The looks on the faces of all the ponies present was pretty much one single emotion. Confusion. I blinked and looked around, eyes meeting those of the princesses. "Um....hello?" I say, waving a bit. The white princess, who i assumed was Celestia, since the other princess looked like Luna, what with her starry sky mane, spoke up.

"Pardon us. We were momentarily...how do the lower class say...thrown off? by your request. Not to mention that thou art a being the likes of which neither our sister nor us have seen before." She said, an almost motherly smile present on her face, but with her body in a position shown she was ready to reach for her weapons should the situation turn hostile.

"Indeed sister, tis a most strange creature the guard dost bring to our court. Tell us...Connor...thou did say?" Luna asked, to which I nodded. "Connor then. Tell us, what exactly art thou?" The princess of the night questioned. "And also thine feline companion on thine shoulder."

I smiled and bowed my head. "Connor Fortino, Human being, scientific name Homo Sapiens. A species of mammal that over thousands of eons evolved from apes and chimpanzees." I then smirk at Scratch, who during our mental lessons had told me the name that originally went with the form he had was Pantherlily, Grandpa Gajeel's old Exceed companion, but he had accepted the name Scratch as he liked it. "And as for my companion, I believe he can answer that better." I said, holding my arm out, palm raised. Scratch nodded and hopped off my shoulder, sprouting his wings and floating over into my outstretched hand. He gave a curt bow, his arms at his side.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintances your majesties. My name is Scratch. I am known as an Exceed. A type of magical feline capable of flight and, once I learn to fully utilize my magic, transformation into a more humanoid form." At this, the jaws of everyone in the room hit the floor, the Princesses and the guards in the room over the fact that he was talking and admitted to being able to use magic, myself and the guards that had been with us over the fact he had said he could also eventually use a spell to become more humanoid. I looked at him and thought.

Wait seriously? You can do that too? Scratch smiled and nodded at me, responding in turn.

Indeed. Though Aera, the flight magic, is intrinsic to almost all exceed, the transformation magic takes practice and time. he said, sending me a mental image of how he would look upon mastering his transformation, the bulky almost human feline appearance gave me a slight shock.

Princess Celestia brought everyone's attention back by politely clearing her throat. "Yes, well, while that was a surprise to us all, let us return to the issue at hand." She then turned her gaze on me. "Unfortunately, as our sister and we have stated, thou art a foreign species to us. To find thine home would require research our subjects are not capable of at this time." She said, Luna nodding. "Twere it any other time, our scholars would be overjoyed at the prospect of a new world and new species, but unfortunately our ponies are quite busy dealing with the recent threat of the dragons." I blinked, noticing I've been blinking in surprise a lot, but then again I was in a new world surrounded by everything my world told me never existed, remembering how the guards reacted before.

Scratch then spoke up. "If I may Princesses, Connor here would be a valuable asset to your cause." I froze and nearly gave myself whiplash as I looked over at the floating cat.

"Say what?!" I practically shouted, my voice echoing in the spacious throne room.

Several others seemed to share my sentiment, Princess Luna speaking up. "We share the same thought as young Connor. Pray tell Sir Scratch, how wouldst he be of assistance in driving back the dragons?" I nodded and looked at him, confused as all hell as well.

Scratch smiled and thought to me quick. remember the dragon? "Connor here possess a special type of magic. One he inherited from his Great Grandfather. It is a special ancient type of magic specifically made for fighting against dragons." I blink, surprised as I remembered the dragon flying into me, though my thoughts derailed a split second later. "It's name is Tetsu no Metsuryū Mahō. Translated to the language we are speaking now, is Iron Dragon Slayer Magic." I stand there in shock, my eyes widening as my jaw practically dropped. What he basically told me was I have magic capable of slaying giant, fire breathing, scaly behemoths.

And you couldn't have told me this during our little trek here? Would have been nice to know I got more than just sensing magic! I thought to him with an almost rapidfire pace.

He turned and glanced at me. I was planning to explain it when we were in private, but now seemed as good a time as any. Besides, you've sensed their magical power. If this helps us get in on their good side, then we've got a link to potentially powerful friends/allies. Also if we can help them with whatever problem they are facing with the dragons, then it might speed up them researching how to send you home. I grumbled, begrudgingly accepting his logic.

