CHAPTER 3: LIFE IN PONYVILLE SHIMMERS (OVER A FIRE) - PART 2

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Hunter never cared much for cute things.

That wasn't to say that he hated such things, or held any animosity to any race that was considered such. As a male, he simply didn't hold the same kind of borderline-crazy enthusiasm for 'cute' things as females usually did. He wouldn't be able to live up to his name if he allowed every set of big shiny eyes and trembling lips keep him from making a kill, after all.

That being said, even he had to admit, these 'ponies' did have a charm to them, and he found himself content in their company.

The celebration had actually been going very well, despite Spyro's 'prank' shaving off more than a few years from everypony's life (the old green pony's face was now beginning to sag off her skull, and not in a natural way); ponies were dancing, playing games, and enjoying treats as if it was just another one of Pinkie's town-famous parties, regardless of their alien visitors. Spyro himself was seated at one of the largest food tables the ponies had set up, greedily devouring the large pile of food and snacks before him with ravenous gusto, blissfully ignoring the lavender unicorn ranting at him non-stop, while the others had gone to mingle.

The cheetah himself was currently leaning against the side of one of the buildings, absentmindedly sipping at a cup of punch he held as he watched Bianca and Elora fuss over the ponies as if they were a box full of puppies; whenever he had time to celebrate, he preferred his drinks with hearty amounts of alcohol, but he doubted there would be any in a world this...cub-friendly.

Oh well, it was something he could do without; it left him sober for what was truly important...

"So, you're a cheetah, huh?"

Hunter cocked an eyebrow as he glanced up, his teal eyes meeting the magenta ones of the cyan pegasus...Rainbow Dash, he believed her name was...hovering upside down in front if him, her wings flapping awkwardly as she held her place in the air.

"I am." He answered simply.

Rainbow Dash flipped around right side-up with an excited grin. "And it's true that cheetahs are the fastest beastmen in the world?" She asked, tail wagging.

"It is."

"Awesome!" She exclaimed. "Race you to the big barn over there! One two three go!" And with that, she took off toward the barn in question so fast that she left a rainbow trail behind her.

The cheetah, however, didn't move from the spot. He simply closed his eyes and flattened his ears as the gust of her wings whipped in his face; he waited for the whoosh to die down before opened his eyes again; he grumbled a cat's growl under his breath as he rolled his eyes, turning away and taking a sip from his punch. He was still drinking when the pegasus returned in another rush of color, looking very cross.

"Hey, what gives?" Rainbow Dash asked, crossing her forelegs. "We're having a race here!"

"You're having a race." Hunter stated as he lowered his cup, swishing the punch inside absentmindedly. "I never accepted your challenge, nor do I intend to."

The pegasus gave a disappointed pout. "Awww, come on!" She whined. "Why not?"

"I'm saving my energy." He told her, taking another sip.

"For what?"

The cheetah paused mid-sip, silent as the grave. He then swallowed what he had in his mouth before lowering his cup and looking the pegasus directly in the eye. "For the Hunt."

Rainbow Dash outright recoiled in surprise, not at his words, but at his eyes. They held a familiar glint to them; the same she had seen in Spyro the previous night. Focused, determined, and cunning, as if they were locked on to a target in their sights. However unlike Spyro's eyes, which always had a wild, ferocious blaze in them, this cat's eyes were cold and steeled, his emotions and urges held down and focused through sheer mental control. It was similar to how Rarity's cat Opal looked when she was stalking a mouse, but on a much stronger, deadlier scale.

They were the eyes of a big cat on the hunt, and Rainbow realized what it felt like to be a gazelle in the long grass.

"Predators cannot simply run about like crazed monkeys expecting food to just sit there and be eaten like your herbivores do." He told her, his gaze never breaking away from hers. "Our lives are spent on the move; the very jungle itself works against us to keep itself and its prey safe...but it also works against our prey to keep them in permanent danger, so we must be ready to overcome and conquer every obstacle it throws at us, and to use what it gives us to our advantages to feed ourselves and our cubs."

He took another drink. "Our bodies are our weapons, thus we must keep them in prime condition. Every ounce of energy wasted only adds to the chances of our prey escaping or being stolen by another predator, and a single move could mean the different between feast and starvation." His eyes glinted with a deadly light. "Take or be Taken, Kill or be Killed; that's the life we predators live. The Life of the Hunter."

And with that he finally turned away, allowing Rainbow Dash to snap out of the awed trance his eyes had put her in.

"Woah..." She finally said before shaking her head to clear it. "That is like...insanely cool!" She flew around to meet his face again. "Do you live like that all the time?"

"Most of the time, yes." Hunter told her. "The lands of Avalar are a primal one; most races that live do so in tribes, and just as many still have connections to our primal roots." He gave her an questioning look. "I assume yours do as well, as you all don't wear clothing to cover yourselves."

Rainbow Dash looked confused. "To cover what?" She asked.

"Exactly." Hunter stated simply.

Rainbow simply shook her head again; this cat was good at leaving her stupidly confused. "Well, do you have to hunt in Equestria?" She asked, flying over to a nearby barrel and sitting on it. "I mean, we got food here in town, like this party; I don't think you have to go chasing deer and rabbits all over the Everfree."

"This party will not last forever, nor will the food that can be eaten by us carnivores; not even the pigs will last feeding after several weeks." The cheetah told her, waving an arm out over the crowd. "This is herbivore land; one that is not prepared to welcome carnivores. Elora and Bianca will be fine in this town, but I imagine Spyro, Moneybags and I will be hunting for prey quite often in your 'Everfree'." He then looked up, drawing his attention to the dragon in question. "And he won't be 'chasing deer and rabbits'; dragons need large prey to feed, and those are often the kind that fight back." He smirked. "I imagine you ponies will see a steep drop in your local monster population soon enough."

"Sounds good to me; Ponyville's always had a bit of a monster problem, being on the edge of the Everfree Forest and all." Rainbow Dash said, pausing to preen the feathers of her right wing.

There was a brief silence before the pony spoke again: "... so what's it like? The Hunt, I mean."

