Author's notes: I got the writing bug and just can't stop.

Chapter 4: First Contact

Ok, ok got to calm down, calm down. It is alright, I am still here.

"I can't believe I was dumb enough to trust a wolf," I said just floating around the cave. My body was already starting to rot, but thank god I can't smell anything. "Ok, just look at the positives. I am now forever free. I can no longer die…again. I guess this can be classified as a superpower," I try to reassure myself.

I think I should leave my cave for a while, looking at my body as it is, is disturbing me. So I just left the cave and just floated by to the town. As I near the library, I notice the purple unicorn come running through the door, and out to what I guess to be the park. I follow her as she is rushing through the streets. When she gets to the bridge, she starts talking to the ponies.

"Listen up! Smoke is spreading over all of Equestria," the unicorn yelled to the crowd. I look up, and notice a plume of dark smoke in the sky. How did I not notice that before? "But don't worry, I've just received a letter from Princess Celestia informing me that it is not coming from a fire," the unicorn reassured the ponies, "It's coming from a dragon." Scratch that, she just caused a panic.

I continue to follow the very blunt unicorn, as she went to the library to gather supplies. Is she really going to go face a giant fire breathing dragon? This is going to be interesting. Since I am now dead and have nothing better to do, I might as well make sure she doesn't die. So I lower myself to the ground, and just follow the unicorn closely.

She is soon met up by some other ponies, like the two from the performance.

The first one to speak is the orange pony. "What in the name of all things cinnamon swirled is a full-grown dragon doing here in Equestria?" That is a good point, what is a dragon doing in a land full of ponies?

"Sleeping." Well thank you miss blunt unicorn.

"Huh?" This seems to of confused the rest of the ponies in the group, I guess this is not a common occurrence.

The blunt unicorn continues, "According to Princess Celestia, he's taking a nap. His snoring is what's causing all this smoke?" So we are dealing with a dragon with a snoring problem, that doesn't sound healthy. He should find a vet? Doctor? I don't know what with dragons.

The pink bouncing pony then states, "He should really see a doctor. That doesn't sound healthy at all." Now that is just odd, I'm thinking like the pony now.

"Well, at least he's not snoring fire," well at least the white one is optimistic, "What are we meant to do about it?" Yeah what are they going to do about a dragon?

"I'll tell you what we're meant to do. Give him the boot. Take that. And that!" Stated the blue pegasus. She really thinks far too much of herself, but she might be right that violence may need to happen.

The purple unicorn quickly shot that idea down, "We need to encourage him to take a nap somewhere else. Princess Celestia has given us this mission, and we must not fail. If we do, Equestria will be covered in smoke for the next one hundred years." Wait, so the leader of this place has asked these girls to go ask a dragon to leave its home. That won't be easy, but if they don't many may die

The yellow pegasus seemed to be a little stunned by this revelation.

"Hmph. Talk about getting your beauty sleep," said the optimistic pony. People could take a lesson from her, on how to remain calm in the face of destruction.

"All right everypony, I need you to gather supplies quickly. We've got a long journey ahead of us. Let's meet back here in less than an hour," The purple unicorn told the others in the group. What supplies will they need to face a dragon?

"Okay, girls, you heard her," Said the blue pegasus, "The fate of Equestria is in our hooves. Do we have what it takes?" The other ponies gave there agreement and left. Well it seems that the blue one is good at speeches.

The yellow one stayed behind a bit, and tried to say something, but I couldn't catch what she said before she left. I don't think she wants to do this. I mean, she is going to have to face something that could kill them without even trying.

I really need to learn these girls' names; it is annoying to just think of them as colors with so many colorful ponies around.

After the time had passed, the ponies gathered outside of the library, and the purple unicorn started speaking, "All right girls, listen up. I'm mapping out the fastest route, but we've all got to keep a good pace if we expect to make it up the mountain by nightfall." Well at least this unicorn has some intelligence. Mountain climbing at night would be far too dangerous.

"M-m-mountain?" The yellow pegasus stuttered. Does she have a problem with heights? But she has wings, so what is she afraid of?

The unicorn continues, "The dragon is in that cave at the very top." I look towards the mountain, and see, that this won't be an easy journey for the ponies.

