The day only just begun in the calm town of Ponyville, ponies were slowly waking up from their slumbers, every home was filled with loud yawning and sounds of creaking beds. However, on the edge of the town two small creatures were already up on their legs, they were far from yawning, ahead of them was the Everfree Forest.

The first to face those almost legendary trees was a young dragon-pony hybrid, Crystal Clarity also known as Clair, or like her current companion preferred, Crys. Her skin was a light shade of purple along with few darker scales on her hind legs. She wore her purple mane in similar fashion as her mother, Rarity, but in Claire’s case there were two horns growing out from her head, both bended backwards. Her face was adorned with excited smile.

Claire nodded to herself and made one more step, finally making it past the borderline of Everfree.

“Crys, you sure this is a good idea?” Illusion asked as he took a last glance over the sight of Ponyville, slowly drifting away from them.

“Oh come on, don’t be a wuss, I’m telling you there’s no such thing like ‘Dangerous Dragon’”—Claire put her left claw on her puffed out chest—“I can give you my word!”

“I wonder where all you confidence comes from.” He commented. “Considering how even your mother said that most dragons are bad guys.”—He stopped in his tracks and once again turned around towards the Ponyville—“Not to mention your father, the dragon, also said that these guys are dang—“

“I had enough of that Lulu!” She screamed at the top of her lungs startling her companion a little. “Everyone always says that, but it’s not true.” Claire’s angry scowl slowly changed into sad frown as she sat down on her haunches. “It’s not true.” She repeated quietly.

Illusion sighed and scratched his head with his lion paw, he brushed a bit of his dark long mane and stomped his left hoof powerfully on the ground. “You know what, you’re right.”

Claire’s ears rose. “Really?” She asked.

“Yeah, I’m sure they are nice guys, I mean you’re a dragon, well a half dragon, and yet you are one of the nicest, kindest ponies out there.”—He scratched his head once again, this time with his hoof—“Actually when I think about it uncle Spike would be a better example of kindness and—“ He didn’t get to finish his sentence as it was interrupted by Claire’s punch to his shoulder.

Young dragon-pony chuckled for a moment and sighed, “Thanks, you always knew how to cheer me up.”

“Prince Illusion reporting on duty.”—He saluted with his paw—“But try to hit me with less force next time, ouch.” He said as he rubbed his sore shoulder.

“Yeah, I’ll think about it.” She said and turned back towards the line of trees, each one of them looked as if they wanted to challenge her to break through this forbidden wall. She smiled widely showing off her dragon fangs and raised her claw.

“Towards the adventure!”

Illusion’s smile dropped down. “I thought we are only supposed to meet a dragon, make sure they’re nice and get out?” He asked with small glitter of hope.

“Well yeah, but this is the Everfree Forest! Even my father is afraid of going in there.”

Illusion couldn’t decide whether his friend is amazingly brave, or just plain stupid. But he knew one thing for sure, with each of her words Claire’s excitement rose, and as much as he didn’t like it, he knew there’s nothing he can do about it. “Fine”—He sighed—“Let’s go.”

“Ohh I love holidays so much.” Spike commented as he slowly crawled out of his huge bed, he stood up on all four of his powerful dragon legs and stretched out. “The only thing I love more would be a big, tasty sapphire, or a ruby, damn I would love to have a ruby for breakfast.”

“Oh, so you love gems more than me?” Rarity asked as she walked into their room with a tray full of delicious food and freshly squeezed apple juice all held with her magic.

Spike smirked. “Well I can’t eat you.”—He winked—“At least, not in the way I eat gems.” He said in a low voice earning a deep blush on her face.

“I knew it was a bad idea to come check up on you two first thing in the morning.”

Both Spike and Rarity completely froze and for a moment the only noise that came from their room was a sound of shattering glass as the breakfast tray had a hard meeting with the floor.

“H-How you doing Twi?” Spike stammered out while trying to not look dumb with a fake, dumb smile glued to his face.

In their door stood Princess Twilight Sparkle, the same pony who invited them over to her residence, here in Ponyville. “I’m fine, it’s just,”—she raised her eyebrow—“how do you call that feeling when you heard something you were not supposed to hear?”