Hunter gave pause, the question catching him off-guard; very few herbivore races could even tolerate the idea of eating the flesh on another creature, let alone ask what it meant to be a predator. But it was question he took pride in answering.

"Imagine a chase after a weaker creature, or a battle against a strong one, but not once is it judged or determined by the thoughts or emotions of a sapient mind. Not once is a true Hunt determined by emotion or desire; not from petty anger or revenge, nor from sadism or wickedness. A truly pure battle, unstained by sapient thought; the truest form of exhilaration one can feel; one that no natural herbivore will ever feel, fore nowhere else in life, from the beginning of the chase to the moment you finally sink your teeth into your prey's throat, will you ever feel more alive."

Once again, Rainbow Dash found herself entranced by those teal-blue eyes; as sharp and focused as their owner's claws, they stared her down as if she were but another potential target in his sights, one that he would chase to the ends of the earth to catch. Suddenly, for a brief moment, the pegasus was no longer in Ponyville; instead, she was deep in the heart of the darkest jungle, the plants rushing past her as her claws tore the earth, her heart pounding, eyes gleaming, and fangs glistening as she chased down her next meal. All of this happened in a single instant, but to the pegasus it felt like another lifetime altogether.

A lifetime as a hunter.

Then, in another instant, she was back in her normal body, gasping for breath as her heart pounded in her ribcage. Staggering from the mental rush, she found herself splayed across the ground at the feet of the beastman, who stared down at her with a unreadable expression.

"There are very few amongst herbivores who ever learn what it means to be truly alive." Hunter told her. "But one day, should nature be willing, you might join the hunt yourself." He then turned and walked away, but not before looking over his shoulder. "If that day comes, and you choose it, then I look forward to hunting together."

And with that, he flicked his tail and walked away, leaving Rainbow Dash sitting in the street; for once in her life, the pegasus found herself unable to move.

---

Hunter of Avalar
Gender: Male
Species: Beastman, Cheetah
Hailing from the forest and plains of the Valley of Avalar, this Cheetah Beastman lives up to his name entirely: a near-otherworldly master of both jungle warfare and wielding all manner of melee weapons, he can easily match the skill and killing potential of a hundred modern warriors. While his greatest abilities are his speed and agility, he is just as strong and durable as he is cunning and instinctive; his body and mind have been honed to physical and mental perfection, making him a living weapon of the deadliest variety, able to stand side by side with the purple dragon.

---

By the forest, these ponies were just too precious!

Unlike her cheetah friend, Elora was very fond of cute things, and these ponies were almost too much for her to handle; she knew they were a sapience race, and therefore most were not as sweet and innocent as they looked, but that didn't mean she appreciated it when she could! Of all the worlds that Spyro had answered the call to save, this was turning out to be the best yet!

The faun was currently sitting on a bale of hay, watching a group of ponies trying to play 'Pin-the-Tail-on-the-Pony', unable to stop herself from laughing at their antics as they stumbled around and missed the target; one, a white unicorn mare with a spiky blue mane/tail, even ended up sticking the tail on the rump of another, a grey earth-pony mare with a sleek, near-black mane/tail, earning herself a pained yelp and a stern reprimanding from her friend, as well as an uproar of laughter from the crowd watching.

As her own laughter down, she found herself smiling warmly at the sight of these ponies, just laughing, playing, and just enjoying life. There was a light, child-like innocence of this race, and she appreciated it; knowing there were places in the deep dark universe that succeeded in fighting off the darkness and could allow themselves to hold onto the light of blissful ignorance...

...which only made their own presence in this world a worrisome one; if someone had called out for help, and it was Spyro the Dragon that heard the call, then dark times must be right around the corner. She remembered what he had said about running into the Damned: souls tainted by the black abyss, as punishment for horrific crimes.

If they existed in this world, then the fragile innocence of this world was threatened by forces that lurked in the shadows.

"My word! What a charming little top!"

Elora blinked in surprise, snapped out of her thoughts, and looked down to see a white unicorn with a fancy purple mane and light-blue eye-shadow staring up at her with wide, sparkling eyes; a look that the half-goat uncomfortable.

"Such a simple, basic design..." The unicorn...Rarity, she believed it was, gushed in a froofy, lady-like manner. "...yet it's the simplicity that adds so much character! And the colors! That lovely shade of green compliments your rich-brown fur perfectly!" She reached a hoof up and ran it across the surface; Elora bit her lip to keep from bursting into giggles as the hoof ran across her stomach, hitting all the ticklish spots. "And the smooth texture of the fabric is absolutely divine! It feels and bends like silk, yet is strong and shape-holding like leather!" She pulled her hoof back, looking up to Elora. "I simply must know where you got it! Such a new fabric would revolutionize the fashion world!"

Elora was left speechless, her mouth hanging open slightly in confusion. "It...it's nothing special." She finally managed to say. "It's just a corset."

"Just a corset?!" Rarity almost outright shrieked. "Darling, this is more than 'just a corset'; this, and that delightful outfit your bunny friend is wearing, are the first pieces of clothing to enter Equestria from another world! The very culture and art of another universe has been presented before us, and as an aspiring fashionista it be criminal for me to turn away from such a opportunity!" She gave the faun a pleading look. "I don't suppose you'd be willing to part with it? I'll pay your handsomely for this contribution to society."

The faun's eyes went wide, and she instinctively wrapped her arms around her torso as her cheeks went red. "What?! No!" She squeaked. "I'm wearing it for a reason, you know!"

Rarity looked confused; she understood the desire to wear fashion, no doubt about that, but what could possibly compel her to wear something so simple and plain (yet still fabulous) non-stop? It couldn't possibly be to keep her furless upper body warm; her arms, shoulders, neck and upper back were completely bare, meaning heat was not its function. Perhaps it had something to do with supporting those two large mounds on her chest?

"Might I asked its purpose?" She finally asked. "I can't imagine it being much use for things like warmth and fashion."

"That's because it's not." Elora snapped lightly, arms still instinctively wrapped around herself. "It's..." Her blush deepened, and she found the road very interesting. "...It's to keep my 'mother parts' covered."