"Looks pretty cold up there," stated the orange pony.

"You bet it is. The higher you go, the chillier it gets," said the blue pegasus. She really isn't helping with the situation.

"Good thing I brought my scarf," the white unicorn states as she puts on said scarf. Out of all of the ponies, this one seems the most reasonable. And the pink one seems to like the scarf as well by her calling it "Pretty".

"Heh, oh yeah. That'll keep you nice and cozy," said the blue pegasus again. She really needs to work on her people…pony skills?

The yellow pegasus tries to get the purple unicorn's attention as she is reading the map. "Um, excuse me, Twilight? I know you're busy, but..." Finally a name, the purple one is Twilight.

"Uh-huh. Well, we could go this way," Twilight stated, not paying any attention to the pegasus.

"But if I could just have a second..." The yellow one continues in vain to get Twilight's attention.

"Uh-huh. No, we want to avoid that," Twilight continues to ignore her. I thought she already had this planned out.

"So, um, I was thinking that, um, maybe I should just stay here in Ponyville," They yellow one tried to say to Twilight. Ponyville? That is just an odd name no matter how you look at it for a town.

"Uh-huh," Twilight absent mindedly agreeing.

Happy, the yellow pony states, "Oh! Good. I'll stay here and-"But is then interrupted by Twilight.

"Wait! You have to come!" Catching what she had just said, "Your way with wild animals will surely come in handy." Wait, so this dragon is a wild animal? This got even more dangerous. Why in the world would this Princess Celestia put this girls in such trouble?

The yellow one tries to speak "I don't think I—" And is once again interrupted.

"Oh, and don't worry about your little friends in the meadow. Spike's got it covered while you're gone." I turn to see a small purple dragon, covered with numerous animals.

"You can count on me!" Stated Spike, before the animals started to get away from him, "Oooh! Hey! Hey! Wait!"

"I don't really think he's up to the task. Maybe... But... But... no!" said the yellow pony, clearly trying to get out of going to the dragon. And it is true that Spike can't do this by the looks of it.

"Are you sure you want Fluttershy to come along? I mean, that pony's afraid of her own shadow. She's just going to slow us down," stated the blue pegasus. It is rather rude to talk behind someone's back you little bird brain idiot. Well at least I now know the yellow ones name.

"Oh, she's just a little nervous. Once we get going, I'm sure she'll be fine," stated Twilight. Such a poor leader. "All right girls, move out!"

Fluttershy tries to protest, but just can't bring herself to do it.

These ponies just are not suited to do this kind of thing. It has been one problem after another. First they ended up wasting a large amount of time because Fluttershy doesn't want to face a possible painful death, so she and the orange pony end up going the long way, and the others have to wait for them. Then there was a jump over a gap, with hundreds of feet below them. I don't blame Fluttershy from being afraid, I would hate that too if I was still alive.

Then there was the avalanche, which was unfortunately caused by Fluttershy when a leaf touched her. Luckily none of them were hurt, but they now had to climb over all of it. I just walked through any of the fallen rocks, one of the perks of being a spirit. And then finally after hours of climbing, they had managed to reach the dragon's cave.

Twilight laid out the plan for what to do in order to get the dragon to leave "Rarity and Pinkie Pie, you'll create a diversion to distract the dragon if things get a little hairy in there." The two gave an affirmatives nod. Twilight continues, "Applejack, you're ready with the apples in case he decides to attack." Applejack then hit to apples into a tree. Apples as a weapon to fight a dragon… "But it shouldn't come to that, because Fluttershy will do what she needs to do to wake him up, and between the two of us, we should be able to get him to understand why he needs to go. Is everypony ready?"

The ponies, except for Fluttershy gave nodded

"Okay then, we're goin' in. So, what is the best way to wake up a sleeping dragon without upsetting him? Fluttershy? Oh, come on! Come on!" Twilight now noticed Fluttershy's current petrified state, and tries to force her to go into the cave. " We have to do this! Now! Every second longer that dragon sleeps is another acre of Equestria that is covered in smoke. Ooh!"

For some reason Pinkie found this funny.

"I—I— I can't go in the cave," Fluttershy stuttered.

"Ugh," the others said in exasperation.

