The Pony Dragon Riders

by Shadow Quill

First published 30th of December, 2016

Ponies and dragons have been at peace for the last hundred and fifty years after millenia of bloodshed, yet not everything is as it seems in this utopian world. Dark forces are brewing, and it is up to a small group of friends to set things right.

Will be undergoing heavy editing in the near future. Stay tuned and keep and eye out for when I begin going through this. Some things have been brought to my attention and I need to go back through this book to take care of them. Other than that, happy reading.

Since the beginning of recorded history, ponies have battled against the dragon scourge that threatened their very existence. The bloody conflict raged on for thousands of years until one gifted unicorn created something unbelievable. Using highly advanced magic and the most modern technology available, he created a collar that would render any dragon as harmless and a well-trained dog. Seemingly overnight the Great Dragon War came to an end, for the ponies no longer lived in fear of the dragons.

They had become their masters.

Yet in this new and glorious age, not everything is as it seems. Dark powers are working in the shadows, and nopony suspects the danger that lurks behind the brilliant splendor that is the new Equestria. Enter our young protagonist, Silver Spirit, a Pegasus colt with high hopes for the future and dreams as big as the sky. Join him and his merry band of friends as they journey to save the world from the coming darkness, and maybe discover a little about themselves along the way.

Proofread by the amazing Out of Place

"M" rating is for blood and guts mostly. Sorry for it but I don't pull punches when things get bloody. The sex tag is there for the chapters that will contain implied activity, but nothing overt. I don't do clop unless it has relevance to the plot. No pun intended you blockheads, get your brains out of the gutter.

0 - Pretext

Dragons. That was what they were. They had ravaged the surface of Equis for thousands of years, making it near impossible for ponies to live and grow. Armies of mares and stallions fought the beasts in an attempt to destroy them once and for all, but time and time again they failed. It was not until the year 3028 that a unicorn named Mythic Song came to our rescue. Through a combination of magic and high-tech machinery, he was able to make a collar that rendered any dragon as docile as a well-trained dog. Now the ponies of Equestria no longer lived in fear of dragons, for we had become their masters. Stronger breeds were used for hard labor, while others became stars in racing circles and police force assets. No one questioned the fact that the dragons would make a powerful army, but with the risk of the collars being damaged in battle, nopony wanted to risk disaster if any should break free.

And so Equestria became peaceful for the first time since 1220 B.D. (Before Discord), and we lived in harmony with the dragons. From birth the collars were attached around their necks, and that was where they stayed until the day they died. They never had to be removed because the magic within them allowed the collars to grow as the dragons did, ensuring that nopony ever had to risk a dragon breaking free. Little did we know that beneath the calm surface of our society, a dark force was biding its time, waiting for the right moment to strike. My name is Silver Spirit, and this is how my grand adventure began.

Author's Notes:

So this is the start of my new book. Hope to have you guys reading this as much as my other books. Please comment as much as possible and let me know what you think.
Alright, that's all for now and I'll see you next chapter.
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

I - Chosen

This was it, the day I could finally get my own dragon. I raced above the crowded dragon market, my blond mane flashing in the morning light as I made a beeline for the dragon pens. My bit pouch clinked against my flank with the money I had been saving for the last ten years, and my slightly dirty grey wings pumped against the light breeze as I sped past other Pegasi. Angry remarks and swinging hooves met my abrupt passing, but none ever connected, either against my body or in my ears. My sole mission was to get to the dragon pens first.

My blue and green-flecked eyes flashed from side to side, picking out the signs posted that led me to my destination. My freckled nose picking up the smell of the pens as I grew nearer, and my lips twitched into a grin as I rounded the corner to the pens. The sun shined through the grey clouds to beam down on the wooden structure, and I almost slumped with relief that I had beat the crowd to the pens. Usually when a new shipment of dragons came in from the breeding farms they only stayed there for half of the morning before they were all bought up. I knew that if I hadn’t gotten here very early, none of the good ones would have been left.

Ever since I was young, I had dreamed of owning a dragon and competing in the Dragon Circuit. It was the most prestigious dragon racing organization in the world and no one wanted to be in their ranks more than me. Only the best dragon riders could be racers in the Circuit, and I knew that even though I had never ridden a dragon of my own, I was a natural-born rider. I had only been six when my parents had taken me on my first dragon ride, and in an instant I connected with the creature so deeply that the green Slipscale had stopped listening to the ranch hands altogether and reacted only to my requests. The ranch owner had told my parents that I was destined to be a top racer, and even at that young age, I knew it was my purpose in life to do so. From that point on I got together with my friends as much as I could, honing my skills with their dragons while I waited for the chance to purchase one of my own. I knew that I would have to qualify to get into the Dragon Circuit, and the only way to do that was to own a dragon myself. You couldn’t simply ride a dragon in the qualifying trials on loan, it was utterly idiotic to think that would work. Not to mention I would have to race with that dragon until he or she became too old to race anymore, meanwhile my friend would have to essentially give me their dragon until it is too old to be of use anymore. Like I said, idiotic. So that was why I needed to wait until I could get a dragon of my own. I knew I would never be able to afford a top-bred racing dragon as my first, but with the sack of bits in my saddlebags, I could at least get a decent starter. At the age of eighteen, I was at the perfect point to start my career, and nothing was going to stop me from fulfilling my dream.

Not a second after the thought crossed my mind, I felt a swift pull on the straps that held my bags to my flank, and with a yank the right pouch was ripped from my body as the pickpocket raced by me. All I could see was his grey eyes and a thin lock of black mane sticking out from his hood, his muzzle covered in a bright red bandana. His hooves gripped my bits in a tight embrace as he raced away, his black cloak billowing behind him as I yelled and began pursuit. I had saved that money for ten years, and I was not about to let some lowly pickpocket take away my chance at glory without a fight. I yelled for help as we passed other ponies in the air, but even though the sky was so packed it was near impossible to maneuver, nopony even gave me a second glance as I chased after the thief.

I must have followed the young colt for ten blocks, his gender and relative age being revealed when his bandana flew off in the wind of his passage and I caught a glimpse of his young complexion. He had to be around the age of eight or nine, but damn this kid was fast. My lungs felt like they were about to burst, but I pushed through the pain, knowing that if I gave up I would never be able to get a dragon. The dusty brown colt must have been at the end of his rope as well, because he ducked into a back alley and tried to drop through a rain gutter to the sewers below. His attempt at losing me backfired when his cloak snagged on the rim of the gutter, effectively halting his movement long enough for me to catch up with him and yank his sorry hide out of the ground. I hadn’t realized how angry I was, but the shear amount of force needed to lift the kid with just my jaw must have been enormous. Apparently the kid knew it too and immediately dropped the sack at my hooves.

I held the kid aloft, his wide eyes barely an inch from mine, and I snarled in his face, “If I ever see you again, I’ll make sure you make it back to your house in lots of little pieces. I worked too hard for these bits to let you take them from me. So help me I’ll make you suffer like you can’t imagine if I ever see you again,” I tossed the kid back and heard his breath wheeze as he smacked into the stone wall of a clothing store, “Now, get out of my sight.”

I could have sworn the kid was about to die of a heart attack, but apparently his brain had enough power left to get his legs moving. He scrambled to his hooves and raced down the way we had come, and in that instant I slumped to my knees. My heart was racing at a mile a minute and I could feel my ribs straining with every heaving breath. I knew I had over-worked myself, but it had been worth it. The bits were mine once again and I could now get back to the pens. I snatched a glance over my shoulder at the sun, only to realize I must have been after the kid for a good part of the morning. The sun was now only a few degrees short of directly overhead, and I realized with a sinking heart that almost all of the dragons would have been bought by now. I would be lucky to get a dragon that had four working limbs and half a brain, if there were any left at all. I sighed and picked up my savings, feeling the reassuring sound of the metal clinking inside the leather as I slowly stood up. The next shipment of dragons wouldn’t come for another month, and even then I knew the pickings would be far worse. Today had been the first run at the end of the breeding season, and from this point on the quality of dragons would go down as the weaker and less appealing hatchlings were sold in place of their stronger and more admirable siblings. By the last run of the season only the runts would be left, and only the absolutely desperate would have any interest in the stock at all.

I turned around and started walking back home, feeling like a deflated balloon that had once been filled with Helium. I was only a block from home when I was roughly jerked off of my hooves and spun around to stare into a pair of black eyes. I was shoved back and I fell on my butt as I registered the group of ponies surrounding me. In an instant I spotted the three claw marks over an inverted pyramid that decorated the left peck of their blood red shirts. I knew I had just been chosen as a victim of the Blood Claw Riders, the most notorious gang of thugs in the whole country. Different sects and gangs were spread around the world, but the most resided in Equestria. Police forces had given up trying to capture all of the agents and had resigned to damage control for lack of better options. The Blood Claw Riders were known for removing limbs and even heads if they didn’t get what they wanted, and most of the time their dragons did the removing.

Behind each of the members was a black Whiptail, their sleek bodies and flared wings standing about twelve feet tall apiece. Their long and thin tails, for which the breed was named, swung back and forth in smooth motions as they waited for their rider’s orders. The dragons had long necks, lifting their heads well above their bodies even though their shoulders only reached the rider’s heads. Black saddles with the same marking as their riders’ shirts were strapped just above the wing bases, at the other end of their long necks. In total the number of riders and dragons reached sixteen. I knew I had no chance and so did the riders, twisting their faces into crewel grimaces as they looked from me to the massive stallion that had shoved me and back again.

The rider standing before me was the only one not smiling, his black eyes cold and calculating as he stared me down. I felt like a gnat under his gaze and when he spoke it only made me feel smaller, “I heard from one of our members that you attacked him after he borrowed your bit pouch.”

He nodded to a pony in his dragon’s saddle that I immediately recognized as the colt from earlier. For a second I though he was sleeping, but then the deep red stain across his chest and the savage cut across his throat told me otherwise. It was a well-known fact that Blood Claw Riders took failure amongst the ranks very seriously, and if a rider failed in his mission, it was the same as signing a death warrant. If your local gang didn’t get you, then the network across the globe would find you at some point. It was only a matter of time until your past caught up with you. Apparently this kid had been dealt with gently. A simply slash across the throat was considered merciful to the Blood Claw, while more serious failures were slow and painful. Sometimes the rider would be kept alive for days until the pure agony stopped their heart. It was a fate no one would wish on their worst enemy, and it wasn’t just used on fellow Riders. Ponies had gone missing under mysterious circumstances in the past, and it was due to the sheer lack of evidence that marked the disappearances as Blood Claw abductions. Nopony ever crossed the Blood Claw and lived.

“You see,” the blood red unicorn said as the kid slid from the saddle and fell to the ground with a sickening thud, “he was given an easy assignment, and yet somehow failed to get your money out of your possession. Had he simply lost the money I would have thought something was up, but one of my boys here saw you scare the kid so much he nearly wet himself,” he paused and the others snickered under their breaths, “I have to say you impressed me with your actions. Not everypony would hunt down a Blood Claw member to get back something that belonged to them,” he stepped forward and lowered his head to my level, “Unfortunately that makes you a threat to us and we can’t allow that. Hope you didn’t have any plans for the rest of your life kid, because you just forfeited your life to us.”

With that said he stepped back and the other seven stallions walked in to surround me. I was too petrified with fear to fight back or even cry out. Nopony would have helped me even if I had. I sat limp as four of the unicorns grabbed my limbs with their magic and lifted me up, pulling me taught so that my front and back legs were in the shape of an X. One of the dragons lifted its head up and over my chest, opening its mouth to reveal three rows of needle teeth and a forked tongue. Its red eyes looked me up and down like a prize steak and then it slowly lowered its head to my chest, its teeth just starting to prick my flesh as it stared into my eyes.

All of a sudden a tremendous roar shook the whole block and forced the unicorns to drop me as they covered their ears. The dragons cowered like they had been hit, and I looked around in shock as I tried to find the source of the sound. It didn’t take long to spot the dragon walking out of the alley to our left, its dark blue body covered in feathers from the waist up to its crown. Two great wings beat the air, the cobalt feathers speckled with white and the undersides a warm cream in color. From the waist down the dragon was covered in smooth scales the same blue as its feathers, and a long, muscular tail whipped in anger as the beast walked into the light. It had six horns adorning its head, all jet black and slightly curved as they popped from underneath the feathers covering its head. The only part of the dragon’s upper body that was not covered in feathers was its face and ears. The ears seemed roughly shaped like those of a pony, only smaller in comparison to the creature’s head. Both the ears and the face were covered in white scales that were spotted with the darker blue, and its eyes were a brilliant emerald green, the slits narrowed in anger as it bared its teeth at us. One look at the triangular teeth was enough to warn against any wrong moves. Each was about two inches long and an inch wide at the base. Even from twenty feet away we could see the serrations that ran along the edges.

“Uhh, Boss,” one of the grunts asked, “why didn’t you tell us these ponies could afford guard dragons?”

“Because they can’t,” the leader said as he hopped onto his dragon, “it must have gotten away from its owner and gotten lost. Don’t worry about it. We can defeat it easily and then take care of the brat.”