The unicorn looked even more confused "'Mother parts'? What are-?" Realization struck her and struck hard, making her blush all the way to her ears. "Oh!" Her gaze fell on those chest mounds. "Ohhhhhhhhh..."

Elora gave a sheepish smile, looking away. "Y-Yeah. Those."

"Oh dear Faust, I am soooooooo sorry!" Rarity squealed, bowing her head so low in apology she almost bonked it against the ground. "I-I had no idea those were y-your...m-m-mother parts!" She cursed herself mentally, smacking a hoof against her forehead. "Honestly, what was I thinking! What else would something so simple yet fabulous be for?! Oh, of all the worst possible things to happen, this is. The! Worst! Possible! Thing!"

Her horn lit up, and before the baffled Elora's eyes, a large fancy couch swept up right next to the white mare, allowing her to perfectly yet gracefully fall upon it with a dramatic flair, hoof raised over her forehead as dramatic tears burst from her eyes. "Oh, to think that I, Ponyville only example of the higher lifestyle, would forever marr the relationships between two worlds by disgracefully asking one of their first ambassadors to strip down and flash her unmentionables like a lowly stable mare!"

One could almost see the giant anime-style sweat-drop form on the back of Elora's head. "I'm pretty sure you just made a common mistake..."

"THE TIDES OF WAR ARE UPON US ALL, AND ALL BECAUSE I COULDN'T RESIST FABULOUSNESS WHEN I SAW IT!" Rarity outright wailed, mascra running down her face. "OH, WOE IS ME-HE-HE-HEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

'Okay, this is just getting silly.' The faun thought to herself, and with that she raised a hand and snapped her fingers, fingertips glowing green. "Quia non ascendent super cor accentus pace!"

And just like that, a wave of sparkling green magic washed over Rarity like a breeze through the forest, illuminating up her body with a green glow. Rarity was too busy fussing over her mistake to notice her body being encased in a green aura of magic...but soon she was silence as she all but melted from sheer bliss as her body was suddenly exposed to the most amazing sensation ever! Every ounce of physical tension, mental weight, and emotional turmoil was stripped from her body and mind, her muscles turning into melted butter and her brain feeling light as cloud. She gave an almost orgasmic sigh as she sank into the cushion of her couch; so this was what heaven felt like...

Then it stopped; Elora closed his hand into a palm, snuffing out the magic on her fingertips. The magic aura around the unicorn disappeared with a puff of green mist, and Rarity blinked as her mind came back into focus. Her body was fully relaxed and the stress of last night's adventure was completely gone.

"There you go. Consider that an act of good will between worlds." Elora said with a warm smile.

Her efforts for peace were interrupted as the pony outright engulfed her head like the world's cutest face-hugger, staring almost manically into her eyes. "Teach me that spell, and I will be yours forever!"

The faun sweat-dropped again with a nervous muffled murmur; her opinions about ponies being cute and innocence were quickly going downhill. With a bit of effort, she managed to pry the unicorn off her face, gasping for air, holding her out at arms length to keep her grabby hooves away. "Sorry, but I can't." She admitted. "It's a Nature-Elemental ability. You're not a Nature Elemental, so you can't learn it."

Rarity hadn't felt this disappointed since the time her parents told her Santa Colt wasn't real (mainly because it meant the gifts under the Hearth's Warming tree weren't free). "Oh, phoo..." She said with a pout. "Do you have any idea how much a spell like that would be worth to the spa industries?! You should really consider yourself a career in full-body massages."

It was this simple comment that finally gave Elora pause, and before a confused Rarity she gave a heavy sigh as she set her down, ears folding down against the sides of her head. "Was it something I said?" She asked.

The faun stared at her for a moment, and then, with a sigh, she motioned with her hand to the purple dragon at the center of the square. "When Spyro answered our call for help, it was to save us from the enslavement of a tyrannical sorcerer...and it wasn't a quick matter, either: many stories and games made after Spyro's adventures make it seem that we dealt with Ripto just as he arrived, but that couldn't be further from the truth: Avalar suffered long and hard under his claws, for many, many years. Hundreds of people were tortured on a daily basis, and just as many killed on that monster's whim; those that weren't were forced to slave away nonstop on his empire, while those who actually had the means to fight back were too busy squabbling in their own petty feud to even bother helping.

"It was THIRTY years before we finally got the savior we prayed for so long for, and only because the last remaining members of the Resistance, which Hunter and I were a part of, were desperate enough to summon what could've been a even worse monster than Ripto just so we could finally be rid of that...saurian. We were astronomically lucky that it was Spyro we snagged mid-portal jump, Hero's Itch guiding him or not."

Rarity stared at the faun, wide eyed in disbelief. "...this 'Ripto' was truly that horrid?" She asked.

Elora didn't need to speak to answer that; instead, she reached behind her neck and pulled back her long hair, revealing her upper back that her corset left exposed. Rarity frowned in confusion...but that confusion turned to horror when she saw what covered the once flawless skin:

Scars. Dozens of them, ranging in all sizes and shapes...including those made by claws.

"A-Are those..." She began.

Elora simply nodded, her eyes turning hollow. "Sometimes it was punishment for messing things up, like his drink being too warm or too cold, and other times it was just because he felt like spilling blood."

The unicorn felt ready to puke.

"And now it's happening again; even if it's just beginning, events are coming that this world felt it necessary to ask Spyro of all heroes to deal with them." With a sigh she let her hair fall back in place, and she tucked her legs up before resting her chin on her knees, arms wrapped around her shins. "...I just can't help but worry something terrible is going to happen to you all; you ponies are just so peaceful and happy, more concerned about things like fashion and massages, even after just facing the threat of Eternal Night...I know what it means to truly suffer, and it's a fate I wouldn't wish on anyone."

Rarity honestly didn't know what to say in response. Honestly, by this point, her fussing over the girl's corset and magic spells did indeed seem rather ridiculous...no, they were indeed very ridiculous. After all, she now saw that she was talking to a victim of war and conquest; one who's home and life had been ruined by the wicked desires of one with power. She couldn't even imagine what life must've been like for her; to be so desperate for freedom from evil that they would risk bringing in an even bigger one.