"Oh, great. She's scared of caves now, too," stated the pegasus. She is really starting to get on my nerves with all of her negative outlook on others.

"I'm not scared of caves, I'm scared of…" Fluttershy says, but the last bit is mumbled.

"What's that, sugarcube?" Applejack asked.

"I'm scared of ..." Still mumbled

"What?" Twilight asked.

"I'm scared of dragons!" Fluttershy finally said

"But Fluttershy. You have a wonderful talent dealing with all kinds of animals," said trying to convince Fluttershy.

"Yes, because they're not dragons." An extremely good point.

"Oh come on! We've seen you walk right up to a horrible manticore like it was nothing," stated the blue pegasus. So now she is trying to be supportive.

"Yes, because he wasn't a dragon."

"Spike is a dragon. You're not scared of him," stated Pinkie.

"Yes, because he not a huge, gigantic, terrifying, enormous, teeth-gnashing, sharp-scale having, horn-wearing, smoke-snoring, could eat a pony in one bite, totally all grown-up dragon!" Wait, so that little purple guy will become something like that one day? Dang.

"But, if you're so afraid of dragons, why didn't you say something before we came all the way up here?" asked Twilight. It is because you guys just won't listen.

"I was afraid to." No, you tried to but they ignored you. These ponies are starting to drive me up the wall.

"All of us are scared of that dragon," Applejack said, trying to comfort Fluttershy

"I'm not!" the blue pegasus said.

"Almost all of us are scared of that dragon, but we've got a job to do. So, get in there with Twilight and show her what you're made of." Well at least this one seems to actually care about who the pony is, and not what she can and can't do.

"I- I- I just... can't." stuttered Fluttershy. This pony needs some help.

"Oh, Fluttershy," as Twilight sees this is going nowhere, "I'm goin' in. He... probably just doesn't realize what he's doing. Right?"

The others nervously agree.

Twilight enters the cave, but I don't follow, I move over towards Fluttershy. She needs to be better motivated to do anything then what they were trying. So I decided to try and communicate with her.

I put a ground at her feet and start to write. 'Why are you afraid?' When Fluttershy sees this she looks around and sees no one or anything that could have done that.

"It—it is a dragon, I am afraid of dragons. They—they are dangerous"

I erase what I wrote and wrote something else. 'Why do you not fear Spike'

She seemed confused by this, "Be—Because Spike is just a baby dragon"

'So when Spike is grown up, you will be afraid of him?'

"Wh-what? No, Spike is nice, and a friend"

'Then how do you know that this dragon is not like Spike?'

"I—I don't"

'Then don't treat it as something dangerous, treat it as a large Spike'

"Bu—but-"

'Fluttershy you must do this or your friends will die'

Fluttershy just sits there staring at that final word, "Wha—no, I go—got to do something" She looks up and sees her friends in a pile, beaten by the dragon.

"How dare you... How dare you! Listen here, mister." Wow, angry Fluttershy, Standing up to a grown dragon. "Just because you're big doesn't mean you get to be a bully. You may have huge teeth, and sharp scales, and snore smoke, and breathe fire. But you do not- I repeat- You do not! Hurt! My! Friends! You got that?"

The dragon whimpered under Fluttershy's stare

"Well?"

"But that rainbow one kicked me." Wait, if it can talk, then why did they think it would be like a wild animal?

"And I am very sorry about that. But you're bigger than she is, and you should know better. You should also know better than to take a nap where your snoring can become a health hazard to other creatures."

"But I—"

"Don't you 'but I' me, mister. Now what do you have to say for yourself? I said, what do you have to say for yourself?" Wow Fluttershy is tough, the dragons looks ready to cry. "There, there. No need to cry. You're not a bad dragon, you just made a bad decision. Now go pack your things. You just need to find a new place to sleep. That's all," Fluttershy tried to comfort the now sobbing dragon.

The dragon goes back into its cave, and grabs mounds of gold, and flies off.

"You did it! I knew you could do it," exclaimed Twilight.

"Um—yes" Fluttershy looks back to where my writing was, and saw that it was gone. "Yes, I had a good friend to help me." She considers me a friend now? Well, she is one of the nicer beings that I have met here so far.