The princesses stared in shock as well at this news, looking me over with a mix of curiosity, intrigue, and...was that respect? Luna looked at the two of us before speaking up. "If young Connor truly possesses the magic thou dost say, perhaps he would care to demonstrate?" She said, Celestia nodding in agreement. Scratch looked up at me, sending his thoughts.

Scratch then turned to me and thought spoke That dragon was the embodiment of the Iron Dragon Slayer magic. Dragon Slayer magic changes the constitution of it's wielder to that of a dragon's. With it, you can change your body into iron, steel if you can withstand absorbing carbon, fire projectiles from your hands, a massive breath attack, and you can also eat iron to regain energy.

Hearing all this in my mind made my eyes widen as he sent me images associated with grandpa Gajeel using these techniques, but what shocked me the most was the last bit. "I can EAT iron?!" I thought aloud, drawing the attention of everyone, save Scratch. He simply nodded and flew over, grabbing a guard's spear and brought it over to me.

"Here, bite." I blinked, taking the spear in my hands, grunting a bit as it was actually quite heavy. I looked at him with some hesitation, the exceed simply nodding. I sighted and carefully placed the head of the spear in my mouth, closing my eyes as I shut my jaw harder than I should have, waiting for the inevitable clang of my teeth meeting the metal. However, it never came. Rather than that sound, what was heard was a crunching sound, as if someone were tearing through the metal. I opened my eyes in shock as I felt my teeth meet, showing I had in fact bitten clean through the head of the spear, much to the shock of nearly everyone in the room. I slowly began to chew, the metal breaking apart in my jaws, the sensation being that of cold toast, the metal not even cutting my mouth as I swallowed, blinking as I almost felt energized, my eyes widening as I began eating the rest of the spear head, a few seconds later only the shaft of wood left. I gave a soft burp before wiping my lips, realizing the looks of everyone around. "Uh....excuse me?" I said with an embarrassed chuckle.

Scratch smiled and turned to the princesses. "Dragon slayer magic pertains to various elements, the magic changing the wielder's constitution to that of a dragon, allowing them to withstand the great strength and powers of the creatures, leveling the playing field as it were." He turned to me with a smile. Now focus on the energy within you, and imagine your skin becoming like Iron, almost as if you were putting on armor.

I blink and close my eyes, slowly focusing on the new energy eating that spear head gave me. Moments later I open my eyes, a flash of bright green light appearing under me. I look down, seeing the same circle as the amulet and what the dragon flew into. My own eyes, and I'm sure everyone else's, widening in surprise as the skin along my arms and part of my upper chest slowly turned a steel gray, gaining the appearance of scales, my nails lengthening into pointed claw tips. "Huh, I was going for full body look."

Scratch smiled and flew over, landing on my head. More than likely because you lack full training. Though it is an impressive start. He then looked at the princesses. "This your majesties, is Tetsuryū no Uroko, or Iron Dragon's Scales. It changes the user's skin to scales similar to that of an Iron Dragon's, boosting the user's physical offensive abilities, but also their physical defense as well."

I blinked and looked over at Scratch. "So literally like a skintight suit of armor?" I ask him, to which he nods I turn to one of the earth pony guards. "Could one of you hit me? I want to test this?" I say, the guards looking at each other before Commander Steel walked over, his look questioning if I was sure or not. I smiled and nodded. "Scratch says I have scales of iron, so I wanted to test it." I say, tapping my chest. "Not your strongest hit, just one you know would knock an opponent down." I say, bracing myself, placing my arms together and against my chest. Steel nodded and took a stance before launching a punch straight at my chest. A resounding clang echoed throughout the throne room for several seconds. Afterwards there was a brief silence as the ponies and exceed stared at us, myself having only moved back an inch and honestly it felt like he tapped me. However the result of the defense could be seen, as it almost seemed like a vibration went along the earth pony's arm before vibrating his whole body, pulling slowly away before standing straight and nodded.

"Most Impressive." He said before bowing to the princesses and walking out of the throne room to return to duties. Just before the doors closed however, they could all hear the commander swear quite loudly. "MOTHER BUCKE-" His swear was cut off as the throne room doors closed.

I then turned to the princesses and chuckled. "Whoops." I said, the magic deactivating as I saw my skin return to normal.