Desperate, indeed...

In the end, all she could do was sit herself next to the faun. "...well...for what it's worth, darling, I'm glad Spyro answered the call."

And despite her mood, Elora couldn't help but smile. "Yeah...I am too."

---

Elora SpringGlade
Gender: Female
Race: Unrecorded, "Satyr/Faun"
Born from the tribes of the Fracture Hills, many consider Elora to be the weakest of the group; while her legs are strong and fast, her physical strength and magic diversity are lacking, leaving her often standing in the back during a fight. However, what she lacks in magical diversity she makes up for in great intelligence and powerful magical specialty: her skills in the Nature Element and Restoration Magic know no equal, making her a powerful Forest Mage. Thus she serves as the team's healer on the sidelines, able to mend wounds and cure poison even in the heat of battle.

---

Bianca was not enjoying herself as much as she wanted to.

That wasn't to say that she was displeased with the festivities; in fact, it looked like one of the most enjoyable parties she had ever seen. Most celebrations of the tribal Avalar were akin to a Nordic mead hall or Dwarven feast: full of booze, food, women, and song; truly a good time, but a little too wild and primal for her comfort. On the other paw, parties of the more civilized Forgotten Worlds were mostly grand balls and royal galas for the rich and the privileged; certainly more civil, but a greater snooze-fest could not be found. This was her idea of a party: a fun friendly celebration with games, snacks, music, and dancing; fun enough to be enjoyable, yet civil and family friend enough to keep everyone sober.

This Pinkie Pie pony really knew how to throw them.

And yet, as much fun as the game of bobbing for apples she was currently watching looked (she laughed out loud at the sight of the the mint-green unicorn ending up with a crab on her nose, making her scream and run around in circles), she just couldn't bring herself to join the festivities.

She just couldn't shake off the weird vibe she was getting from this world's mana. Or more precisely, the mana's flow.

Her grip on her wand subconsciously tightened as she stared into space, her mind clouded in deep thought, an equally-deep frown twisting her features; she just couldn't get the feeling something was wrong out of her mind.

'Mana', also known as 'Aura', 'Life Force', or 'Essence' was the very fuel of the realms. It was what every magical/elemental creature, item, or force drew energy from to fuel their spells, powers, etc; even non-magical creatures generated a tiny bit of it, in the form of the life-force that allows them to live, while magical, elemental, and supernatural creatures (like Dragons) generated their own unique kinds of mana to fuel their powers and abilities. Every world in existence had what was called a 'Essence', from which life and natural magics drew from; it flowed throughout the lands, through the forces of nature itself, fueling both living beings and magical sources, and without it both the magic and life dependent of it would cease to exist.

This was basic Wizardy 101; anyone striving to be a magic caster would know this as basic magical knowledge.

So Bianca knew that there was something off about this world's Essence. The way it flowed through everything; through the plants, the weather, the earth, and the ponies themselves...it just felt off. Unnatural. Contained. Deliberately Directed. It was as if something was forcefully bending the flow of mana in unnatural ways, controlling how it and the world worked.

This was NOT a good thing; just as diverting the flow of a river could have dastardly consequences to the land, diverting mana from its original flow could have grave consequences on the entire planet as a whole. Hell, the Sorceress herself did the exact same thing: the dragons were vital to the mana levels of the Forgotten Worlds, thanks to their naturally high and fast mana generation; when the Sorceress banished them to the other side of the world, the Forgotten Worlds lost their largest source of mana and over the years the magical sources and very life of the land slowly dried up and shriveled away to almost nothingness.

And it was this very loss of mana that would lead to the Sorceress commanding the rabbit beastwoman to kidnap the dragon eggs and start the whole fight against Spyro. Her greatest regret.

So seeing this world doing something similar, intentionally or not, was not something she was looking forward to dealing it.

"Uhm...e-e-excuse m-me..."

'There she is.' Bianca thought to herself, her face softening as she turned to look down at the pony who spoke: the cream pegasus with the pink mane and butterfly markings. The young wizard in training knew this pony had been watching her for a while now, but not in a way that made her uncomfortable. So she had simply waited until the adorable pony worked up the courage to speak. "Hello there. Can I help you with something?"

Upon being addressed, the poor mare gave a startled 'Eep!' before dashing away and diving into a nearby barrel.

There was a 'SPLOOSH' as thick brown syrup gushed over the rim, soaking the barrel's outside and the ground around it. A pitiful "Eww..." came from inside, followed by a syrup-soaked head, complete with a 'I'm-about-to-cry-I'm-so-pathetic' face and teary eyes.

Bianca gave a pitying smile. "Well, that was unexpected, huh?" She asked kindly; she then lifted her wand, which began to glow with magenta runes and sparkles. "Here. Let me take care of that real quick."

Fluttershy, who was seconds away from running off in tears, squeaked in surprise as she was engulfed and lifted into the air by a magical aura almost identical to a unicorn's levitation spell, except the spell was not being cast by a horn, but by the wooden wand in the beastwoman's hand; from the handle up, the wand was glowing with the same magical aura that a unicorn's horn does when casting spells, along with glowing ancient runes carved across the length of it.

"Y-Y-You can u-use m-magic?" Fluttershy asked, genuinely surprised.

Bianca winked. "Wizard in-training." She told her. "Now hold still; this next part's going to be a bit trickier to cast..."

What happened next was something Fluttershy could only describe as a work of art: with a shower of sparkling magic, the rabbit waved her wand in quick, board strokes, sweeps and swirls, as if painting a picture. Even the magic-less pegasus could see that she was not just waving it around wildly; the movements were direct, focused, and intertwined with each other perfect as woven string...in fact, that's what she realized she was doing: she was literally weaving a spell right before her very eyes.

"Corpus sordibus mundi." Bianca said aloud, and with a burst of light a 'pulse' of magic washed over the pegasus; Fluttershy instinctively cringed in fear, but was completely unharmed as the spell passed over her without harm. The sticky syrup, however, dissolved off her body like sugar crystals in water, leaving the pony's fur and feathers completely clean and untarnished; even the feeling of stickiness disappeared. And with a sharp tap of the wand, the magic was abruptly cut off and Fluttershy was set back on the ground, squeaky clean.