“Right now I would say it’s awkwardness.” Rarity commented.

“Right.” Twilight nodded and cleared her throat. “Anyway, I’m here just to make sure there’s nothing you guys need.”

“Oh no, we’re completely fine.”—Spike said, his fake smile still adorning his face—“Right honey?

“Oh indeed!” Rarity smiled and gestured over their whole room with her hoof. “This little piece of art you keep on calling ‘no big deal’ is a magnificent place, not to mention the rest of this architectural gem!”

“I’m very glad you like it so much.” Twilight said. “It was designed by Môsby himself.”

“That famous Architect?” Rarity gasped with surprise. “It must have been expensive darling.”

Twilight chuckled. “Not really, I met him long before he became famous, so I got quite a discount for this, besides—“ Twilight pointed towards her crown—“I can afford such things now.”

“Oh well, one day a librarian with minimal payment, next day a Princess with her own castle,”—Rarity chuckled—“now that’s what I call a great career.”

Princess of Friendship laughed few times and with a smile on her muzzle she said. “I have few royal duties to do so I’ll be going now, but once I’m done with them we could maybe, hit the spa?”

“I would love to darling.” Rarity said with a nod.

Twilight smiled brightly and left the room leaving her dragon brother and one of her best friends alone.

“Now then, we will go to kitchen and get ourselves a new breakfast.” Rarity said and turned towards Spike. “And then we will talk a little about your uncouth tongue mister.”

Spike laughed nervously for a few moments, but eventually his expression fall into submission and he nodded.

Rarity smiled. “Well then, let’s go and wake up Clarity, we both know she takes her sleeping habits after you.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” Spike said proudly. “But hey, these are supposed to be her vacations, maybe lets give her a few more hours of sleep if she wants them so?”

Rarity pondered over the idea for few moments and finally she nodded. “Sure, why not.”

Proud parents walked out of their room and into one of the hallways leading towards the staircase, Spike chuckled and as they stopped right in front of the stairs he looked through the window, “I’m sure she’s going to have a lot of fun here, same goes for Illusion, on the other hoof.”—He looked back toward Rarity—“These two always manage to get into trouble.”

“Oh don’t be silly.” She said. “What’s the worst thing that could happen?”

“This is absolutely the worst thing that could have happened!” Illusion screamed at the top of his lungs as his hoofs and paws were forced to work faster than possible. He wasn’t a big fun of physical exercises, magic studies and brain wars were much more to his liking, however a whole pack of timberwolves running after him was enough motivation even for Illusion.

“Oh please, are you afraid of few puppies?” Claire commented.

“Look who’s talking!”—He turned his head back towards his companion who run just behind him—“Correct me if I’m wrong but you’re running away as well.”

“Well sure, but I’m not running away, this is merely a strategic retreat.”

Illusion’s stared at her dumbly, not sure if he heard her right, all the while his legs where running almost automatically forward. “Are you insane?!” He shouted.

“Hey! Watch your tongue.”

“No I’m serious right now, how can you spat out such nonsense in this kind of situation?!”

Claire frowned and was about to retort, but something really big caught her eyes, she looked at Illusion and shouted, “Lulu! Watch out for the edge!”

“What?!” He shouted back but quickly realized what she meant, he turned back and just like she said, their road was coming to an end, in quite literal way.

“What do we do?!” She shouted.

He took another glance back at the timberwolves and quickly thought of their options, he closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. “We jump.”

“We what?!”

“The alternative is being eaten by a bunch of sticks!”

“You have a point.”

And so, they ran for few more moments and once they made it to the edge, they jumped into the unknown, if somepony was around he could have heard the scared girly screams, and an excited roar of a dragon.

Their fall was quick and soon they met first leaves and then branches of big trees, welcoming them back on earth. While Claire’s fall ended up being cushioned by one of many bushes with extremely thick greenery, Illusion wasn’t so lucky.

“Hey Lulu, where are you?” Claire shouted as she looked around searching for her companion, it didn’t take her long to find him, she could barely hold her laugh in as she approached what seemed to be, the screaming bush.

“So, much, pain!” Illusion shouted while trying to make his way out of his prison.