His Whiptail hissed as it reared in challenge to the navy dragon and soon the others followed suit. I was utterly forgotten as they formed a semi-circle to face the dragon as a unit. The dragon didn’t even flinch and drew back its head as its great lungs inhaled. I was just about to wonder what it was doing when it flung its head forward and blue flames shot from the beast’s mouth. The Blood Claw never knew what hit them as the flames engulfed their bodies and dragons. Only the leader managed to scream in agony for half of a second before his body turned black and crumbled to dust. The dragon closed its mouth and the flames slowly settled down to nothing. All that remained of the Blood Claw group was a curved row of black ash. I was rooted to the spot and felt like fainting as I realized what had happened. The dragon had just breathed fire! Only the dragons of old had the power to do such a thing. After Mythic Song created the collar their ability was suppressed using the magic in the collar. It was impossible for a collared dragon to breath fire. Then it hit me, was the dragon wearing a collar? My eyes latched onto the place on the dragon’s neck that would have been covered up by the collar, but all my eyes met were glistening feathers. I screamed out loud as the dragon turned its gaze to me, but I still couldn’t move out of sheer terror.

It must be a Rouge, I thought to myself, a dragon born in the wild and free of pony control.

I scrambled backwards as it walked up to me, my wings pinned to my side in terror, though for some reason the dragon had lost all of its threatening behavior. Its lips had lowered to cover its teeth again and it seemed almost cautious as it walked forward, as if trying not to frighten me. I only stopped backing up when my tail hit the stone wall of the building behind me and I was forced to halt. The dragon advanced until it was maybe ten feet from me. At this distance I could actually see how large the dragon was. It had to be twenty five feet from nose to tail, if not more. The wings, which had been folded against its back, were sure to be at least that wide if not more to support the dragon’s weight in flight. At the shoulder it would have reached well over a foot above my head and adding the rest of him it must have been eleven feet tall. It had a more stout neck than the Whiptails, and its muzzle was more defined and muscular than the slim features of the Whiptails. In fact, its whole body was more like a barrel with defined muscle groups along the legs and wings. If dragons could be body builders, this one would definitely count as “ripped”. Now that I thought about what it looked like, I had no idea what species this dragon was. I knew everything there was to know about every one of the known breeds, and I had never seen a dragon like this one in any of the books I had read or the documentaries I had watched.

My train of thought was interrupted as the dragon lay down and moved its head forward. It had a shorter neck than the Whiptails, but it would still be able to reach me given how close we were. I closed my eyes as it lowered its head to just in front of my face, and waited for the end. I knew wild dragons ate ponies, I just never thought I would end up one’s dinner. I waited for the searing pain of teeth entering my flesh, but for some reason it never came. All that happened was I felt a subtle touch on my cheek, and then full contact as the dragon rested its muzzle against my neck.

I hesitantly opened one eye to look at the dragon, only to see its eyes staring back into mine. I flashed back to the Whiptail as it prepared to bite out my heart, but for some reason this felt different. There was no malice in this dragon’s gaze, only calm interest and what I thought was curiosity. I hesitated for a moment, not trusting myself to do the right thing, before lifting my hoof up to touch the dragon’s cheek. His eyes stared back into mine and he did not flinch under my touch. His pupils were wide ovals instead of the narrow slits from before, and I slowly moved my hoof along his face until it reached the feathers beyond his cheek. They felt like satin under my touch and I couldn’t keep myself from rubbing them lightly to get a better feel. The dragon closed his eyes and a deep rumble emanated from his chest, but as I stopped moving he opened his eyes again and pulled back his head, lowering it to lie in front of my hooves. He angled his head so that his muzzle rested in front of my hooves instead of going between them, and he looked up at me with what seemed to be a pleading gaze. I hesitated for a moment, not quite understanding what he wanted, before lowering my hoof to rub against his feathers again. He closed his eyes and tilted his head into my leg, as if asking for more. The rumble started again and I realized the dragon was purring. It was acting like an oversized cat! I felt like he might like it better if I rubbed his ears. Some dogs liked to be rubbed in that area and I figured he might like the same. I moved my hoof up slightly to just behind his ear, where the feathers shifted into scales. I rubbed firmly and the dragon freakin’ groaned. It actually groaned under my touch! At this point he was pushing into my leg so hard I was about to lose my balance, so I slowed down my rubbing just a bit so as not to make him push me over.

He opened his eyes and inside my head I heard a deep voice, Why did you slow down? That felt really good.

I yelped and rolled out of the way, causing him to lift his head up to avoid being kicked. I scooted back a few feet and then stared at the dragon, trying to get my heart back in my chest instead of my throat. My wings were flared behind me in preparation of flight, although I was too shocked to pay them any attention.

“You can talk?!” I asked, not believing what I had heard in my mind.

The dragon nodded, But only to those who are able to listen. You have a rare affinity with dragons that allows me to speak to you. I chose to save you because I need your help. There is a darkness in your society that you cannot see. Only the free dragons know the truth, and I have been sent here to put a stop to the darkness before it can destroy the world.

“But why aren’t you just eating me and then going on a rampage through the city?” I asked, “I thought all wild dragons were mindless beasts that could only think of killing and mating.”

He bristled slightly, causing his feathers to stand on end along his spine, That is a lie spread by those who wish to use us for their own gain. Dragons were never the ones to start the fighting. We lived in peace until ponies started the wars that threatened to destroy us. We only attacked in self-defense and nothing more. Granted a select few went too far and attacked the innocent, but they were few and far between. The wizard you know as Mythic Song spread the lie that dragons could be controlled if you used his collars. You are no more in control of them than you are in control of me. Only Mythic Song can control the collars, and therefore, the dragons. He seeks to build an army of slave dragons to take over the world, and everypony is blind to his plans. We know what he wants because he learned his magic from us. Had we not shown him how to use dragon magic then we would have never been enslaved. I am the last of the Brightwing Clan, and it has become my duty to kill Mythic Song before he can unleash his army.

I took a steadying breath as I realized he wasn’t going to kill me, “Okay, say I believe you. What do you need from me if you know so much already? Why not just go after Lord Song and kill him if he’s such a bad pony?”

The dragon let out a gusty sigh, the feathers lying flat on his back once again, I cannot just kill him because he is the leader of the Dragon Circuit. Only those who win the Draconic Heaven Championship are allowed to see him. I cannot enter in the race alone because I do not have a collar or a rider. I would be captured and imprisoned before I could even get close to him. That is why I need you. Without a rider who can understand me and be willing to let me have free will, I will never get the chance to kill Mythic Song. What is your answer? Will you be my partner or not?

I slowly stood up and looked the dragon in the eyes, trying to not show fear, “I will help you, but are you sure we really need to kill Lord Song to stop his plans? Couldn’t we just convince him to free the dragons or something?”

You cannot reason with one who has no honor and will sacrifice anything to get what he wants. He hissed, only a fool would believe something so naïve as that.

I winced, although given this was a dragon I was talking to, it would make sense that pony aversion to killing would be a foreign concept to him. “Alright then, I’ll help you. Umm, would you mind telling me your name? I think it might be a bit rude to call you ‘dragon’ all the time.” I bowed my head, hoping I hadn’t offended him.

He tilted the corner of his mouth in the beginnings of a smile and said in my mind, It’s Nilakanta. It means “blue-throated” in dragon tongue. If that’s too hard for you to say, you may call me Nilak for short.

“Nilak,” I said it slowly, trying it out in my mouth, “I think that will do nicely,” I walked up to Nilak and offered my hoof, “Are you familiar with a hoofshake?”

He nodded, taking my leg within his own talons, making my hoof completely disappear from view, I understand it means an agreement has been made, though I also know ponies are prone to breaking their word.

I shook my head, “I don’t think anypony would be stupid enough to double-cross a dragon. It would be utter suicide.”

Nilak chuckled deep in his throat, On that we agree. So, where is your house? I think we should get out of here before somepony finds us.

“Oh! Right, follow me.” I turned and walked down the road to my house, pushing open the gate in the back and letting Nilak into the backyard. We had a dragon stable built already in preparation for my purchase of a dragon. I had never thought in my wildest dreams that it would be home to a wild dragon when it was complete, “Well, it’s not much, but it’s all we have.”

Nilak walked in and looked around the stable, his eyes coming to rest on an old collar that had been given to us as a pet project when one of our neighbor’s dragons died. It no longer functioned because it had been cut to remove it from the dragon’s body, though I had at one point thought I could put it back together and get it working. It would function to the point that it could adjust its shape and was one piece, but the suppressant aspect was completely shot. Whatever magic that had been implemented had been released when it had been cut off. Nilak reached out and picked it up with two claws, looking over the collar before lifting it over his head.

“Wait!” I yelled, “What if it takes over you?”

He chuckled, Do you really think I would put it on if I had any doubts about the magic within? Remember we were the ones who taught Mythic Song to use dragon magic, so it would seem logical that we can sense if it is active. Besides, I can’t be your partner if I don’t have a collar. This way I can be with you at all times and still be free in mind and body. Oh, and one more thing. If somepony asks you what breed of dragon I am, tell them I am a Gryphonwing. It should be close enough that they believe you. If word got out that a Brightwing had been captured and collared, Mythic Song would know something was up. So far as I know he has never seen a Brightwing, so as long as my true bloodlines remain a secret we will be safe until the time is right.

I nodded, “Very well, I’ll be back in the morning to check on you,” I looked over my shoulder to see the sun setting in the distance, “Well, goodnight Nilak. I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow.”

With that I closed the door to the stable and walked back into my house, feeling like my life had been turned upside down. I knew I was going to have one hell of a headache in the morning from all I had seen and learned, but right now everything seemed to come to me through a glass wall. I knew it wasn’t going to last, but for the moment, I let myself be numb to the shock, trying to hold onto my composure until I could get a handle on things in my mind. I fell into my bed and was asleep in moments, images and sounds of dragons fighting people haunting my dreams.

II - Partners

I awoke to the usual bright light in my eyes that shined through my window every morning. I didn’t have a shade so when the sun rose it always hit me directly in the face. For some reason I could never fall asleep if I slept on my other side, and so I had to endure early starts every day. It wasn’t too bad, I usually got up sooner than later anyway, but not having a choice in the matter grated on my nerves at times. I groaned and rolled out of bed, moving over to my bathroom to try and get my bedhead under control. It took a while but I managed to get it at least presentable before walking downstairs for breakfast. As usual mom was in the kitchen fixing the food for us. How she always beat me downstairs I’ll never know, but I didn’t question the great food that always met me every morning.

“Morning mom,” I said as I sat down at the table, “What’s for breakfast today?”

She spoke without even looking over her shoulder, “You’re not getting anything until you feed your dragon. His needs will always come first now that you have him, so I’d get busy if you want to come back to hot food.”

For a split second I had no idea what she was talking about, and then I remembered the previous night, the fight with the Blood Claw, Nilak, everything.

I stumbled to my hooves and hastily made my way out to the stable, calling a quick ‘thank you’ to mom for reminding me. I pushed open the door and looked inside, completely expecting the thing to be empty. For some reason the previous night felt more like a dream than reality. However, my hopes were dashed as I spotted Nilak lying in a pile of hay in the back of the stable. His tail was curled up to just under his muzzle and his eyes were closed. I waited for him to react to my entry, but the muffled snore that met my pause proved that Nilak was truly out cold. I chuckled to myself and walked over to the water basin at the right wall, filling up a small bucket with the ice cold water and walking over to Nilak’s sleeping form.

“Rise and shine you overgrown lizard,” I said it fairly loud in an attempt to wake him up politely, but all I got in answer was a slight shift of weight and a gusty sigh, “Alright, you asked for it,” I tipped the bucket over on his head and instinctively jumped back as he jolted from sleep.

He raised his head with a loud roar and I was glad I had moved back. His tail thrashed about and his claws dug channels in the dirt floor as he moved his head from side to side in search of his attacker.

When his gaze fell on me I covered my ears to no avail as he yelled directly into my mind, WHAT DID YOU DO THAT FOR?! I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A WONDERFUL DREAM! I ducked as his tail whipped over my head and I had to cover my mouth to try and hold in my laughter. I knew it wasn’t a good idea to laugh at an angry dragon, but his reaction was just too much to take. I fell back in the dirt as I failed to hold in my mirth, and Nilak tilted his head to the side as his tail came back to the ground, And what is so funny?

“You stupid!” I yelled as I stood up again, “You should have seen yourself when I poured the water on your head. It was like you were going to burn down everything in sight, and all just because of a little water!” I knew I wasn’t making any sense, but seeing Nilak blow up over a bucket of water just seemed to hit a chord in me.

Nilak shook his head with a snort, Very funny. You know you could have woke me up more gently. I’m not a very deep sleeper so I don’t know why you needed to use ice water.

“Oh please, light sleeper my hoof!” I crossed my front legs and grinned at him, “I practically yelled in your ear and you didn’t do anything more than flinch. Admit it, I had no other choice and you’re just mad I had to wake you up the rude way.”