"There. Feel better?" The magic-caster asked.

Fluttershy ducked her head bashfully, hiding her face behind her mane. "Y-Y-Yes...t-thank you." She murmured.

Bianca couldn't help but smile. "You know, there are better ways of talking to someone than throwing yourself into a barrel of pancake syrup." She told her as she hooked her wand back on her tunic's belt, sitting down on her heels to look the pegasus in the eye. "If there's something you want, feel free to ask. I won't bite."

Fluttershy stared at her for a while in silence, her eyes darting back and forth in anxiety. "W-Well...uhmm..." She began, sweat running down her forehead. "...i-i-if you w-wouldn't m-mind...I...w-well..."

"Yeah?"

The poor pony was outright shaking by the time she finally spoke. "I-I...C-C...CanItouchyourfurplease?!"

Bianca blanched in confusion. "Come again?" She asked awkwardly.

Fluttershy covered her face with her hooves, her face red all the way to her ear-tips. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to come off as a creepy pony!" She wailed with the force of a butterfly's wing-flap. "I-It's just I have a pet bunny and take care of animals for a living, and I've never seen beastfolk before, so I was curious how much like a normal bunny you are!" She turned away, covering her head with her wings as well. "I didn't meant to offend you in any way! I should've known better; comparing you to a simple animal must be so insulting! I'm so sorry! Please don't hate me!"

"Hey now, wait a minute." Bianca spoke up, reaching out to the whimpering pony. "I never said I was mad. Your question just caught me off guard, that's all; I take no offense at being compared to what I am."

Fluttershy dared a peek. "Honest?"

"Completely." She held her arm out. "Here: you can feel it if you want."

The pegasus hesitated, staring at the outstretched limb with uncertainty...but eventually curiosity won over trepidation, and a hoof as light and gentle as morning dew ran across her silky rabbit's fur.

Bianca blinked in surprise at the touch, not because she expected it to happen, but how the hoof felt against her own skin: it wasn't hard and bony like normal horses hooves; yes she could feel that the hoof was solid like normal, but there was a padded layer of flesh and skin covering the bone. The underside of the hoof was flat enough so that it could function with the intended design, but was covered in a single soft padding like a paw. An unusual trait for a hoofed mammavian.

It was as if the species deliberately had this trait to avoid hurting anyone with their hard hooves, even if they wanted too...

...another unsettling trait of this strangely-wired world.

"It's so soft..."

The awed voice brought her out of her thoughts, and she gave a smile to the sparkling-eyed pony. Odd or not, she couldn't deny how cute they were. "Only the top brand-line shampoo and conditioners for this rabbit, thank you." She told her.

Fluttershy managed a small giggle at the joke, smiling softly herself as she let the bunny's arm go. "T-Thank you for letting me do that." She said softly, her timid stutter almost completely gone. "When Spyro said he was bringing friends, we all thought he meant more dragons." She closed her eyes happily. "I think you all are a much nicer surprise."

Bianca actually laughed herself at that one. "Yeah, I think so too." She said, standing back up. "To be honest, though, Spyro's never gotten along with others of his kind. It would be normal if he was only aggressive toward other males, as that's mere instinct, but apart from his father and the other guardians, he doesn't click well with any other dragons at all. Not even females of his age group." She turned her gaze to the dragon in question, who was still simply ignoring Twilight's rant. "I've theorized this might be normal for purple dragons, but I'll never be sure unless we find another one to compare it with."

"Another one?" Fluttershy asked, following the wizard's gaze to Spyro. "He showed us his 'purple dragon' stuff before he fought Nightmare Moon." She shuddered at the memory. "He's extremely powerful."

"And extremely rare." Bianca stated. "You know that his kind are born once every ten generations, correct?" Fluttershy nodded. "If you think those odds are crazy enough, the birth rate of purple dragons are incredibly low as well: the chances of more than one purple egg being laid are comparable to the chances of finding a real Wishing Star."

The cream-colored pegasus looked outright horrified. "Wait, doesn't that mean...?"

Bianca nodded solemnly. "As far as we know, Spyro is the only member of his species in all of existence."

Fluttershy looked ready to cry. "T-That sounds horrible." She whimpered.

The rabbit shrugged. "Given how he acts toward other dragons, I doubt he feels that way." She stated. "I believe that this is an intentional trait of nature; having more than one purple dragon could upset his purpose, so being a single member of a subspecies is something he's probably hardwired to." She then smiled. "I have to admit, though: I'm kinda glad that he is. He wouldn't be the dragon we know if he wasn't: a dragon who actually cares about us mortal races."

Fluttershy's teal eyes widened in realization. "Oh..." She murmured, covering her mouth with a hoof. "...I guess we have more in common than I first thought, huh?"

Bianca's smile turned into a grin as a laugh escaped her lips. "More than you know."

---

Bianca Arcarrot
Gender: Female
Race: Beastman, Rabbit
A foreigner in the lands of Avalar, Bianca Arcarrot hails from the more advanced and civilized Forgotten Worlds, where the forces of magic are more abundant and further researched than the rest of the Dragon World. As a wizard in training, she has full access to the knowledge of their magical advancements and can cast high level spells and incantations of all classes with ease, specializing in Alteration and Conjuration magics. According to the reports, she was once the personal assistant and apprentice to the Forgotten Worlds' former tyrannical ruler, whom she betrayed and help Spyro defeated and slew in battle. Caution advised with this one.

---

"...and of course you just had to leave us hanging in the middle of the Everfree without any sort of context or confirmation! Oh, suuuuure; just announce that you're bringing a bunch of friends over to a town full of bite-sized ponies for lunch without telling us otherwise! Do you have any idea how much of a panic you nearly caused?! You had us thinking a whole flock of dragons was coming to Ponyville, hungry and ready to eat! And after all the preparations and precautions you forced us through, you show up with a balloon basket full of normal beastmen, a giant breezie, and whatever that goat girl's suppose to be! What the bucking hay, you purple-scaled jerk?!"