“L-Lulu, are y-you,”—Claire put her claw to her mouth trying to withstand her urge to laugh at her friends misery—“are you all right?”

“Of yes indeed, I am great, I was just about to take a nap in this lovely—get me out of here for my mom’s sake!” He suddenly shouted. “Why is this bush made of pain?!”

Claire laughed quietly under her nose, being fully aware that her companion can hear her, as soon as she calmed herself down she sighed and walked towards the bush in order to help her friend, snickering all the while.

After few moments Illusion was freed from the pain-bush, and they sat under one of the biggest tree around, in order to get some rest, and to get all the thorns out from Illusion’s mane.

“I’m never”—He frowned a bit after Claire pulled out another thorn—“listening to you again.”

“Oh please, this was priceless, and besides,” she stopped and pulled out another one, sending a wave of pain through his nervous system, “it wasn’t that bad.”

“Oh sure, for you it wasn’t, try having a bunch of thorns in your skin we’ll see who will be laughing then.”

“Anyways, we came so far we can’t give up now, we are going to find this dragon and we will prove our point.” She said and stood up, she turned towards the inviting trees in front of them and marched forward.

“Look out new world here we come!” She started to sing. “Brave, intrepid and then some!”

“Crys—“

“Pioneers of maximum audacity whose resumes, show that we are just the team to live where others merely dream!”

“Crys!”

“Building up a head of steam, on the trail we blaze!”

“Oh for the love of my mother.”

[hs]

“Hey there sweetheart, time to wake up.” Spike said softly as he slowly entered the room where his daughter was supposed to sleep in, to his surprise that wasn’t the case as the bed was already empty.

“That’s weird.”

“Is something wrong darling?” Rarity asked from the hallway.

“Seems that our little gem woke up by herself.”

Rarity stepped into the room with her left eyebrow raised. “Did she? That’s very unlikely of her.”

Spike nodded. “But if she woke up already, where is she?”

Rarity pondered for a few moments. “Maybe she’s out there somewhere with Illusion having fun?”

“I hope so.” Spike said.

“I am sure that’s the case, come on we can ask Princess Celestia or Discord, maybe they will know something, after all Illusion is their son.” She said and smiled.

“You’re right, but how exactly are we going to ask Princess Celestia?”

Rarity smirked. “We’ll do it the old fashioned way.” She walked over to the small desk on the right side of the bed. “Spike,”—She narrowed her eyes—“take a letter.”

“Hey that’s my line.” Twilight shouted from somewhere in the hallway.

[hs]

“Tell me, do you at least know where this whole dragon we’re looking for is?” Illusion asked.

“No idea, but my dad told me stories about dragons living in huge caves where they store their treasures, so we can try that.” She answered cheerfully.

“Oh great, good plan is a base of successes.”

“You are really out of character today you know?”

“What do you mean?” He asked.

“Well you’re very grumpy.”

Illusion stopped in his tracks, and with a huge frown on his muzzle he swiftly turned back to Claire. “Try not to be grumpy after what I got through today!” He shouted at the top of his lungs, surprising and startling his companion.

“I was chased by timberwolves, I fall off the cliff and while you safely landed in some bush made of pillows I fell into bush made of pain! Try not to be grumpy in my place!”

Though startled at first Claire quickly regained her posture and with frown similar to her companion she raised her head and shouted back. “Well then why did you even come here after me?! You knew it will be dangerous!”

“Because I wanted to make sure you’re safe!”

“I am doing fine on my own thank you very much!”

“Then maybe I should leave?!”

“Maybe you should!”

“You know what?! I—“

He didn’t get to finish the sentence as it was stopped by a sudden noise coming from their left, it sounded like a snoring, but it was louder than any kind of snoring they heard before, and Claire was living under one roof with Spike.

“Lulu?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you think what I think?” She asked.

“That we should go home?”

“No, that there’s a dragon not so far from here.” She said with excited smile.

“Fine, let’s get this over with.”

Claire nodded and so they continued their journey, with their goal finally in sight they both cheered up as Clarity was getting more and more excited to meet a dragon, while Illusion was just happy this will all be over soon.

