"What's his problem?" She asked to nopony in particular.

"He always acts like someone stuffed one of Grogar's bells where the sun doesn't shine," a second pony piped up from behind her.

The voice that had identified her before giggled. "That's not the only thing of Grogar's that gets stuffed in him."

Twilight turned, easily able to spot the two ponies that were talking through the smoke. One was a bit shorter than her, gray-coated with a close-cropped black mane and tail. His companion was closer to her height, white-coated and looking generally unsuited to mine work. As she looked closer, she saw that the gray-coated stallion had a foreleg that was much shorter than his others, and he was holding it up against his chest. The mare had two reptilian wings folded neatly on her back, and a stripe of golden scales running from her forehead to the base of her tail.

"Ironhoof is a kirin too," the stallion said abruptly. "Almost everyone here is. You can see it in his eyes."

"My name is Spirit," the mare added with a smile. "This is Perrs."

"I'm Twilight. Are we supposed to be working...?"

Spirit shrugged. "The dragons do most of it themselves, and honestly nobody here really cares if you work. Well, except for Ironhoof, but he's basically a nobody."

"As long as you have some rocks at the end of the day, they'll feed you. Even all of us working together wouldn't be able to move as much stone in one day as one of the dragons bumping a wingtip against the wall," Perrs blew a heavy sigh, and Twilight saw a glimpse of fangs. "We're really just regular prisoners, we just get to walk around."

"Have you seen any other new ponies?" Twilight interrupted, looking around again. "Two of them have wings, one has a horn, and the other two have back claws. They'd all look kind of like me...?"

The two kirins glanced at each other before shaking their heads. "You're the first new face in weeks," Spirit said gently. "If your friends are here, they're probably still in a calming cell, or just somewhere else in the mines."

"Though I found they weren't very calming," Perrs added, nodding sagely, "Grogar needs to work on his alliteration. Cramped cell? Confusing cell? Crusty crummy conformist cell?"

As Perrs babbled on, Spirit walked over to stand beside Twilight, wrapping her pale wing around Twilight's shoulders. Twilight noticed it was much narrower than her own, and the membrane had gone translucent where it was stretched. It was doubtful the kirin could even fly.

"We'll help you find your friends, okay?" Spirit said, snapping Twilight back into focus. "I'm sure everything's going to be fine."