He let out a gusty sigh and stood up, stretching his legs and arching his back like an enormous cat, Alright, I admit it. Had you not used that water I probably wouldn’t have awoken until noon. I just hate mornings and I’ve never been one to do anything before midday. Anything I get done is over the afternoon and into the night. Sometimes I don’t get to sleep until after midnight. Can you blame me for sleeping in?

“No I can’t blame you for that,” I said, “but the late nights and late starts stop here. If we’re going to qualify in the trials next week, we’re going to have to work from dawn until dusk on getting stronger and faster. You and I both know that only the best get into the Dragon Circuit.”

I walked over to the left wall and pulled down a saddle that I had made for when I got a dragon. It had three sets of straps and was fitted with a restraining belt so we could do rough maneuvers and I wouldn’t get thrown out of the saddle.

I turned around and lifted it up for Nilak to see, “This is something you and I will also need to get used to. I can’t very well ride you without a saddle.”

Ha! He shook his head from side to side, you’ll just have to make do without it, because the only way I’m going to wear a saddle is if you can put it on me by force. You may be my partner, but that does not make me your personal ride everywhere you want to go.

I sighed, lowering the saddle to rest end-first on the floor, “I really wish I didn’t have to do this,” without warning I snatched a small metal tube off of the workbench under the saddle’s wall rack and put it against my mouth. A puff of air later and a small dart was stuck in Nilak’s flesh just in front of his hind leg.

He looked back at the dart and then back at me, What was that – Whatever he was about to say faltered as the paralyzing toxin entered his nervous system and he fell over on his side. What did you do? I-I can’t move anything.

“That was a little something I had in case the dragon I purchased wouldn’t allow me to saddle him or her,” I set down the tube and walked over to Nilak’s side with the saddle, “It just so happens to be effective on non-collared dragons as well.”

As I worked the straps under his torso and secured the saddle to his back, he spoke into my mind with a tone that bordered on respectful, I never would have guessed you would sedate a dragon to get him to do what you want. You seemed too nice when I met you to do such a thing. I must say it takes a lot to surprise me, but I never saw this coming.

“Nopony ever does,” I replied as I stepped back and rubbed my hooves together to get rid of the dirt, “The toxin is not harmful, it just makes movement impossible for a short period of time. You should be able to move in a few minutes and be able to walk in about half an hour. I wouldn’t try pushing it too hard, but other than some stiffness you should be fine,” I grabbed a slab of meat from the cooler built into the right wall, grimacing despite myself at the idea of eating something that used to be alive. I held it in as light a grip as possible and hauled out half of a beef ribcage, still raw and just barely below freezing. I left it in front of Nilak’s nose and his lips twitched in response to the scent of food, “You can have that for breakfast once you can move again. In the meantime I have some things to do,” I turned around and waved over my shoulder as I walked out the stable door, “See you in a bit.”

Wait! he yelled in my mind, where do you think you’re going? Come back here and help me.

I turned and smirked at him over my shoulder, “Just because you decided to be stubborn doesn’t mean I have to miss my breakfast. You brought this on yourself so you’ll have to deal with it until the toxin wears off,” I turned back to my house and walked inside, ignoring Nilak’s yells inside my head to turn around. I chuckled under my breath as I sat back down at the table, a plate of warm eggs and waffles being placed in front of me at the very moment my flank hit the chair, “Dragons,” I muttered under my breath through a grin, “what are you going to do?”

An hour later I walked back into the stable to find Nilak sitting with his back to the door. His eyes were locked on the floor in front of his claws and his tail was limp behind him. His wings drooped to drag in the dirt and he kept letting out long sighs. I could have sworn he looked like he was sulking, but it must have been my imagination. What remained of the ribcage lay in a neat pile next to the water bin, the bones picked clean and any traces of blood licked off. I knew that all dragons were carnivores, but I had never thought about what it would be like to be on the menu. Ever since the invention of the collars, dragons were no more dangerous to ponies than a dog could be. It was only because of gangs like the Blood Claw that dragons harmed ponies at all, and even then it was only under direct order from their masters.

With Nilak it was different, he was under no one’s control and if he truly wanted to, it could be a mare or stallion that was next on the list of things to be eaten. He had told me that dragons were not the aggressors in the war, but that didn’t change the fact that dragons had killed and eaten ponies in the past, and could very well do so again. It was only the threat of Lord Song that made me even consider what Nilak was planning, and even then I did it with a cautious approach to every decision I made. I knew that one wrong move could be the start of the dragon/pony wars anew, either because of old grudges in the dragons or out of fear from us.

I walked up and ran my hoof down his side, “Don’t tell me you’re ticked because I got the better of you. Are you truly so prideful that one moment of defeat destroys your self-image?” I walked up in front of him and looked up to meet his emerald eyes, “If you’re mad I’m sorry, but it was you who said I would have to force the saddle on you, not me. Had you just let me put it on you I wouldn’t have had to use the dart.”

I know that, he said with a resigned tone, but the fact that a pony with no special abilities got the better of me has shaken all I’ve been told. From the day I was born I learned that ponies were weak and could never control us. It was only the collars that made it possible for you to enslave our kind. I prided myself in being one of the strongest dragons of my generation, so being bested by a colt was a bit of a shock. He lay down on his side and held his head at my level, I have some of the strongest magic in any dragon living, and yet a simple dart put me out of play like I had no power at all. If someone like you could do that to me without any trouble, what chance do I have of killing a wizard who has more power than a thousand of you combined? He sighed and lowered his head to his front feet, I feel like I’ve been fooled into thinking my mission could ever come to fruit. What chance do a young pony and dragon have of ever taking on a sorcerer? We might as well quit while we still have our lives to live.

“I can’t believe what I’m hearing,” I walked over and bent down next to his head, lifting it up so he had to look me in the eyes, “You were the one who was so sure of himself before and now you want to quit! No way Nilak, I’m not letting you back out after all the trouble you put me through. We’re going to get into the Dragon Circuit, and we’re going to win the Draconic Heaven Championship no matter what it takes!” I shook his head slightly to get his attention as he tried to look away, “Are you listening to me? We’re not done. Either you get your bruised pride under control or I’ll get my mother’s yardstick and slap you on your rump until you can’t stand!” I pulled him forward until the end of his muzzle touched my chest and my eyes were inches from his. My voice was little more than a whisper but it had an edge that would put a razor blade to shame, “Now, get your act together or I’ll end up doing something really stupid to snap you back to your senses. Are you my partner or are you not?”

His eyes had gone very wide and I could swear I saw a hint of fear threatening to show in his emerald gaze. He didn’t move for a while and he didn’t even seem to be breathing. Finally he looked down and muttered in the back of my head, You’re right. We’re a team and if I can’t take the failures with the victories we will never succeed in our goal. He looked back into my eyes with a warm fire in his gaze, Let’s get going. We have some training to do before the trials start. He stood up and turned around, extending his front leg so I could use it as a step up and into the saddle.

“You know we’re going to have to meet my friends today,” I said as I climbed into the saddle, “They’ve been waiting for me to get a dragon for ages and now that I have you as my partner, they’ll want to know everything about you,” I knew what he was about to say so I cut him off, “Don’t worry, I won’t tell them the truth. I’ll just make something up to keep them from digging into it too much. Now, how are we going to do this? Usually the rider has total control of his mount so there is no conflict of opinion, but you have free will and might think another action would be better. We need to agree on something before we go out there or something is bound to go wrong.”

How about I go along with what you say unless it’s too stupid or too dangerous to try. If you don’t think I would like it, try not to order me to do it unless you have no choice. That way I don’t have to fight your orders and possibly raise suspicions, he looked back over his shoulder at me, Sound fair to you?

I nodded back, “Sounds good to me. Well, if we’re going to fool anyone, I’m going to have to start giving you orders. Nilak, lets’ go.”

He chuckled under his breath, Don’t get used to it cowpony. I’m only listening to you because I have to. When we’re alone you’d better ask nicely or I might just have to step on you. He must have felt me tense because his chuckle was louder the second time, You’re too easy to mess with. I won’t really hurt you, just let you know who’s boss and who’s not. Remember, this is my mission, if I didn’t need you I wouldn’t be here. Keep that in mind if you think about ordering me around too much.

We walked out of the stable, my body shifting with his as his weight moved from side to side. We came out into the light and I saw for the first time how amazing his body looked. His navy feathers shined in the morning sun like the finest satin and his scales glowed like a thousand sapphires. I called to mom to tell her I was going to hang with my friends and she called back at me to be home for dinner.

Nilak chuckled as he spread his wings and we took off into the air, Your mother sounds just like mine, always telling me never to go too far or to be back before dark. He glanced back at me, Make sure to never break her heart. I made that mistake once and it cost my mother her life. Had I not been so stupid with my loose tongue she would still be alive. Never speak out in hate or spite, because she won’t always be around to protect you and take care of you.

With that sobering thought he looked back forward, beating his wings as we soared over the rooftops. I looked down and let out a whoop as we sailed over the city center. I could fly with my own wings just fine, but there was something amazing about flying without using my own abilities to do so. It added a hint of fictitious danger that made my blood race in excitement. For a while I just let Nilak go where he pleased, but after a half hour or so I began to get a bit sore. It may not have looked like riding a dragon was hard work, but every time Nilak shifted his weight I had to do the same or risk being dumped. I knew I had no need to fear falling, but that was beside the point. After flying for almost an hour I was getting tired and figured it was time to land. We just happened to be flying over my friends’ neighborhood and it seemed like perfect timing.

“My friends live just below us,” I called over the rushing wind, “Land so we can say hi to everyone. I’m getting a bit saddle sore back here.”

As you wish. Just remember to say please and we’ll get along fine, he tilted his wings and began a tight spiral down to the ground, barely moving his wings to keep him on course. Just as we were about to hit the ground, he flipped open his wings and flapped them quickly, effectively slowing our drop to a near halt. He touched down like a feather and I unbuckled myself as I slid down his side to the ground. He caught me with one paw as I stumbled on weak legs, and I could hear his soft chuckle as he helped me back to my hooves. Having trouble standing? You might want to work on that for future reference.

“Smart-aleck dragon,” I muttered as I stood up and walked to my friends’ front door. Lucky Star and Ivy Charm lived together in an apartment since they had moved out of their parents’ houses at the age of sixteen. They were my best friends in the world and I would do anything for them. We had known each other since grade school, and had been inseparable ever since that first day in second grade. I knocked on the door and after a slight pause Ivy opened the door, her long brown mane a mess and her hazel eyes baggy from lack of sleep. Her soft green coat was spiked and unkempt and her tail was just as messy as her mane.

“Oh, it’s you Silver,” she yawned hugely and opened the door all of the way, revealing that she was wearing a very kinky set of black stockings and what looked like a black lace pair of panties.

I had to avert my eyes before she could catch me staring at her more than suggestive attire, hoping she wouldn’t smack me for seeing her like this. We may have been close friends but staring at her in that get up would likely get me slapped. From her looks and the way she was dressed, I had a feeling she and Lucky had been out on the town again last night, probably only getting home around three in the morning. They loved to visit the clubs and get drunk off their flanks with a few stallions. I was still clueless how neither of them had gotten pregnant after having so many one-night stands, but it didn’t matter too much. They knew I knew what they liked to do and I was okay with them doing it so long as they didn’t get into trouble. They had always been the rebellious type, and I had never really seen it as a bad thing if they had some fun while looking for the right colt. If a few drinks helped things along then so be it, just as long as nopony messed with them. I’d buck the first offender through the wall if I found out somepony had taken advantage of either of them.

“Umm, I, uhh, wanted to show you guys my new dragon,” I motioned at Nilak with one leg, “I figured you and Lucky would want to meet him but I can come back some other time if you’re not up to it.”

She gasped as she spotted Nilak behind me in the street and shook her head violently, “No way! You actually got a dragon! Wait right here and I’ll get Lucky.”

She closed the door and I turned to Nilak, “Prepare yourself, this is going to get hairy really quick,” I couldn’t say more because the door opened once again and I was practically knocked over as Lucky wrapped me in a crushing bear hug. Unlike Ivy, Lucky’s midnight blue coat was combed and neat, her tail tied with a small ribbon the same color as her fur.

“Why didn’t you tell me you got a dragon!” Her black mane whipped in my face as she stared me down with her bright green eyes, “I can’t wait to meet him. Where is he?” Before I could answer she spotted Nilak behind me and she squealed with delight. I swore Nilak took a step back as she ran up and started checking out every inch of his body.

Nilak looked at me and spoke in my head with an amused tone, Your friend is very excitable. If her dragon is the same I wonder how we’re going to survive the rest of the day.

I smirked and thought back to him, Don’t worry, Melinda is the complete opposite to Lucky. I don’t think she would be able to handle being the rider of a dragon just like her. In fact, Melinda is the most calm and sensible dragon I’ve ever met. She may not have free will like you, but I’ve seen her defy Lucky multiple times just to keep her from doing something stupid. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you weren’t the only dragon running around that’s not under the control of the collars.

Nilak nodded slightly as he moved Lucky away with his tail, much to the mare’s dislike, I think this might turn out better than I had hoped. Melinda sounds a lot like a dragon I once knew back home who was sent here before me with the same mission. If she’s who I think she is, we just gained a powerful ally.