Zoe had to give the purple pony credit: she had an impressive set of lungs for such a small creature. She hadn't seen the pony take a single breath since she started this rant.

She also was impressed by the sheer size of those solid-steel balls she was sporting; there were very few individuals that had the backbone to mouth off Spyro like that, and even fewer who survived the experience. Even Elora, who was the closest to Spyro out of all of them, never raised her voice at him anymore than a light scolding (a poor example, honestly, as Elora was a major softie who never really yelled at anybody); even if he was a friend, he was terrifying when he got angry, so the fairy tipped her non-existent hat to anyone who could pull it off without getting flambéed alive.

It also would've be impressive of Spyro that he was tolerating it...were it not for the fact that she knew why he was: even with the nerdy undertone, the almost-identical resemblance to her voice was very unsettling...

"It's called a joke." He stated with his mouth full, speaking up for the first time since she started, chocolate crumbs and bits of pink icing peppering her face. "You should learn to calm down and take one."

Twilight paused (finally taking in that huge, much-needed breath) and wiped the mess from her face with a hoof. "In case you haven't noticed, you're a fifty-foot long, two ton, ridiculously powerful dragon!" She almost shouted. "You are the last creature in the world that should be tossing around jokes about being displeased about anything! Do you have any idea of the sheer panic you could've caused?!"

His scaly purple lips twitched into a cheeky grin. "Oh, I don't just know it. I saw it." He told her, giving her an amused look. "It might've been a trick of the light, but I could've sworn I saw your soul vacating your body for a split second."

The ponies around them began to laugh or giggle at the now red-faced unicorn, who merely gave a huff of aggravation. "Well, at least you could've told us that your friends weren't dragons like you." She continued. "You had a lot of ponies panicking, thinking we'd have to deal with an entire flock of overpowered dragons instead of just one."

"Not once did I say my friends were other dragons." Spyro stated simply.

"You never said they weren't other dragons either!" Twilight snapped back. "How were we suppose to know that you don't like hanging out with others of your kind?!"

The dragon simply gave her an unamused look. "Because the majority of other teenagers of my kind are boorish, hot-headed, violent-tempered monsters that any sensible-headed creature would want to avoid like the plague, and everyone knows it?" He asked; this statement left her gaping with disbelief. "Do the math, Twilight: Dragon + Teenager. Could there be a worse combination?"

"Throw Dragon-Nip into the mix and see what happens then." Zoe quipped, cheekily taking a fairy-sized bite out of the cookie she was holding like a bicycle tire, crumbs peppering her face and cheeks. Spyro gave her a dangerous-looking stink eye, but the fairy simply winked in response; Twilight wasn't the only one who had an super-strong pair, after all...

"Are you done?" Spyro asked the huffing pony.

Twilight nodded, gasping for breath. "Yeah...I'm done." She wiped her brow with a hoof, flicking off a heavy amount of sweat. "Still, from now on, please don't go around freaking ponies out like that. Most ponies can't take that kinda spook without going into a panic."

Zoe's eyes narrowed. "Sounds like to me you ponies need to toughen up instead."

The unicorn frowned, turning her attention to the small winged humanoid, who was currently sitting on the table next to Spyro's dish, having made a seat out of an upside-down cup. "Excuse me?" She asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" The fairy asked, waving a dismissive hand with closed eyes. "You ponies live in a world populated by dragons and other monsters, and yet not only do you have almost no counter measures for them but panic and run like frightened gazelle at the first sign of what could be danger? Sounds like to me that ponykind's a bit spoiled by fortune and an incompetent powerhouse of a ruler to be this oblivious and unprepared for danger."

Twilight bristled with indignity. "Hey! That's Princess Celestia you're talking about!" She snapped angrily. "The wisest and most powerful pony in Equestria! Thanks to her solo rule, Equestria's been in perfect peace and harmony for a thousand years!"

Zoe opened one eye to give Twilight a condescending glance. "You mean during the long Era of Harmony destined to already happen before each brief Era of Disharmony? And remind me how 'Celestia' handled the first villain to appear in this new age, again?" She asked, making Twilight cringe. "Oh that's right! Hiding in a cave while sending six everyday fillies untrained and unprepared to deal with it!" She gave the ever-agonizing slow clap. "Oh, bravo, Celestia; you handled that one like a champ! I can't wait to see your plans when the next villain shows up: is it 'flee the kingdom while your attack-kittens face off against a literal god of chaos'?"

---

From within his stone prison in Canterlot, a certain spirit of chaos cursed his predicament: his nose had been turned to stone, and he had developed the desperate urge to sneeze.

---

"How dare you belittle the princess like that!" Twilight outright shouted in anger. "Who do you think you are, and what could you possibly know about an era that hasn't happened yet?!"

To that, Zoe stood up and gave a mock curtsy. "Oh, pardon me, 'most trusted student', we haven't been formally introduced. The name's Zoe, Spyro's personal Dragon Fairy? The one whose mom all but raised him from an egg with my help?" The fairy stated, jabbing a thumb at the dragon in question. "Yeah, I've been with this purple dork since day one, and I promise you: if your Elements of Harmony believe it necessary to call for his help, then Equestria as a whole is already in for one hell of a time. A time your princess will not be able to handle herself, no matter how magically powerful she is."

Twilight opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off when Spyro rose his hand in a halt. "Don't bother engaging her arguments; Dragon Fairies are a naturally stubborn and loud-spoken breed, and my fairy is particularly infuriating amongst her sisters." He told the unicorn, earning a sour puffy-cheeked pout from the fairy in question. "For your own sake, just take what she says with a grain of salt and don't encourage her any further."

"You only say that because you haven't won an argument yet without resorting to brute for-HEY!" Zoe barely managed to cry out before the dragon set an upside-down bowl on top of her, covering her completely, before setting a pie on top of that as a weight. "See what I mean?! This just proves my point, you scaly bastard! Get this thing off me before I take my wand and shove it up your-"

"She does make a point that I would take into thought." Spyro stated as he ignored the cup shifting back and forth while swearing in muffled words. "If your elements called for my help, then the threats that wait on the horizon are something that even Celestia cannot stand against."