Luckily there were no more surprises, and soon enough after beating their way through some bushes they stood at the entrance to the cave.

And it was freaking huge.

“Well, at least we know there’s a dragon in here.” Claire commented.

“Yeah, I’ve been thinking, you’re sure you want to go in there?” Illusion asked.

“We’ve come so far, I am not going back until I get my point proven.” She smiled with excitement. “Lets go.”

Illusion sighed in defeat as he quickly realized he has nothing to say in the matter “Womans.” He quietly mumbled under his nose.

They walked through the cold and damp cave, deeper and deeper into the unknown, while Illusion was getting more and more nervous, he really wanted to get this over with and so the only thing on his mind was a picture of himself taking a long relaxing bath, back in Canterlot Castle.

Claire, while being really excited at the entrance she slowly was starting to lose her confidence, with each noise she heard her legs were starting to tremble.

Finally, after what felt like hours for both of our heroes, they made it to the dragon’s lair.

The complete darkness in which they journeyed so far was no more, it was defeated by a shining light of sun, coming through the hole in ceiling and reflecting of thousands, upon thousands of gems and golden coins.

“W-Wow.” Claire commented.

“Yeah, wow.” Illusion added, even he never saw such a fortune in one place, and he was a son of Equestria’s Princess.

Claire shook her head and wiped off the saliva that started to flow from her mouth, she narrowed her eyes and looked around searching for their goal.

“Look! He’s there!” She shouted and pointed towards the sleeping householder of this place.

It was an adult dragon, his green scales shone in the light similar to the gems around him, making even looking at him difficult. And just like they predicted, he was huge, huge enough to bring down whole buildings with just a swing of his claws.

“All right, I think this won’t be unmanly for me to say that, I’m more scared than I ever was in my life!” He shouted.

Claire ignored her companion, her previous excitement came once more onto the surface and completely took over her, she didn’t waste any time and quickly run off towards the great dragon.

“Hey, wait for me!” Illusion shouted and ran after his friend, towards the most intimidating looking creature he ever saw.

In only few moments Claire was already at the dragon’s sleeping head, she wandered around it wondering how to wake him up. She raised her claw and poked him few times on the eyelid.

“Claire are you mad?! What are you doing to him?” Illusion asked as he managed to catch up with her.

“Well I won’t be able to check if he’s nice or not if he’s asleep.” She said making it sound like an obvious fact.

“True but—“ Illusion didn’t manage to finish his sentence as he was frozen with fear, the eyelid Clair poked for so long finally opened revealing a huge reptilian eye.

Clarity looked into the eye a bit dumbfounded for a moment, she shook her head, took a deep breath and finally cleared her throat. “Hello.” She said.

”What are you two pipsqueaks doing in my cave?” He asked with voice so low and so loud it could probably break glass.

Claire took a moment to regain her hearing ability and then she continued. “We were traveling through the Everfree Forest, and we got lost, could you please help us out?” She asked with confidence flowing through her, This is it she thought now he will get us safely to home and I will once and for all prove that dragons aren’t dangerous.

“Really? Cause for me it looks like you tried to rob me while I was asleep." He said as he raised his hand and slowly started to lift himself up from the floor, making the whole place shake.

“N-No we weren’t, we—“

“Silent little ponies.” Dragon licked his lips and smiled. “I’ve been asleep for a long time and I am quite hungry” He stood up almost hitting the ceiling with the top of his head.

“Crys?”

Claire stood there frozen, she was completely taken aback, she couldn’t believe what her eyes and ears were telling her. “Mom and dad were right after all.” She commented quietly, a tear made mostly of fear flow down her cheek.

“Crys, we need to get out of here! Snap out of it!” Illusion shouted and pushed his companion back and forward but she didn’t react at all, she was too scared of what was supposed to be her proof of dragon’s politeness.

Dragon roared powerfully, making Illusion almost fall over his own legs, with no more options left he picked up Claire and put her on his back. “At least hang on to me.” He said and ran as fast as he could.

Which wasn’t very fast, Illusion was tired after spending so much time in Everfree on running, falling and once again running.