He didn’t elaborate on the subject because Ivy had just rejoined us, albeit now lacking the lingerie. She joined Lucky by Nilak and together they spoke praise after praise about him. Nothing on his body seemed to have a flaw in their eyes. Finally I couldn’t take it anymore and I said, “You know he’s going to get a swelled head if you keep saying how great he is. He’s got a big enough ego as it is without you two adding to it.”

Lucky turned around and stuck her tongue out at me, “We can say how handsome he is all we want,” she reached up and rubbed Nilak behind the ears, causing him to groan and lean into her ministrations, “See, he’s just a big sweetheart.”

You know, mmmm, I could get used to this. Oh yes, right there! The big oaf actually started twitching his back leg as Ivy started rubbing his other ear.

After a few minutes of Nilak melting in the girls’ hands I decided enough was enough, “So are you going to introduce him to your dragons or are we going to sit here giving massages all day?”

Both earth ponies paused and then simultaneously face-hoofed themselves, “How stupid could we be?” Lucky muttered as she lowered her hoof, “We completely forgot!”

She whistled loudly and Ivy did the same soon after, though the pitch was higher in Lucky’s whistle than Ivy’s. Twin shadows appeared above us as the two dragons half flew and half jumped over the apartment building. They landed on either side of the front steps and walked up to the girls as they ran to praise them for coming so quickly. I glanced at Nilak and saw he was staring at Melinda with wide eyes. In an instant I knew that Malinda was his friend from the wild lands, the glow of recognition in his gaze was unmistakable. However, that could also mean that we had a whole new problem on our hooves, depending on whether Melinda was truly free of the collar that hung around her neck like a manacle.

Author's Notes:

So this is a story that I've had lying around for a while. It took some major editing but I think I've got it good to go for all of you guys. I hope to post a chapter a day, maybe two, so hang onto your horseshoes, it's gonna be a bumpy ride.
I'll see you all next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

III - Secrets

I looked over at Melinda and tried to see her through eyes that had not looked upon her form for a long time. Being a Violet Sandscale, it was a given that her wings, tail, limbs, and head were detailed in a deep purple. Streaks of it covered most of the free space on her body where her creamy scales did not. She was about twenty feet long and five feet at the shoulder. Her head would reach the floor of a second story building if she raised it, and atop that head were three horns. One sprouted from her forehead like a unicorn, while the other two swept backwards over her back like Nilak’s. All three were pure white and gleamed in the sun like polished pearls. Her creamy scales covered her body along the top and sides of her neck, continuing down to cover her back and flanks. They ran down her legs in thin strips, terminating just above her ankle and formed a raised ridge along the top of her tail. The violet hide that was not covered with scales was as smooth as a satin pillow, and highly sensitive to physical contact. Her wings were more elegant in shape then Nilak’s, though given her feminine status I wasn’t surprised. Her form was similar in build to Nilak, just more curved and less prominently muscled. Lastly, her burgundy eyes, which seemed to be part violet and part crimson depending on the light, glowed with love as she rested her head on Lucky’s shoulder to have her cheeks rubbed.

Ivy was too busy with Winx to notice Nilak’s reaction, the red Pixie Glider happy to be with her master. Winx was far smaller than Melinda or Nilak. In fact she was just barely big enough for a pony to ride. Her shoulder only came up to Ivy’s neck and her head would barely tap the top of a doorframe. However, what she lacked for in size she more than made up for in style. As per usual for her breed, Winx sported three sets of frills that sprouted from her head like fins. Each set sat behind the last and was slightly larger. Thin bones that could be moved threaded through the semi-transparent flesh that allowed Pixie Gliders to raise and lower their frills. Right now Winx’s were on full display due to her excitement of being with Ivy and having Nilak in front of her. When a Pixie Glider’s frills were extended, they made the dragon’s head effectively three times bigger, so most believed it had been used to either scare off bigger dragons, or to attract a mate. Winx’s frills were solid silver in contrast to the dark red of the rest of her body, matching the silver highlights on her wings in stunning relief. A Pixie Glider’s wings were just as flashy as their frills, each wing sporting long lobes of skin that hung down like ornaments on a Hearth’s Warming tree. In fully grown Pixie Gliders the lobes could be six feet long, while youngsters usually sported ones about a foot or two in length. Winx was no exception for her teenage status, her lobes reaching about a foot and a half below the trailing edge of her wing, barely scraping the ground. Winx had her eyes closed as Ivy rubbed the highly sensitive frills with her hoof, but I knew she had eyes like small suns to match the rest of her body in flare.

Nilak was looking Melinda up and down, his jaw hanging slightly as he took in her form. His eyes lingered on the collar around her neck and for a split second a flash of rage flared in his eyes. Thankfully he got it under control and did not do something stupid, but I was once again reminded that Nilak was free to do anything he wanted. If he did something stupid out of anger or self-defense there would be nothing I could do to stop it.

Lucky turned around and smiled at me, “Now that we’re all acquainted, how about going for a flight? I know a great spot we can go to and relax in the sunlight.”

Nilak snickered under his breath as I tried to work my way out of the idea, “Umm, you see, I’ve been in the air for a while and I’m as bit sore. Do you think we could just go for a walk instead?”

Ivy looked over at me with a smirk, “You’ll never get over saddle sore if you stay out of the saddle. Hop on your dragon and let’s get out of here, I’m feeling the need for some fresh air.”

Without waiting for an answer, both mares hopped onto their dragons and leapt into the sky, leaving me to scramble up onto Nilak to give chase.

As we flew in pursuit of the girls, Nilak spoke in my head urgently, Silver, that dragon is Melindaria Lavenda. I used to call her Mel for short when we would play together as kids. A few years before I came here on my mission, Mel was chosen to go for the same reason. We never heard back from her and assumed she had been killed. For her to be alive is a miracle in itself, but her collar is fully functional. She didn’t recognize me and my attempts at speaking into her mind were met with a blank slate. She is lost to me unless I can get that collar off of her.

Now hold on just a minute, I thought back, if you break off her collar she might attack Lucky or Ivy out of revenge. We need to find a way to get her alone so we can do it without the risk of harming the girls. I know she means a lot to you, but we need to do this carefully or ponies could die.

He growled in the back of my head, Damn it! I hate it when you make sense! Alright, but I’m not going to wait forever to set her free. She would be a great ally in our cause and in order to have her we need the collar to be deactivated.

Give me some time to figure out a plan. I think we can free her without letting Lucky or Ivy know, but we need to do it right or
everything could fall apart before it even begins. I cut the connection and started thinking of ways to free Mel from the collar without destroying it. Maybe if I used a small tool I could cut the connection without having to cut the collar off. The problem bounced around in my head for the entire flight out of the city, until the slight jerk of Nilak landing pulled me out of my head and back to reality.

I looked around and saw we had landed at the hill that overlooked the city as you came down the East Road. Off to the side of the hill was an ancient oak that had to be over a hundred years old. The massive trunk was so big around that even with all three of us touching hooves we couldn’t reach all the way. Dozens of major branches split into hundreds and then thousands of smaller ones, spreading out to make a shadow that covered enough space to cool half a city block. We had landed at the top of the hill so our heads were even with the topmost branches, though the height of the hill belied how massive the tree was up close. Lucky and Ivy walked Mel and Winx down the hillside, Nilak and I following close behind as the branches of the tree blocked out the sun. Once we reached the base of the trunk Lucky and Ivy slid off of their dragons, sitting with their backs against the bark as Mel and Winx curled up farther out. I slid down Nilak’s flank and walked over to the girls, snatching looks at Mel as I walked past her. I could imagine the spark of life that once shined within her blank eyes. Even though the burgundy irises shined in the sun like twin fireballs, there was no intelligence behind that wonderful gaze. I glanced back at Nilak and could only imagine the pain he was going through, having seen the light in her eyes long ago and now seeing nothing.

I took a seat next to the girls and watched Nilak slowly step up to Mel’s side, his eyes narrowed in concentration as I imagined him trying to connect to the dragon within Mel’s mind that had been locked away. He must have failed again because he sighed and walked over to her side, lying down so their flanks touched and his head could rest next to hers. Mel made no indication that she recognized him, but she did not move away. I figured that was at least a small victory.

“What’s up with your dragon?” Lucky asked once Nilak was settled, “He looks like his heart has been broken in hundreds of pieces and then stepped on with cleats.”

“Yeah,” Ivy agreed, “I’ve never seen a dragon with that much emotion in their expression.” She looked over at me, “What breed is he? I’ve never seen another dragon like him.”

I shrugged, “The guy at the market told me he was a Gryphonwing, though I’ve never heard of such a thing. I think he might be a miss-breed that couldn’t be sold somewhere else. I tell you I got him for so little money I thought they were going to add an extra zero to the price just to break even.” I bent my legs under my chest and watched Nilak as he lay next to Mel, “He’s certainly one of a kind, I’ll tell you that much.”

“Ooh, a one-of-a-kind dragon!” Ivy leaned forward to look at me with a grin in her eyes, “So typical of you, getting the awesome stuff while we get the dregs.”

“Oh shut it Ivy.” Lucky said with a wave of her hoof, “I think they’re cute together. Hey Silver, do you think we might be able to buy some collars and have Melinda mate with, oh, by the way, what’s your dragon’s name?”

Had I been drinking a glass of something it would have come out in a spray I was so shocked. “What did you say?” I was sure I had misheard.

She looked at me like I was stupid, “I asked if we could have your dragon mate with Melinda so we could raise the babies ourselves.” She flushed a bright red as she looked back at the dragons, “We could pretend they were our foals instead of our dragons’.”

I so very hoped Nilak hadn’t heard what Lucky had said, but one look at his furious face told me he had. His eyes were so narrow I couldn’t see his pupil, and thin wisps of smoke curled from his jaw. I looked back at Lucky and chose my next words very carefully, knowing saying the wrong thing could cause a scene, “His name is Nilak and I’m not interested in having him breed with any dragons. It’s not anything against you, I just don’t think I’m ready to think about raising a baby of any kind for a long time. I just got him today and I haven’t even gotten used to having him around the house. Adding a clutch of baby dragons to the mix would be like pouring fuel on a bonfire. I’m going to have to politely decline your offer, at least for the time being.”

She nodded, seeming to forget my shock at her question, “Okay, I can see your point. I won’t bring it up again until you are ready.” She looked back forward and stared at the sunset, allowing me to catch Nilak’s gaze so we could talk to one another.

If she wasn’t so clueless I would have barbequed her for that comment. I could tell he was still steamed over her insinuation, Next time she says something like that I’m not sure I can hold back from frying her sorry hide.

You do that and the whole plan of going after Mythic goes up in smoke too. I tried to keep my mental voice calm, Don’t worry, we’ll get Mel out of this mess at some point, you just have to be patient with me until I can come up with something.

He growled in my head, You’d better, or the first head I’m going to remove will be yours. With that he lowered his head next to Mel’s and closed his eyes, though I knew he wouldn’t go to sleep with his foalhood friend lying right next to him.

We sat in the fading light for a while, Lucky and Ivy falling asleep against the tree like it was a pillow. I couldn’t sleep out of worry for Nilak, even after the sun had set completely and the sky was filled with millions of stars. After an hour or so the moon began its lazy trek across the sky, turning everything silver in its pale light.

Nilak hadn’t moved from Mel’s side, and I decided it was time to put my plan into action. As soon as the mares had fallen asleep, I knew there was a chance we could free Mel from the collar if we could get her away and out of sight. Under the cover of night we could slip away and be back before the girls knew we were gone, hopefully being able to free Mel in that time.

I crept up to Nilak and tapped his nose twice, his eyes opening swiftly at my touch. “I have an idea on how to free Mel.” I said it barely louder than a whisper so as not to wake up the girls, “If we can get her away from the tree and around the other side of the hill I think I can work on the collar. If I’m right we can free Mel and be back before the girls know we were gone. Are you up for it?”

He nodded, You know I’m up for anything if it gets Mel out of that collar. How do you plan on getting her to follow us without taking Lucky? I don’t think she’ll leave her master behind. He spat the last word in my mind like it left a bad taste in his mouth, If we can’t get her alone then the whole thing falls apart.

Leave that part to me. I said with more confidence than I felt, I had such a strong bond with dragons when I was six that even the ranch hands couldn’t get the dragon to listen. I’m sure some of that connecting ability is still there. I just need to tap into it and we should be fine.

I stood up and stepped over to Mel’s head, kneeling down to run my hoof gently across her neck so as not to startle her. Her eyes opened slowly, indicating she had been truly asleep, before latching onto me as I continued to stroke her neck. Her hide was just as smooth as it looked where there were no scales, and I knew it was highly sensitive to touch.