Twilight still looked unconvinced. "But the Era of Disharmony has happened before, and Celestia has handled everything she ever faced then. What could be so different with Equestria's threats than those before?" She asked.

The dragon stared her directly in the eyes, his own gleaming with a fiery light.

"Who says we'll only be dealing with the threats from Equestria?"

That made the unicorn pause, and a dark realization made itself present in her mind

With a clatter of glass and steel, Zoe finally pried herself out from under her makeshift prison, dusting off and smoothing out the wrinkled petals of her dress as she stood up. "Did you honestly think the World Gate we used was the only one to open, and only to allow Spyro to come through?" She asked, all sarcasm and mockery gone from her voice. "That's not how World Gates work; the fact that one opened at all is proof that there are more throughout your world, and they all function in unison."

"So if the portal you all used is open..." Twilight whispered in growing dread.

"Then so are all the others, and for the first time in thousands of years our worlds have been reconnected, and anyone and anything in either one came come and go to the other as they please." As Zoe spoke, Spyro shifted his weight back to sit up straight, towering over the crowd with wings spread and tail uncoiled, only emphasizing his massive size and driving home the fairy's words to everypony listening. "The very course of both our histories have changed; how you ponies will come out of this 'Era of Disharmony' will depend on how willing you are to adapt and prepare."

"PONIES AND GUESTS, MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION, PLEASE? THE MAIN EVENT IS ABOUT TO BEGIN!"

Everyone quickly turned away in favor of Pinkie Pie's announcement, the earth pony herself marching through town in her makeshift Dragon Priest robes, followed by two stallions pulling a large wagon, which was carrying a huge cloche dish large enough to hold a pony inside.

Spyro, curious as to what this was, got up and stepped over the table, he and the rest of the crowd all heading toward the middle of the party area, where Pinkie was setting up the wagon's contents on the makeshift altar she had built.

The fairy regarded Twilight's frightened face with a dull look. "But for now, you have a rare moment of peace between threats, so enjoy it. Enjoy all these moments when they come, because now they hold weight like they never had before." Her wings fluttered with purple pixie dust as she took to the air. "So make sure to make the best of them when you can."

And with that she turned and followed after her dragon, leaving Twilight standing there, wondering what on earth would become of her and her friends.

---

Zoe Autumnleaf
Gender: Female
Race: Unrecorded, "Fairy"
Fairies are a mystical and important race in the Dragon World and others of magical nature, as they tend to nature's many elements and control the changes of the seasons, much like how ponies do. Zoe Autumnleaf is a Dragon Fairy, who are considered giants in the fairy world, and whose natural job is to care for dragons and help them magically develop when young; Zoe is Spyro's personal fairy, and thanks to their magical bond she possesses full immunity to all but the most powerful and complex of magical spells and castings, as well as the ability to fuse his essence to 'safe locations' and revive him there should he fall in battle.

---

"Come one, come all!" Pinkie Pie announced to the crowd, standing on her hind legs as they gathered about in curiosity; the skull of her staff had folded away on a hinge, revealing a microphone underneath. "Today we are all here to honor the brave dragon who stopped that meanie-pants Nightmare Moon and saved our all flanks from eternal night! Now let's put our hooves together and give a big round of applause to Spyro the Dragon, the Beast of Everfree!"

Spyro couldn't help but swell a bit with pride and victory as a hearty cheer rose from the crowd, the ponies stomping their hooves on the ground in their form of clapping. It was moments like these that he lived for: the cheer and gratitude of those he saved, the rewards and love of the rescued, the praise of a hero. It was always the third best part of the adventure, second being the battles and first the adventuring itself. It was even more rewarding to see his friends standing throughout the audience, clapping themselves with looks that said 'you did good, Spyro, and we're proud of you'.

It never failed to make his fire warm and happy.

He was also very curious as to what Pinkie Pie had planned with this altar and hidden treat; he had already been pleasantly surprised that the pony had managed to make a Dragon Priest outfit, and equally impressed she even knew what those were, let alone how to make her own goofy version of their ceremonial robes. With those robes and that altar, whatever she was planning must be good for a dragon.

The clapping died down as Pinkie beckoned Spyro to the altar, motioning him to sit down in front of it. As Spyro settled himself down, tucking his wings to his side and stretching his tail out, the two stallions worked together to lift the cloche dish off the wagon and carry it to the altar, setting it down on top in front of the drake.

"So, without further ado, I present you this sacrifice as thank you for saving our butts, from Nightmare Moon and every jerk who comes after!"

Spyro's tail began wagging like that of a dog's with excitement; the long saurian extension of his spine whipped through the air dangerously, making ponies nearby scramble away in fear. But Pinkie paid it no mind as she grabbed the cloche lid and lifted off with a fluid swipe.

"Bon Appetit!"

"WHAT THE BUCK?!"

"OH, THE HORROR! THE HORROR!

"THIS IS AWFUL!"

"PINKIIIIIIIIIE!"

"WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!"

"IS THIS EVEN LEGAL?!"

"OH, THE PONIANITY!"

"WHYYYYYYYY?!"

And all Spyro could do was stare, unamused, before abruptly face-palming so hard it sounded across the main square.

There, strapped to the plate, was an earth pony mare with magenta-purple fur and a bouncy light-pink mane and tail with even lighter-pink highlights. She was wearing a innocent-yet-revealing white dress, along with a woven crown of flowers, though the appearance of innocence was harshly killed by the thick ropes indignity hogtying her in place. Speaking of hogs, she was also lying upon leaves of lettuce and had an apple stuffed in her mouth, muffling her words as she wriggling and squirmed in place, trying to get free of her bonds. The pony took one look at Spyro before going wide-eyed and freaking out, wriggling frantically like a stuck worm while squealing muffled curses through her apple.

"Pinkie Pie..." Twilight began, eyebrow twitching dangerously. "...what the BUCK?!"

Pinkie, however, just looked innocently confused. "What? It's Spyro's virgin sacrifice!" She stated, motioning to the struggling pony. "Haven't you every read a book? Everypony knows that when a dragon shows up in a town, you offer a sacrifice of an innocent virgin maiden to appease him so he doesn't eat the livestock!"