The ponies all stared at me before the two princesses stood to their full height, Celestia appearing a good head or so taller than me, while Luna was just half a head taller. "Well young Connor, twould seem that thine magic is indeed impressive, and quite unlike any Equestria, or perhaps the world itself, has ever seen." Princess Celestia spoke before turning to the guardsponies. "Guards, if thou would please leave the court, our sister and we have something we wish to ask Sir Connor." She said, the guards looking at each other hesitantly, Luna merely tapping her hoof to gain their attention.

"Our sister is correct. We shall be fine noble guards, but what shall be requested is of utmost importance, and only for the ears of ourselves, our sister, and Sirs Connor and Scratch." The guards nodded, all leaving the throne room, the last one out closing the door behind them all. I turned and looked, jumping back a bit as the two sisters had suddenly gotten much closer. "Sir Connor. With knowledge of thine magic, we would ask of thee a boon." I blinked, thinking back to my english classes and shakespeare.

"Oh a favor." I smiled and nodded. "Of course your highnesses. After all, I'm but a stranger in your lands. Who am I to reject the request of it's rulers." I say with a soft bow. Scratch was right. Now that they were right next to me I had to all but shut out my magical sense, as the pressure of the two of them right there was like someone had my heart and lungs in a choke hold.

The two of them smiled softly before Luna spoke. "In a week's time, the king of Thaczil Darastrixi shall be venturing to our palace in order to establish diplomatic relations with Equestria. We would be most appreciative if though wouldst attend with us and be on our guard detail." She said, earning a slightly stunned reaction from me. The two rulers of the country were asking me to be intimidating muscle at a diplomatic meeting.

"Well, I can't exactly say no , considering that i have no place of my own in this world. Plus, it gives me time to learn more about my magic." I said with a smile. "In short. I'd be honored." I said with a curt bow. We then talked briefly about what sort of etiquette I needed to learn when dealing with the king and ambassadors from Thaczil Darastrixi, which I learned the next day meant Kingdom of Dragons. Now me being intimidation made more sense.

Over the next couple days, I was taught the proper etiquette from a few Equestrian scholars, along with some basic history of the country of Equestria itself. Scratch had also been teaching me more about Iron Dragon Slayer magic, as well as a few basic healing magics that would help for anything that could get through my defenses. Needless to say there were a few accidents here and there.

I simply stared at my arm which was now an iron pole from the elbow down. The Tetsuryūkon, or Iron Dragon's Club, as Scratch had called it, had been the next magic I had tried to learn. Needless to say it was cool as I could extend it a good fifteen feet in front of me before bringing it back to it's normal two and a half feet length. The only problem however, was that no matter how much I willed or tried, my arm wouldn't go back to normal. 'well, this is gonna make going to the bathroom awkward. Good thing it was my left arm and not my right though. Finally by the end of the day it had returned to normal after draining my magical reserves to the point of exhaustion.

I simply stared at the massive hole in the ground, the Princesses, several guards, and the castle groundskeeper all staring at me with a look of slight irritation. I sheepishly rubbed the back of my head. 'How was I supposed to know that the Iron Dragon's Breath would make that big of a hole with just a little magic poured into it.' I say with a soft laugh and blush. The groundskeeper simply walked over, handed me a shovel, and pointed at the scattered dirt and stone. I sighed and relented, getting to work on repairing the ground.

He also had me train to test my magical reserves, getting a feel for how much magic I had, how much each technique cost, and how to slowly strengthen my pool. I had also been spending time at the forge in the castle, both helping the smiths, and also getting myself an occasional snack of metal that could no longer be re-worked into anything. What? I've learned to enjoy a snack of metal. Plus it helps replenish my magical pool just a little bit. The purer and more refined the iron, the better the taste and the more energy I get back.

A week had finally gone by, and I found myself out in the grounds doing some strength training, using a tree branch for pull ups when I heard a loud roar off in the distance. I dropped down, threw on my jacket, and ran back inside, getting ready for the meeting that could potentially change this kingdom's future for the better, or doom it forever.

Author's Notes:

Removed the question about which path to take, as I've decided to go with the ally path storyline.

Again, edited briefly so there's only one person talking per paragraph/section. Let me know if there's anything else to fix.