I leaned over and whispered in her ear, “Melinda, can you follow me for a little bit? I have something we need to do. It’s a surprise for Lucky and we can’t have her see. All we need to do is go around the other side of the hill, no further. Lucky will be right here and they’ll have Winx to take care of them if they get into trouble. Now, I need you to stand up so we can go.” I hoped and prayed that she would listen, and I breathed a silent sigh of relief when she grunted and pushed herself stiffly into a standing position. “Good girl, now follow us. We’re just going to go around the hill and be back again soon. Follow me.” I beckoned with my forehoof and she slowly started to follow, albeit glancing back at Lucky every third step.

We made it around the hill without any problems, though when the girls disappeared from sight around the hill Mel gave a soft whine. It took several minutes of coaxing, but I finally managed to get her all the way around the back of the hill. She lay down under my instruction and watched me with wide eyes, her ears perked and listening for any sign of trouble over the hill. I knew she wanted to return to Lucky badly, so I had to make it quick.

I pulled out the small pack of tools that I always had in my saddlebags for emergencies and rummaged around until I found a thin pick. I fit it against the access panel of the collar and sent a quick thought to Nilak, Pray this works.

I popped the panel and wires met my vision of every shape and color imaginable. Through my tinkering with Nilak’s collar I knew the general purpose of each wire and what it controlled, but I had no idea if by simply cutting a few wires I would be able to release the suppressant magic contained within. I put the pick back in the pouch and pulled out a small pair of wire cutters. I reached in slowly, knowing that cutting the wrong wire could make the collar tighten until it choked Mel to death. A drop of sweat dripped off of my chin and I wiped my face as I cut the light green wire. It was one of the ones I had not been able to fix in Nilak’s so it could possibly be the one controlling the magic.

I waited for a moment, but nothing happened. I sighed and cut the ocean blue one next to it. This time Mel reacted slightly, almost as if something had tapped her head. She curved her neck to look at what I was doing over my shoulder, and I dearly hoped she wouldn’t bite my head off if we broke the collar’s control. I took a deep breath and reached for the last wire, a stark white one about half an inch thick. This was the last one that I hadn’t repaired in Nilak’s so if this didn’t free Mel, nothing short of cutting it off would break the spell. I sawed at the wire for a few minutes, working through the braided metal after I cut through the plastic coating. Filament by filament the wire was cut, until it finally split with a slight Pop sound. The reaction in Mel was immediate and dramatic. She jerked away from me and stumbled back, shaking her head like there was a fly buzzing around it and swatting at her face with her front paws. As she thrashed around a female voice began to reach my mind, first in bits and pieces and then in full sentences. It took only a moment to realize it was Mel’s voice. It had worked, I had freed her from the collar’s control. After a moment her movements slowed and she lowered her paws to the ground, her eyes opening to look around with a confused expression.

Where, where am I? Her voice was soft and smooth, much like her personality. She looked at me, What did you do to me?

Nilak stepped forward and stood next to me, He freed you from enslavement Mel, and he is working with me.

Mel looked at Nilak and seemed to not recognize him for a moment, but then her eyes flew wide open and she tackled him to the ground, her front paws pinning Nilak on his back with her on top of him. Her mind speech was going so fast I couldn’t make out single words, but the general message of complete disbelief came through loud and clear. She took us both by surprise when she pulled back just far enough to look Nilak in the face, and then pressed her lips to his as she closed her eyes. My jaw dropped as Nilak’s eyes went wide, but he only stayed in shock for a split second before he returned the kiss. I decided to give them some privacy and turned my back, listening to the mental chatter with half of my attention. It wasn’t until I heard Nilak call me in my head that I deemed it okay to turn around.

Nilak was sitting on his haunches with Mel at his side, their heads pressed together and their eyes closed. Their shoulders kept bumping and their tails had wound around each other, ever the image of dragons in love. He opened his eyes and nudged Mel with his muzzle, Mel, this is Silver Spirit. He’s the one I teamed up with so we could go after Mythic Song. He’s the one who freed you from the collar and is helping me get into the Dragon Circuit.

She turned her lavender gaze on me, the spark of emotion and intelligence once more shining within their depths, Thank you Silver Spirit. I don’t know how I can ever repay you for what you have done for me. I would have been a slave for the rest of my life if you hadn’t freed me, so I pledge to you now that I will join you on your quest to fight Mythic Song.

What about Lucky? I asked, She still believes you are her partner and friend. If you leave all of a sudden it will draw suspicion to us that we can’t afford. We need to figure out a way to have Lucky come with us or we won’t get anywhere.

She nodded, I understand the reasons behind your request, but must I let that little female ride me and use this horrid saddle? It chafes my skin even though she takes care of the wounds, and being a beast of burden grates at my pride.

Hay do you sound like Nilak right now. I’ll tell you what, if you can figure out a way for us to have you tag along without drawing suspicion, you can leave Lucky. I interrupted her before she could say anything, However, Lucky loves you, even if that love is misplaced. If you leave her she will be crushed and I don’t want that to happen to one of my closest friends. I think it would be a much better idea to include her and Ivy in our little plan. If I do the same thing to Winx’s collar we’d have three dragons with free will and the ability to race in the Dagon Circuit. If we play our cards right we could have a small fighting group instead of having to go it alone. I don’t know about you but that sounds like it has a lot better chance of succeeding.

Nilak shared a look with Mel, and she looked back at me with a questioning gaze, What if they turn us in once they find out? If we trust them with the secret and they betray us, then all of this would have been for nothing. We need to know if we can trust those mares before we tell them about what we plan on doing.

So break it to them slowly. I offered, Don’t tell them about killing Mythic or anything like that. Tell them at first the truth about dragons and what Lord Song plans on using the collars for. Don’t tell them how we plan on stopping him, or make something up if they ask. If they prove themselves later, then we’ll tell them the whole story. Make it sound like a plea for help instead of a call to arms. I have a feeling they will sympathize with your plight if you make it sound like you are the victims.

Mel shared another look with Nilak, and when he nodded she looked back at me, Very well, but let me try and talk to Lucky on my own first. Don’t react when I start to talk to her. Make it seem like she’s the only one who knows. If she accepts me then you can join in on the conversation. Silver, you can use Nilak as a conduit to speak into Lucky’s mind. If we can do this right, I agree that it would give us a stronger chance of succeeding than we would ever have separately.

She stood up and walked around the hill again, with Nilak and I following behind. She lay down next to the trunk of the tree with her muzzle just inches from Lucky’s curled up form. Nilak and I took up positions a few feet away, my back against the tree with Nilak resting his head on my side. I ran my hoof through his feathers to calm my nerves, and it seemed to help him as well. I watched out of the corner of my eye as Mel taped Lucky on her side with the end of her muzzle. At first Lucky didn’t wake up, but after a few more taps, she blearily opened her eyes and looked up at Mel. She smiled but it only lasted until Mel sent out her first thought words.

Hello Lucky.

Author's Notes:

So here's chapter three as promised. I plan on getting four and five out tomorrow for you guys, so hang on and I'll get it rolling as soon as possible. Hope you like what you've read so far, and please let me know what you think of my work. I really appreciate the feedback from you guys and use it to better my work in the future.
See you all next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

IV - A New Ally

I forced my face to remain blank as Lucky looked over at me, “Not funny Silver. I know it’s you throwing your voice.”

I looked at her with a confused expression, keeping up the ploy of not knowing what was happening, “What are you talking about? I never learned to throw my voice. If I could then you’d be hearing me in your flowerpot or your closet.” I rolled onto my other side to face away from her, pretending to go back to sleep, “Now quit bugging me and go to sleep.”

I could imagine her opening her mouth to spit back a barbed retort, but Mel interrupted, It’s not Silver speaking to you, it’s me, Melinda.

I couldn’t see them because my back was turned, but I could imagine Lucky looking down at Mel with confusion, “You can talk? Why didn’t you say anything before?”

Because she was unable to until now, Nilak added in with his two bits. You might want to speak in your mind, or else Ivy might think you’ve gone crazy and are talking to yourself.

I couldn’t take not being able to see, so I faked stretching and rolled back over so I could spy on Lucky and Mel with narrowed eyes. Lucky’s head was turning from side to side, apparently trying to pinpoint the second voice that had spoken in her mind.

Who’s that? Her mind voice sounded more pure and less emotional than her real one, but the twinge of fear could still be heard in her tone. Where are you?

Lying down with my head on Silver’s hip, was the simple reply.

Lucky looked over at us and her eyes widened as she put two and two together. Nilak? You’re the one in my head? What, how, what’s going on?!

I figured now was as good a time as any to join in and give Lucky some help. I opened my eyes and caught her gaze, it’s a very long story Lucky, but you should really listen to what the dragons have to say. The truth is going to be very new to you and very hard to believe. If I wasn’t speaking to your mind through them right now I wouldn’t have believed it either.

Her eyes narrowed as she looked at me, only to widen again in shock as I nodded slightly. “Holy Celestia! Silver, you’re – Get out of my head!” She grabbed the sides of her head and closed her eyes tight, “This is all just a dream. It’s all just a dream. A really, really bad dream.”

Mel nudged Lucky in the foreleg with her muzzle to get her attention, this is not a dream Lucky. It is real and you don’t know how happy I am to be able to speak with you at last. You see, I was not myself until tonight. I was unable to express my emotions and unable to connect with you. She moved her front foot to rest gently on Lucky’s leg, I want to truly be your friend, and if you reject the truth I can’t do that. Will you listen? Will you let me explain?

Lucky slowly opened her eyes and locked gazes with Mel. She seemed to see the plea in her lavender eyes and slowly nodded. Alright, I’ll listen. She looked at Nilak and I with a sharp gaze, but if either of you butt into my head again without permission I’m going to bean both of you with a tree branch.

Mel chuckled over the mental link, don’t worry, I’ll let them listen but they won’t be able to comment without my say so. She turned her head to look at us, right boys?

Nilak and I nodded, knowing that too much at one time could drive Lucky off the cliff. Mel nodded and turned her head back around to rest in front of Lucky’s hooves. I guess I’ll just start at the beginning, it’s as good a place as any. You see Lucky, dragons and ponies lived in peace in the very distant past. We respected one another and worked together in many ways. However, that all came crashing down when a small group of ponies started spreading lies and myths about our beastly nature and our hunger for death. Out of fear the ponies attacked us and that began the Great War. You know the stories of dragons killing whole villages of innocent stallions, mares and foals, and I won’t deny that it happened. However, it was only a select few who went mad with the rage of battle. Most dragons wanted to end the fighting but were never given the chance. Then, along came the wizard Mythic Song. Using magic that we taught him, he created the collars and began enslaving dragons. The magic within the collars suppressed our will and emotions to the point that we were no longer true dragons. I wouldn’t even call it truly being alive to have your mind stripped down to the very basic understanding of orders and obedience. Ponies took their new power over us and worked tirelessly to enslave every last one of our kind, but they did not succeed. A few dragons here and there escaped the clutches of the hunters, and together we formed The Dragon Coalition, a small community with the sole purpose of staying free and finding a way to do the same for our fellow dragons.

My eyes widened slightly, given this was the first time I had heard about this Dragon Coalition. I didn’t interrupt even though I badly wanted to, and tried to listen to the rest of the story without blurting something out.

Several years ago, not too long before I came to be your partner, I was one of those free dragons, and I was sent here to find and free my fellow dragons. However, I was captured and collared before I could do anything, and had it not been for Silver I would still be under Mythic’s control.

Mythic’s control? Lucky’s confusion was plain to hear in her thoughts, how can one pony control the dragons? You followed my orders when you wouldn’t follow those of other ponies.

That was because Mythic Song has not yet activated the full power of the collars. Who else but the creator of the collars could truly be in control? I was sent here to find him and break the spell that controls the collars before he can put his plan into action.

I could tell Lucky was confused again. It was written all over her face, his plan? What could he possibly be planning?

Mel sighed, He plans on using the true power of the collars to take control of every dragon in the world. With that much power at his command, nopony, not even Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, would be able to stop him in his quest to take over the planet. I know it sounds crazy, but Mythic Song made it very clear to the free dragons that once he found us, he would turn us into his most prized generals. She scoffed, he made it sound like we would become gems in his crown or medals on his coat. Now what would you need generals for if you didn’t have an army for them to command? I would have done anything to free my fellow dragons if it meant stopping Mythic Song.

Lucky seemed to be deeply struck by what Mel had been saying. Her eyes were conflicted and her hooves kept tracing circles in the grass. I knew she only fiddled with her hooves like that when she was very troubled, so I sent a quick mental nudge to Mel, hoping she would let me in to speak with Lucky.

I let out a silent sigh of relief when she opened the connection, and I hesitantly sent a calming thought to my friend, I know it’s a lot to take in, but I believe what Mel and Nilak have told me, and I’ve agreed to help them in their mission to free the other dragons. It would be a huge help if you would join our cause. We could really use someone with your skills in the coming challenges. I paused to let her think a bit, glad she hadn’t reacted badly to my thoughts in her head like before, we need you Lucky. What do you say?

She looked up at me and then over at Nilak. He lifted his head off of my hip and nodded once, letting her know he felt the same. Lucky looked down at Mel in front of her and then at the moon over above the horizon. Her hoof lazily rubbed over the top of Mel’s muzzle, and I heard the soft purr that told us she liked the attention.