Twilight's eye twitched dangerously; ever read a book, indeed...the fact she actually had the gall to ask HER such a question...oh wait, she had a pony to save from becoming lunch.

"First of all, what time do you think we live in, the Hearth's Warming ages?" The unicorn asked, waving a hoof toward Spyro. "Secondly, do you think is even a bit morally questionable? You're only, oh I don't know, OFFERING A FELLOW PONY TO GET EATEN! We don't even know if those stories are real or not!"

"Oh, they're real." Spyro spoke up. "But we don't eat the maidens. We play with them: have them sing songs for us and pleasure us with their flesh until we are content and happy...and then we eat them." He then frowned, poking at the bound pony with a claw, enticing a squeak of alarm. "But it matters not; I won't be eating her."

While everypony looked relieved, Pinkie Pie looked worried and even scared. "B-But I went through all the trouble to find the oldest yet fairest virgin in town! I went through all the mares I could find and checked them all myself. Personally." The tied pony, whom the other ponies recognized as Cheerilee, stopped her struggling to give Pinkie the ugliest stink eye Spyro had ever seen, a muffled growl on indignation escaping through her apple; not only that, but there was mass blushing, a few indignant hoof stomps, and even low exclamations of anger throughout many of the mares standing throughout the crowd. "I even went ahead and picked out the crème of the crop for you. On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd rank them 'would totally tap dat'!"

Spyro blinked in confusion. "Did...you just come out of the closest in front of the entire town?" He shook his head, clearing out that mess. "The answer is still 'No'. I don't want her for a sacrifice." He stated as he pushed the plate and the pony on it away from him.

Pinkie, however, didn't give up. "Why not?" She asked, pushing the plate back toward him.

"You ponies aren't my type." Spyro snapped, pushing the plate back again, this time with enough force to knock Cheerilee off the plate; the ropes came undone, and the moment they fell from her body she bolted, disappearing into the crowd.

"Hey, come back!" Pinkie yelped, reaching out after her, but to no avail. She gave a huff, puffing her cheeks out, before taking a calm breath and letting her features relax. "...okay then! If that doesn't satisfy you, then I'll something that will! In that regard..." The earth pony gave the dragon the most serious, focused, and determined glare she could muster, and in a voice that was just as steeled and ready, she asked a single question:

"What...is your fetish?"

The silence that followed could not be described in words.

And was only broken by the hysterical laughter from Hunter and Zoe, both of whom cackled so hard they clutched their stomachs and fell backwards, the former into a nearby table, and the second into a bowl of punch.

Spyro's expression was decidedly blank as a wooden board. "What."

"What is your fetish?!" Pinkie repeated, zipping around him excitedly. "What is it that gets your party pumpin'? Lights up that fire in your belly? Gets you feelin' funky? You say the word and I'll get you a maiden that'll make stallions worldwide weep with envy! I will not let this party be a disaster!"

She hopped over to the crowd, pulling out an entire dozen of surprised, outraged mares. "So! What is it about those 'pleasures of the flesh' that you like best?" She asked coyly, making weird gestures with her hooves. "Is it the big bouncy butts?" She slapped Derpy across the flank, making the pegasus' eyes go wide and straight. "Is it the long luscious legs?" She ran a hoof down Bonbon's leg, making the earth pony's fur bristle. "Or are you into one of those thingies?" She pumped Lyra's horn and yanked Carrot Top's tail at the same time, making both mares blush and squeak. "You say the word and it's yours. What do you like in girls? Butts? Legs? Horns?"

"Breasts."

Pinkie blinked. "What?"

"You asked what I like." Spyro spoke again, his face still straight. "And I like Breasts." Pinkie still looked confused. "Boobs? Tits? Melons? Knockers? Bajongas?"

Still confused as ever, Pinkie instead turned her attention to Elora, who was standing a few feet away; when the faun's eyes met hers, she motioned to Spyro with an expectant look and a head shake. Elora rolled her eyes at the whole situation before cupping her own (impressively large) breasts with her hands, bouncing them for emphasis.

Pinkie's face lit up with realization. "Oh, you mean udders!" She exclaimed happily.

The dragon gagged with a reptilian gurgle, jaws open and forked tongue sticking out. "Ugh, hell no! Gross!" He snapped, shooing the pink pony away with a claw. "Like I said, you ponies aren't my type."

Pinkie Pie looked ready to cry "B-But...butt...!"

Bonbon raised her hoof. "So let me get this straight: you never wanted a maiden sacrifice to begin with, and as a result of Pinkie going overboard, half of Ponyville has been violated beyond therapeutic recovery by that pink monster for nothing?" She asked.

To that, Spyro simply nodded with a saurian grumble.

The beige pony nodded. "I see..." She stated. "...well, if we aren't needed anyone, please excuse us..." She then turned to Pinkie with a look that could cook ice; identical to the rest of the faces of the dozens of other mares that quickly surrounded the suddenly worried element bearer.

"N-N-Now, wait a minute girls!" Pinkie began with a nervous grin, sweating profusely as the violated ponies began to close in, glaring at her with vengeance. "C-Can't we just f-forget this e-ever happened? I-I-I mean, no h-harm no f-foul, right?" Her words fell on deaf ears, some even beginning to beat their hooves together. "A-A-And don't forget! It was for the g-good of the kingdom! I-I'm sure Princess C-C-Celestia NOT THE FACE!" That was all she got out before she was dog-piled by over thirty angry mares, all yelling insults and profanities as they tackled her, kicking up a classic fight-cloud, comical-sounding punches, honks, slaps, animal cries and noise makers coming from within as they tumbled down the street, sweeping up everypony in their path up into the chaos.

Twilight and Spyro could only share an exasperated glance before both face-palming so hard they bruised their foreheads, both mourning the slow loss of their future sanity...both completely unaware of a mysterious pony hiding in the bushes just next to them, taking down notes on a piece of royal canterlot parchment.

"Spyro. Gender: Male. Race: Dragon..."