He ran towards the exit, panting and gasping for air all the while, but it was to no avail as Dragon was able to beat the same distance with just one step of his giant legs.

“Now, lets eat.” He said and reached for them with his claw.

Illusion stopped in his tracks and closed his eyes, as he was sure the end was coming. Claire hugged him tightly while still on his back and only quietly said “Sorry.”

Dragon’s claws were almost closed on our two heroes, but just before they were crushed by their might, something unexpected happened. They were saved by another dragon, Spike the dragon.

Illusion opened his eyes and saw the floor of the cave, rapidly moving away from them. Although confused at first he soon looked upwards and saw their savior, Claire’s father Spike was holding both of them while flying towards the entrance of the cave.

Once Spike noticed that Illusion came to his senses he smiled and asked. “Are you two all right?”

Illusion chuckled and said. “Yeah, I am a bit beat up, but that’s her fault.”

Spike chuckled. “Figures.”

“Where are you going with my food?! They heard the huge dragon, as he was running after them, rapidly getting closer.

Illusion looked over to Claire, only to realize that she passed out when dragon was reaching for them, he looked back at Spike and said. “I don’t think we’ll make it out Uncle, he’s faster than you.”

“Don’t worry, we only have to make it to the entrance.”

After few moments of racing through the once again dark hallways of dragon’s cave, they saw the light in the tunnel, and soon they were close enough to see somepony standing right outside dragon’s lair.

“Isn’t that, Aunt Rarity?”

“Yep.” Spike nodded.

“Why is her horn shining with purple and blue light?” Illusion asked as they landed near the said mare.

“Oh darling!”—Rarity shouted and ran over to Spike—“Are they all right?” She asked and softly ran her hoof over Claire’s forhead.

“A bit beat up but everything fine, now then take us out of here.”

Rarity nodded and her horn shone with two lights, the dragon finally caught up with his prey but it was too late, once he leaved the cave and reached his claw for them, they were already gone.

[hs]

“Where are we?” Illusion asked in utter confusion.

“You are in Sparkle’s Ponyville summer residence my dear.”

Illusion raised his head as he heard familiar voice, he turned around and saw Twilight Sparkle, smiling at him.

“Aunt Twilight! So that’s how we teleported out of there?”

“Yep.”—Twilight puffed out her chest—“Thanks to our cooperation Rarity pulled out a group teleportation spell.”

“Darling? Darling is everything okay?” Rarity gently asked her daughter, who slowly was waking up from her previous state.

“Where am I?” Claire asked.

“You’re safe now.” Spike said. “Don’t worry, everything’s all right now.”

Claire looked at her mother and her father, she couldn’t stand it any longer and burst out in tears. “I’m so sorry!” She shouted as she hugged her mom as tightly as possible, as if this was the last time she could do so. “I will never do something so stupid again, I promise.”

Spike and Rarity looked at each other and smiled, Claire felt his father’s warm palm gently brushing her mane. “We know.” He said.

Illusion and Twilight watched the scene from afar, both smiling. “Auntie, how did you guys know where we were?”

Princess chuckled. “That’s no mystery, after realizing that Claire is gone Spike send letter to Princess Celestia, asking her about your whereabouts.”

“Why mine?”

“They figured you two are almost always together.”

This comment for reasons he has not yet understood made Illusion happy, which in turn made him confused.

“And so,”—She continued—“once Princess Celestia wrote back that neither she nor Discord know where you are they became nervous, I used the tracking spell to get your whereabouts, and you know the rest.”

“Yeah, I’m happy we made it out.”

“Yeah, but you do know that once Princess Celestia will get to know about this you’ll be in big trouble?”

Illusion chuckled for few moments, before changing his chuckles into sad sigh.

“I need vacations.”

Author's Notes:

"When Claire was younger, she was fed up with how everypony would talk about how dangerous and scary dragons were. She was shocked when even Rarity said dragons (other than Spike) were dangerous. She refused to believe they were bad and when on a vacation to Ponyville with Rarity and Illusion, she went into Everfree to find one. Illusion followed to make sure she'd be safe. The dragon ended up being quite dangerous as predicted and Rarity, along with Spike, who came later, had to save the two children."