After staring out at the moon for several minutes, apparently getting her thoughts in line and weighing her options, she looked down at Mel once again with determination in her eyes, I’ll help you. If what you’ve told me is true then I agree that the dragons should be free. We have no right to take away a sentient creature’s free will and use them for our own purposes. She looked over at Nilak and me, her gaze softening, sorry for biting your heads off boys, it was just too much to take with all three of you in my head.

We understand. Nilak lifted his head and smirked comically, believe me, getting Silver to listen was like pulling teeth.

As Lucky laughed into her hoof I smacked Nilak across the cheek, hey! Give a guy a break! You nearly scared me to death when you came out of the alley with no collar on and roaring your head off! Not to mention the things you did to those Blood Claw guys!

Blood Claw? Lucky asked, who said anything about Blood Claw?

I mentally facehoofed for my big mouth, umm, you see Lucky, I had a run-in with a group of them the night I found Nilak, and had he not been there I’m certain I’d be dead.

You were attacked and you didn’t tell me! She pushed Mel’s head out of the way and leapt onto me, pushing me over and rolling across the ground as Nilak jumped out of the way.

We rolled for several feet before coming to a stop with Lucky sitting on my chest. She then began shaking me by the shoulders and spouting verbal abuse at me, and had I not been scared for my life I might have been able to enjoy the very nice view between her legs. Her marehood was out in the open thanks to her position on top of me, although I was forced to remember my priorities as she pushed me back to bang my head on the ground. Stars exploded in my vision and half of the sky turned jet black. I thought for a second that she was going to kill me, but Mel decided to get involved and break up the fight. She had walked over to us and reached down to bite Lucky’s mane gently, lifting her off of me and holding her about eight feet off the ground. Nilak used his front paw to help me sit up as I held my aching head, and as my mind cleared I could hear Lucky pissing a fit as she struggled in Mel’s grip.

“Put me down you overgrown Iguana!” She tried reaching above her to pry open Mel’s jaws but couldn’t get a grip, “Put me on the ground now or I’ll scream!”

You’re already screaming, Mel said calmly, and if I put you down now you’d just go back to beating the poor colt’s brains out. Now calm down so we can talk about this like rational beings instead of hormone-crazed teenagers. She held Lucky aloft until she stopped struggling, and then gently lowered her to the ground, there, now we can talk calmly and quietly, or did you forget that Ivy and Winx are right over there?

Lucky seemed to have forgotten about the other girls, her head whipping around to spot the two under the tree in the fear of being caught talking to herself. Luckily both Winx and Ivy were very heavy sleepers. I would have been surprised if setting a firecracker off next to their ear would wake them up. Ivy was still against the trunk of the tree with Winx’s head resting at her left side, the dragon’s body curled around to make the general shape of a crescent moon. Neither of them seemed to have moved an inch the entire night, and I imagined they wouldn’t wake up until the sun started shining in a few hours.

Lucky sighed in relief and looked up at Mel, alright miss calm and collected, but next time that idiot does something stupid, she indicated me with a wave of her hoof, I’m going to knock his head in for making me worry so much.

On that you don’t have to worry, Nilak added, I’ll hold him down while you punch so he can’t get away.

You know I can hear every word you’re saying, right? I tried not to let my annoyance show in my mental voice, now, if you three are done planning my demise, we have another dilemma to ponder. I looked over at Winx and Ivy, do we include those two in our group and tell them our secret?

Of course we should tell them! Lucky practically screamed in my head, I’m not going to keep my friend in the dark while we go off saving the world. What do you think we’re going to do about her, tie her up and leave them at home to worry? I don’t think so!

You must remember, Nilak interjected, Winx was fitted with the collar from birth, while Mel and I were born wild. It is possible that because she was taken over at such a young age that she might not have much of a mind to use. If we are going to include Winx and Ivy in our plans and have them work with us, we need to know first if Winx will even be of any help.

And how do you plan on doing that? Lucky asked, in case you haven’t noticed, both of them are going to be out cold until past sunrise. If you plan on freeing Winx from the collar, you’re going to have to do it in front of Ivy. I don’t know about you, but seeing someone cut the power to what I think is the only thing keeping me alive might be a bit of a shock.

Nilak and Mel shared a glance and then looked at me, well mister engineer, Nilak said expectantly, you’re the one who freed Mel. How do we get Ivy to go along with this without freaking her out or scaring her to death?

I scratched my head, give me a minute to think. I’m sure I’ll come up with something. I lowered my gaze to the ground and started to pace. For some reason it always helped me think to be in motion. I moved back and forth between the dragons, walking first around and behind Nilak and then around Mel in a figure eight. Then I went back to pacing between them.

Does he always do this to come up with something? Mel asked.

Pretty much every time, was Lucky’s answer, I’ve got a permanent bald spot in the carpet where he spent three hours walking back and forth trying to come up with ways to earn money.

I growled over the mental link, if you guys would be quiet I could concentrate much better. I took a few more steps when all of a sudden it hit me, wait a minute, concentrate! I’ve got it! I spun around to look at the three expectant faces before me, all we have to do is introduce Mel and Nilak to Ivy in her head. If she gets to talk to you three in her mind it might distract her long enough for me to free Winx. Think about it, when Lucky first made mental contact with Mel, she was so confused she couldn’t think straight. Now imagine if Lucky could speak with Ivy while you two add in things as you see fit. It should be enough of a thrill to keep her attention away from Winx while I work on the wiring. Once Winx is free and we find out if she has enough of a brain to be of any help, then we can make the choice of whether or not to fill Ivy in on the truth.

I dare say that might be crazy enough to work, Lucky smiled as she walked up and slapped me on the shoulder, “Make sure you work fast. There’s only so much we can gossip about before she thinks something is up.”

I nodded, “Don’t worry. Now that I know what wires to cut it shouldn’t take more than a minute or two.”

Well we’d better get some sleep before then, Nilak said, looking to the east, if we pull an all-nighter we’re not going to have a prayer in the morning.

Good point Nilak, Mel said, turning back to the tree and lying down next to Winx, you three chattering all night has given me a headache. She yawned hugely and laid her head on her front paws, goodnight.

Nilak followed me as Lucky lay against Mel’s flank, her eyes fluttering shut almost immediately. Nilak curled up close enough to Mel to twine his tail with hers, though far enough so that I could rest against his side facing Lucky. His feathers were as soft as I remembered, and before long my eyes were having trouble staying open. I didn’t fight it and let them close, my imagination turning Nilak’s feathers into a cloud as I drifted off to sleep. My last thought was a quick prayer to the Royal Sisters, please let this go right. I don’t want all of this trouble to have been for nothing. With that I slipped into deep sleep and sailed on my wings up and into the night sky.

Author's Notes:

Well, here's chapter four as promised. I should be able to get chapter five and maybe even six up by tonight, so keep a look out for that. Anyways, how do you like the story so far? Anypony got a fav character yet?
Anyway, I'll see you all next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

V - New Friends, Old Foes

The sun made an unwelcome appearance as I struggled to pull myself into wakefulness. It had seemed to be only a few minutes since we had hit the hay, but given a quick glance at the horizon proved that false. The sun was almost a quarter the way to high noon, the light shining just under the branches of the ancient oak and just above Mel’s curved back. I rolled to the side and stood up, grunting as stiff muscles protested the movement and popped in multiple places.

“Boy I need to find a better pillow.” I glanced down at Nilak as he opened his eyes, “You need to soften some of those bricks you call muscles. It was like sleeping on a feathered boulder.”

Says the colt who snores like a buzz saw, he retorted, I only fell asleep out of sheer exhaustion. Had I not been so tired I wouldn’t have been able to sleep at all.

Now listen you overgrown skink, I growled through our link, if I have to listen to you complain for a moment longer I’m going to knock your teeth in.

Try it featherhead. I’d like to see how far you get with three legs.

Both of you shut up, Mel muttered irritably, you were thinking so loud you woke me and Lucky up. Now if you’re going to try and prove who’s got the bigger set of balls, kindly take it someplace else so we can get some rest.

Yeah, Lucky added, you two are worse than a pair of turkeys in mating season. All fluff and bluster.

Mel chuckled under her breath, good one Lucky. I swear that made one hell of a mental image.

While they shared a laugh Nilak and I shared a knowing look of our own. Females, we thought at the same time.

I had a feeling the banter would have gone on longer, but at that moment Ivy and Winx decided to wake up. Ivy arched her back like a cat and yawned widely, “Morning everyone. Did you sleep well?”

We shared a look between us and came to a silent agreement. Lucky walked up and knelt down in front of Ivy, her back muscles tense in anticipation, “Hey Ivy, would you like to know a little secret?”

At the mention of a secret Ivy bolted upright, all traces of sleep gone at the prospect of gossip, “What is it? What’s the scoop?” Her voice practically dripped with curiosity and I knew Lucky had her hooked. Now the only question would be if we could keep her on the line long enough to get the job done.

“Well, you have to come over here for me to tell you.” Lucky turned and walked over to stand next to Nilak and Mel, “You see it’s something that has to do with our dragons.”

Ivy didn’t hesitate in following Lucky, her gaze shifting from Nilak to Mel and then back to the blue mare, “What? Tell me before I explode from the suspense.”

I made my way around Nilak and past Ivy so I could sit beside Winx. The Pixie Glider was awake but not really paying attention to anything. She rolled over without any resistance at my gentle nudge so I could access the collar. I made a quick check to make sure Ivy wasn’t looking, and then got to work. I could hear the girls talking, though their words were too soft to make out.

As I popped the panel on the front of the collar I picked up Mel’s mental words as she spoke to Ivy, it’s nice to meet you Ivy Charm. We’ve never had the chance to talk before.

I didn’t have to listen very hard to pick up Ivy’s shocked statement, “You can talk! Since when?”

As I cut through the first wire I listened to Mel and Nilak talk with Ivy about this, that and the other, attempting to answer her questions without saying too much. In thirty seconds the first two wires were cut, but that still left the massive white one to deal with. I glanced over my shoulder to make sure Ivy still wasn’t looking, and began cutting the last wire in earnest. I knew the idea of talking to Winx in her head would hit my excitable friend at some point, and I needed to be finished before that happened. Sweat trickled down my face as I cut through the wire bit by bit, knowing that every second was precious and I couldn’t afford to look back for lack of time.

I was just about to cut the last filament when Ivy called out to me, “Hey Silver, what are you doing with Winx?”

I knew it was now or never so I cut the last wire and placed the panel back where it belonged. I sighed in relief as Ivy walked up, her hazel eyes filled with interest as she looked over my shoulder at Winx’s collar, “What were you doing over here?”

I looked up at her and shrugged, “I was wondering if maybe Winx could use some ointment, the collar is making a rub mark around her neck.” I pointed to a thin line of discoloration along the edge of the collar, hoping she would buy my fib.

She leaned close and snickered, “That’s just a darker patch on Winx’s skin.” She smacked me lightly over the back of the head, “You need to have your eyes checked.”

I took the hit as a sign she believed me, and then looked over at Winx’s head to see if she was truly free. Her eyes seemed to be conflicted, which I took to be good because they had been blank before, though when I nudged her mentally she seemed to not understand what was happening. She lifted her head and looked around, confusion evident on her face as she seemed to not understand where the
nudge had come from.

I leaned over and touched her neck, her head swinging around to look at me with interest, her frills erect and twitching in her nervous state, hello Winx. Can you hear me? Can you understand me?

I tried to make it a soft voice so as not to scare her, and after a moment or two I received a faint reply, who – who are you? She looked around and took in the others, what am I doing here? Her voice was soft and unsure, sounding more like the voice of a young girl rather than that of an over-confident teenager.

You are free of the collar young one, Mel said softly as she lay down next to the smaller dragon, we are your friends and wish to help you now that you are able to communicate.

Winx looked up at the larger dragon with a twinge of fear in her eyes, I want Ivy. She looked around with need in her eyes, where’s Ivy?

Ivy walked up and held the dragon’s head to her chest, “It’s alright Winx, I’m here.” She looked up at Mel and asked, “What do you mean, ‘free from the collar’? Did something happen to make her unable to talk?”

Mel, Nilak, Lucky and I shared a look, and, in seeing agreement all around, decided to tell her.

I sat down next to her in the grass and captured her gaze with mine. The intensity in my eyes must have grabbed her attention, because she didn’t look away as she gently rubbed the side of Winx’s muzzle. “You might want to sit down. This is going to take a while.” She sat on the grass and Winx lowered her head to rest on the ground next to her, though her eyes were locked to mine as well. I took a deep breath and said, “Well, you see it started long ago when dragons worked side by side with ponies……”

It took several hours to tell the whole story, mainly because Mel and Nilak would add in bits and pieces here and there, not to mention Ivy’s million and one questions. Winx never said a word, given this was all new to her as well, but as the tale was told, her eyes began to well up with tears, and by the time I had finished she was crying silently into Ivy’s chest. I waited for a bit for all of it to sink in, but it was not Ivy who spoke first.

Winx lifted her head and sniffed loudly, her yellow eyes glistening with tears as they ran down the sides of her face, all this time I was a slave, unable to think or speak for myself. I never knew my mother. I never knew any of my family. And you’re saying almost all of the dragons have to live like that their entire lives?!

She broke down into silent sobs and Ivy held her head to her chest, “There, there Winx. I still love you. In fact, I love you even more than I ever did before.” She lifted Winx’s head so she could look into her eyes, wiping away the tears with her hoof, “You will always be family to me, and nothing will ever change that. You are everything to me, and I would rather die than see you suppressed once more.” She closed her eyes and pressed her forehead to Winx’s, holding the dragon to her as Winx shook with sobs. A single tear ran down the green mare’s cheek to join Winx’s in the grass and I looked away to give them some privacy.

Lucky and the other dragons did the same as we walked a short distance away to let them have their moment alone. After a minute or two Ivy walked up with a much more comforted Winx. Both sets of eyes were red-rimmed from crying, but within those eyes were twin flames of determination that flared and roared like a set of stars.

Winx held her head high and her whole body radiated courage like a furnace. She met Mel and Nilak’s eyes and smiled, I want to help you free the other dragons. I don’t want anydragon to ever be held captive in their own minds ever again.

“That goes double for me,” Ivy added with a hoof against her heart, “there’s no way I’m letting that slime ball Mythic get away with this.”

Nilak and Mel smiled as Lucky and I hoof-bumped. Nilak looked between Winx and Ivy, his eyes betraying his joy where his face would not, welcome to the group. It is an honor to have you with us, and I believe that we now have the chance to break the spell over the other dragons. Alone we would have fallen, but together, we will triumph. He placed his left paw in the air at chest level, one cannot stand,

Mel placed her left paw on top of Nilak’s, but two can support each other,

They both looked at Winx, and she placed her left paw on top of theirs, and three will never be broken.

I walked up and placed my left hoof on top of theirs, “United we stand,”

Lucky placed hers next to mine, “united we fall,”

Ivy put hers between Lucky and me, smiling as she glanced at us both, “dragons and ponies, fighting for all.”

There was a brief flash of light where our flesh touched, and I felt warmth spread into my body until it settled in my chest over my heart. I pulled my hoof back as the others did the same, “What was that?”

That was a bit of dragon magic that sealed our bond as a group, Nilak explained, it does nothing more than connect us all in mind and spirit, but that connection will now be stronger than it ever could have been before. For instance, he looked between Lucky, Ivy and I, you three will now be able to speak to each other in your minds without using one of us as a conduit. Also, your natural speed, strength and agility have been boosted by sharing our strength with you. That warmth you felt was a bit of our power joining with your bodies. You are now stronger, faster, and more powerful than any dragon rider before you. You will learn in time that you can do things most would believe to be impossible, and that your true power will only grow the more you bond with us.

Ivy looked at Winx with a wide smile on her face, “This is awesome! I never thought I could get to know you all over again!” She hugged Winx around the base of her neck, “This is going to be great!”

Mel chuckled, it’s not over yet. First we have to get into the Dagon Circuit if we even stand a chance of getting close to Mythic.

Nilak nodded, that’s right, unless we get strong enough to go toe to toe with the most powerful dragons in the world, we won’t stand a chance.

“So it’s settled then,” I said as I draped my legs over the girls’ shoulders, “we’ve got training to do. Try and keep up ladies. I wouldn’t want you to get left behind.”

Lucky and Ivy shared a look, and then grabbed me by my ankles and flipped me backwards in a complete summersault. I landed on my back with a grunt as the wind was knocked out of me, and I looked up to see the girls standing over me with mirror grins on their faces.

“How about you worry about keeping up with us?” Ivy said as she walked back over to Winx.

“Yeah,” Lucky added as she jumped into Mel’s saddle, “we wouldn’t want to have to drag you along.” She laughed as Mel and Winx took off into the air, leaving Nilak and I to catch up.

As I climbed into the saddle he chuckled in the back of my head, those four are going to be quite the pawful.

Yeah, I agreed, but that doesn’t change the fact that they’re the best and only choice for the job. I wouldn’t want anypony else beside me in battle.

Nilak grunted as he beat his wings and took off into the air after the girls, speaking to me quietly before we caught up to them, you know we’re going to have to tell them at some point that killing Mythic is the only way to break the spell.

Don’t remind me, I whispered back, Mel knows that too, but I think we can all agree that is a bit of info we’d better save for later. I think at some point Ivy and Lucky will think it is necessary to do whatever it takes to free the dragons, but right now it would be too much.

I agree, he glanced over his shoulder at me and nodded before flying up to glide next to the girls.

The trip back home was uneventful compared to what had just happened, but as Nilak and I landed next to the stable at home, I couldn’t help but feel something was wrong.

I slid off of Nilak’s back and he caught my gaze, I feel it too. It’s like something is waiting for us inside the house and knows we arrived.

I’ll check it out. Stay here and wait for my signal. If there’s trouble I’ll call out for you. I glanced at the door, until then we need to be careful.

I walked up to the back door and knocked once, but the door fell over off of its hinges. I hesitated before walking inside, feeling like something was going to jump out of the shadows at me. The lights were out and when I tried the switch nothing happened. Bits of broken pottery and overturned furniture littered the house, indicating there had been some kind of a struggle. I stepped slowly from the kitchen to the living room, my hooves crunching on broken glass as I spotted the shattered front window. I looked around what remained of our first floor and knew that this was an attack. Someone had broken in and trashed the place. The only question was, who, and why?

I walked up the stairs, the pictures that had been hanging on the wall torn to shreds and broken on the wooden steps. I hoped mom had been out during the attack, and I wanted to call out for her badly, but knew if anypony was still here it would be a bad idea. The bedroom at the top of the steps was in no better shape than the rest of the house, the covers torn to shreds and the mattress ripped into three tattered pieces. The drawers of the dresser and everything in them had been scattered across the room, scarves hanging off of the mirror and a blue dress clinging to the edge of the bed. I walked down the hall and pushed my door open, finding my own room had not been touched. I tilted my head in confusion and walked around, checking to make sure everything was still there. As it turned out, not a thing had been moved as far as I knew, and all of my valuables were still in plain sight. I turned to check the rest of the house when a piece of paper taped on my door caught my attention. I walked over and ripped it off, reading the colorful handwriting with some difficulty.

It said a total of ten words, but they sent a chill down my spine as I dropped it to the floor,

Check your closet. Your old friends, the Blood Claw Riders.

I knew now why my room had not been touched, they wanted me to come in and find the note. I walked over to the closet and swallowed thickly, knowing something horrid was going to be on the other side of the doors. I closed my eyes and pulled open the doors, the smell of blood hitting my nose even before I opened my eyes. My heart seemed to stop as I stared at what was before me, not believing my own eyes. I had to remember to breath as I tried not to fall over. My stomach heaved but I held it in with difficulty, trying not to add to the mess that already covered the inside of my closet. My mother, or what was left of her, was strung up on the wall like a prize deer or a trophy fish. Her limbs were arranged in an X and her body was upside down. Her eyes were wide open and her mouth was ajar in a death scream. Her throat had been cut so deeply that her head was barely attached to her body. Her chest no longer existed. It had been replaced by a gaping hole that was rimmed by markings that looked a lot like dragon teeth. Her body was a mess, and if the blood coming out of her privates was anything to go by, she had been used and abused before being killed. All along her legs where words cut with what looked like a thin knife. The simple sentence went down one leg and then up the other, spelling out why she had been killed in gruesome efficiency.

No one crosses the Blood Claw and lives.

I ran back out of the house and jumped directly into Nilak’s saddle without any help. He started to ask what was going on but I cut him off, “Just fly. We need to get Lucky and the others fast. Then we need to get out of here before they come back.”

Before who comes back? he asked as we took off into the air.

I looked back at my former house with fear in my heart and loss in my soul, “The Blood Claw.”

Author's Notes:

Well that got messy towards the end. Horseapples I feel like taking those Blood Claw and feeding them to their mounts for doing this to Silver. But that wouldn't leave anything for the plot to use as tension. So, I guess you'll have to wait for your sweet revenge on those Tartarus spawn.
Anyway, see you all next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

VI - Run and Fun

All I could think about on the way to Lucky and Ivy’s place was the image of my mother torn to bits and left as a sick present in my bedroom. I leaned over and puked into the open air, not really caring what it landed on.

We’ll get those bastards for what they did, Nilak said with contained fury, on that I give you my word as a dragon.

“Revenge isn’t something we can take time to pursue right now,” I reminded him, “no matter how much it hurts to wait. Right now we need to get the girls out of the city and find someplace we can hide out until we can come up with a plan.”

Sounds good to me, but that might have to wait. We’ve got company below. He indicated with one leg and I looked to see several black Whiptails flying up at us from below.

It didn’t take a genius to recognize the preferred dragon of the Blood Claw, and I knew they weren’t coming up for a friendly chat.

“See if you can lose them.” I yelled over the wind, “We can’t go to the girls until we shake them off.”

Hang on tight, he replied as he dove sharply and twisted in midair to club the two leading dragons on the head with fisted front paws. The dragons spun in several forward summersaults, causing their riders to fall from their saddles. Nilak flipped over and flew headfirst at the next two, catching them on their wingtips and causing them to swing into each other. Four down, two to go.

These riders seemed to have some brainpower in their heads, driving their dragons at us from opposite directions to avoid being hit at the same time. Nilak looked from side to side, unsure about what to do.

I tapped him on the shoulder and thought to him, when I give the signal, drop like a stone. If it works they’re going to have one hell of a headache.

He nodded and we hovered as the two dragons drew closer and closer. I waited, Nilak trusting my judgment and not moving as they came within fifty feet, then thirty.

Anytime Silver, I could hear the slight twinge of uncertainty in his voice as the dragons got within twenty feet.

Just as they were about to hit us I yelled, “Now!” Nilak tucked his wings and we dropped straight down. The two dragons couldn’t react in time and pull up, crashing into each other head first in the space we had occupied just moments before.

Nilak hovered in the air after we cleared the dropping dragons and riders, Nilak’s mouth twisted into a toothy grin as he watched the Blood Claw drop, serves them right.

I pat his shoulder and smiled, “Nice work partner. Let’s get the girls and get lost before more show up to party.”

I couldn’t agree more, he said before doing a quick wingover and sped into the morning light.

It wasn’t too hard to make the girls understand we needed to disappear. All I had to do was mention the Blood Claw and they rushed to pack some bare essentials. Sleeping bags, food, water, things like that and not much else. Given I had left my house without getting anything, Lucky supplied me with one of her spare sleeping pads and a second set of saddlebags.

“It’s all I’ve got on such short notice.” She seemed apologetic about it but I shook it off.

“No problem,” I patted her shoulder lightly as I tied my things to Nilak’s saddle, “I’m the one who forgot to grab the things I needed. We’ll just have to make due until we can resupply.”

Winx still seemed a bit confused as Ivy tied her things to her saddle, who are the Blood Claws? Why do we have to run?

Mel leaned over and mind whispered something to the younger dragon, and in an instant her red face drained of blood until it was a pale and pasty pink. Her eyes got very wide and filled to the brim with fear in no time flat. When she spoke it was a flat tone that spoke of how terrified she was, oh. That would be why.

I would have laughed at her comment if the situation hadn’t been so serious. As it stood we had to get moving and out of the city as fast as possible. If we didn’t we most likely wouldn’t last the day, let alone the five days before the Dragon Circuit trials. Once all of us were saddled and ready to go, Nilak led the way as Mel and Winx followed close behind. We gained altitude quickly in hopes of losing pursuit in the thick cloud cover that had rolled in. If we could get above the clouds, we could duck in and out of the cotton-like filaments and lose any dragons that might try and follow us. So far nopony had tried to catch us, but we all knew that wasn’t going to last.

We pushed through the base of the clouds, the moisture sticking to our coats in seconds and chilling our bodies. Luckily it didn’t last long once we climbed above the clouds and got in the sunshine above. The heat soon dried our bodies and we sailed on the high-speed winds out of the city. Every once and a while a break in the clouds would show us a small view of the land below, but we dared not descend until we were out of range of the city. If we could get more than a day’s flight under our wings, we stood a chance of outrunning any pursuit until the trials. Once we made it into the Circuit, there would be no way for the Blood Claw to get to us unless they entered a team as well. Given most Blood Claw Riders were average in skills at best, the chances of that happening would be very small.

At some point, maybe an hour after we got above the clouds, Mel flew in closer to get my attention, Nilak told me about what happened to your mother. I’m sorry for your loss, and I hope you can confide in the girls and me if you need someone to talk to besides Nilak. I just want you to know we are here for you if you need us. With that she slipped over to provide Winx with a slipstream so the smaller dragon could fly with less difficulty, leaving Nilak and I alone with our thoughts.

Why did you tell her? I asked Nilak, it wasn’t your story to tell.

Had you had it your way it would most likely have never been told at all, he retorted, the pain of not telling anyone would have eaten you alive from the inside out. Trust me, I did you a favor, because now we can share your pain and support you if you need it.

I didn’t bother with an answer, though in my shattered heart I knew he was right. They were all right. I needed to let the pain out or else I’d end up exploding from the stress. We flew on into the night, the chill biting at our noses and eartips for a while until they went numb. None of us had cold weather gear and had to tough it out for the night, and all of us breathed a sigh of relief when the sun started to shine once again. We hadn’t had to work the dragons too hard because the wind had kept us going with minimal effort, but right around midmorning the wind died and we were forced to start working for the distance.

As would be expected, Winx started to weaken first, though when Mel and Nilak used their slipstreams to boost her she was able to carry on for a bit more. However, even Mel and Nilak soon began to tire, and as one we agreed it was time to rest. The dragons simply stopped flapping and their weight slowly caused them to descend, passing through the clouds and then coming into open air once more over rolling countryside. Gone were the towering buildings of the city, and gone were the Blood Claw gangs that threatened our lives, at least for a while. We knew at some point they would track us down, but if we could avoid them until we attended the trials, we had a chance. We set down on a hill between two farms, the large plots of grain and corn spreading out on either side for as far as the eye could see. Our little hill was nestled between the two properties like a faithful guard dog, and it offered a clear view of the area nearby. Even if somepony moved through the plants to get at us, the movement of the stalks would give us ample warning of their approach.

Winx flopped on her belly as soon as Ivy slid off, her sides heaving as she spread her wings out to rest. Her frills were flat against her neck, making it look almost like she had a silver mane, and her eyes were failing the attempt at staying open. I don’t think I can move another inch, even her mind voice sounded tired, wake me up when it’s time to move on. Without another word she closed her eyes and was instantly asleep.

Mel chuckled slightly, ah youth. To be able to go for so long and then pass out in a moment. She glanced at Nilak out of the corner of her eye, I remember when we were like that. It seems like so long ago.

You may feel old, he retorted, but you still look like the beautiful dragon I met and fell in love with as a youngster. You are only twenty years old for crying out loud! You haven’t even had your first heat! Don’t go talking to me about getting old until you’ve had your first clutch of eggs. Then you can talk to me about getting old.

And would that first clutch be with you? she asked as she fluttered her eyes at him.

Nilak seemed to falter at her comment, umm, well I uh, would imagine you’d pick a dragon with more experience or one with um…. he trailed off as Mel gave him a sweet smile.

One with what? her tone was so dripping with sweetness I almost got a toothache from hearing it.

Nilak seemed to be having a very hard time forming words, and for good reason. Mel was blatantly flirting with him and presenting her body in the most seductive way possible. Her eyes were half lidded and the corners of her mouth just barely hinted at a shy smile. I looked over at Lucky to see she had turned beet red and was trying to no avail to not watch the interaction.

Nilak sputtered as Mel flounced over to him, practically oozing sexiness as she ran one claw down his chest in a gentle tease, you didn’t answer my question. The sentence was almost nonchalant in tone, but when she ran her claw back up his chest again it belied anything casual about the question.

W-What question? I could swear Nilak was having trouble just remembering to breathe, his wings flared and his tail pointing straight out from his body.

The one about you saying I needed a dragon with something you don’t have, she clarified, now, what was it that you don’t have that you think I need in a dragon?

He swallowed thickly, his eyes very wide as Mel moved her head in very close to his. He moved his head back to try and avoid her, but she continued to advance until her lips met his. I swore Nilak was going to faint when that happened, but Mel held him close as she pushed him over and onto his back. Not once did she break the kiss, her eyes closed and her tail intertwining with his. Nilak seemed to be contemplating resistance, but then chose to deepen the kiss instead. I looked over at Lucky and saw she was trying to pick her jaw off of the ground and failing miserably, her face tomato red and her eyes as big as saucers.

I smirked and nudged her with my elbow, “We should give them some privacy.”

She nodded dumbly, “I think we should.” She walked over to where Ivy was sitting by Winx, the other mare grinning from ear to ear as Lucky pulled her to her hooves, “Alright, party’s over. Let’s give the lovebirds some time alone okay.”

Ivy nodded sagely and followed Lucky and I down the opposite side of the hill, leaving the sounds of Mel and Nilak getting to know one another behind as they were hidden by the curve of the ground. We sat down and I lay back to watch the clouds roll by overhead, my mouth stuck in a grin as I imagined the things that could happen now that Mel had made it very clear she was into Nilak in a romantic way. I glanced over at the girls and thought about their reactions to this new development. Ivy seemed to take it as I did and thought it was natural. Lucky, on the other hand, seemed to be in shock about the whole thing.

“You realize you were the one who brought up the idea of those two being together in the first place,” I couldn’t help but needle her a bit about her flabbergasted state.

She glared at me with a look that could curdle milk, “Butt out. I didn’t mean it like they would be in love. I just thought it would be a quick thing and then a clutch of eggs a few months later. This whole relationship thing is knocking me for a loop.”

Ivy snickered and rolled onto her side, “You really didn’t see it coming? I mean Nilak practically bit your head off when he heard you bring it up before.”

I propped myself up on my elbows and looked at Kara questioningly, “You saw his reaction? I didn’t think you were paying attention.”

Ivy smirked at me, “Serves you right for not paying attention to me. The look on your face was priceless when she brought the idea up. I thought you were going to faint from fear when you looked at Nilak. By the way, can he breathe fire like the dragons of old? I thought I saw some smoke coming out of his mouth when he was pissed.”

I shrugged, “I’ve seen him do it to a group of Blood Claw members that were going to tear me limb from limb. If I remember correctly his flames were a light blue in color with darker blue at the core.”

Ivy’s eyes widened and she looked at the sky as she lay back against the hill again, “I wonder what Winx’s fire would look like?”

I shrugged, “You could always have her torch a tree and find out.”

She looked at me sidelong and smirked as Lucky narrowed her eyes in thought, “Not a bad idea. Then again she might not even know how to. She’s never done it before so it might be hard for her to do it.”

“I think Mel’s would be purple, like her hide,” Lucky must have been talking to herself because her face was directed at the clouds, “or maybe yellow to match her scales.”

Ivy smirked again, “We’ve lost her. She’s going to be in her imagination until she finds out what color Melinda’s fire is.”

Lucky smacked Ivy across the stomach with the back of her leg, “Shut up. I’m just curious is all. I mean, aren’t you?”

Ivy shrugged and folded her hooves behind her head, “I don’t truly care one way or the other if Winx can breathe fire. All that matters to me is that we free the other dragons. If her being able to breathe fire helps in that, then I’m cool with it.”

I copied her pose and crossed my hind legs over each other as I stared at a star-shaped cloud, “One thing is for sure, our lives just got flipped upside down.”

Lucky scoffed, “Yeah, like Discord got ahold of the Ponyville architecture again.”

“Or you and Ivy with a pair of stallions between your legs,” I countered. She smacked me on the chest and I laughed as she scowled. “Hey, you left yourself open for that one. Don’t get sore at me.”

Lucky looked over at Ivy and they shared a smile. In unison they said, “Stallions will be stallions.”

After that we just sat and watched the clouds, feeling like we could do anything in the world. In fact, we were planning on doing just that.

Author's Notes:

Another one up and flying, just like our intrepid heroes. What will be in store for them in the coming Trials? Will they be able to enter the Dragon Circuit? Only time will tell and only Discord knows what surprises lay in wait.
See all of you next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

VII - Trouble at the Track

Well, somehow we did it. We avoided the Blood Claw long enough to reach the Dragon Circuit trials. While we had been on the run, we trained with our dragons, both on the ground and in the air, knowing that most of the races required a combination of both. Nilak was the fastest of our group, though Mel gave him a run for his money half the time. The true surprise was how agile Winx was. She could turn on a bit and could do aerial maneuvers that made the other dragons sick to their stomachs. Ivy was more than pleased with her dragon’s abilities and rubbed it in our muzzles every time we messed up. Much as we disliked her superior tone, we turned the tables on her in just the same way all the time, so it all balanced out in the end. The trials for the Dragon Circuit were taking place at the Aurora Racetrack, several days’ flight from our hometown. We had spent most of our time that wasn’t used for training in the air in order to make it to the track on time.

While the time we took between flights was as short as we could make it, we still had to stop during the more wee hours of the morning to get some rest. Unfortunately for me, it wasn’t all that restful. Images of my mother’s body and the deathly screams for someone to save her haunted my nightmares, overshadowed by the bloody image of the Blood Claw insignia, dripping crimson liquid from its triple claw marks like a river of death. More than once I woke up in a cold sweat, although I did my best not to wake any of the others. Nilak woke up at one point, although he reluctantly agreed to keep quiet about it after I begged him to secrecy. He didn’t like keeping the information from the girls, but he trusted me enough to let it go, for now.

It took us the full week to arrive at Dodge City, home of the Aurora Racetrack, and boy was it a sight to behold. Half of the city was taken up by the course, paved raceway mixed in with aerial floats for the air portions of the race. Already teams were warming up in the air and around the practice track off to the east of the starting area. We shared a look and flew into the city, knowing that if we failed here, everything would be for nothing.

We touched down at what looked like the sign-in tent, the front space mostly taken up by a big screen that had the roster with the teams and solo riders already signed up. Sitting at the desk next to the roster was a very large unicorn stallion with a lit cigar in his mouth. He had to be almost as big around as he was tall, and given he had to be five three in height, that made for a very imposing figure. His face was covered by a huge beard that made his mouth almost invisible and covered most of his upper chest in the curly red bush. His eyebrows were equally bushy and they overshadowed a pair of mild brown eyes. Atop his head was a thick mass of red curls that matched the shrub of a beard he had below. The rest of his body was covered with rough dark brown fur, while his tail proved to be just as messy as his mane.

He acknowledged our arrival with a raised eyebrow, “So you’ve come to sign up have ye?” His voice was deep and had a slight warm tone to it, though the near lack of interest in us made his face less than welcoming. “If so then ye’ve come to the right place. Please step up and sign the roster.” As I sat down and signed my name he raised one eyebrow, “Are ye solo riders or are ye a team?”

I looked up and then at my friends, “Oh, we’re a team.”

“Then ye signs with the team name, not yer own.” He took the slip of paper and tossed it in a waste bin next to his desk, “Now, I’ll ask ye the questions and ye tell me what I need to know so ye don’t mess up another paper.” He pulled out a pen with his light blue magic and placed another paper in front of himself, “Team name?”

I paused before answering, not sure what to say. I looked at the girls and they shrugged. I rolled my eyes and turned back to the giant, “The Freedom Fighters.”

At this both eyebrows raised and he looked at me sidelong, “That be yer team name? Most go by ‘The Rosen Surfers’ or some flashy name of the like. Did I hear ye correct when ye said ‘The Freedom Fighters’?”

I nodded, “You heard right. Is that a problem?”

He shrugged, “Call yeselves whatever ye like, makes no difference to me.” He signed the paper with a flurry and asked again, “Name and breed of dragons.”

“My dragon is Nilak the Gryphonwing,” he raised another eyebrow at the made up breed name, but didn’t comment.

“My dragon is Melinda the Violet Sandscale,” Lucky flicked her mane out of her face with one hoof.

“This pretty one is Winx the Pixie Glider,” Ivy stood next to Winx as she rubbed the dragon between her eyes, “She’s the sweet one.”

“Good,” the stallion checked over the paper and then nodded to himself, “all is ready to register. All ye need to do is have yer gear checked over at the next tent and yo’ll be good to go.”

With that he typed in the information and our team appeared on the screen. Given we had arrived near the middle of the day, most of the other slots were already taken. That meant there would be few places for the Blood Claw to slip in. We knew if they could they would field a team to take us out, but given the three remaining slots would go fast, the chances were pretty slim. We thanked the big unicorn and he nodded as we walked ten feet to the left to the next tent, though if they could have been any more different I would have liked to see it.

The entire front of the tent was open, in fact all four walls were flipped up, and the entire space was filled from floor to ceiling with saddles and other bits of riding gear. While the huge stallion at the previous tent was a rather imposing figure, the scrawny old fellow that met us at the front of this tent seemed more like a colt than a stallion in terms of size. His mane was a wild white frizz that stuck straight up from his head, reaching about ten inches in places. He had a slightly crooked muzzle and big round glasses taking up most of the space on his face. His eyes were a stark ice blue and his back had a distinct hunch that made him look even shorter. His legs couldn’t have been bigger around than my bit pouch all the way to his shoulder, and his hooves were covered in wrinkles and calluses.

“So you need your gear checked before you can race?” His voice was nasal and fairly high pitch, matching his petit size perfectly. “Well you need to take the gear off of your dragons first if you’re going to have me check them.”

We unstrapped out saddles and passed them over the small table that blocked the front of the tent. The little pony was surprisingly strong as he carried all three saddles with ease to the back of the tent. “Satchel is my name, and if you ever have a problem with your gear, just let me know and I’ll fix it right up for ya.” He walked back to the font of the tent, cleaning his hooves with a spare rag that had been lying on a saddle against the left wall, “Come back in about an hour and I’ll have your gear ready for you. So long as nothing is in them that shouldn’t be, you can attend the trials tomorrow without a problem.”

We thanked the old colt and walked with our dragons over to the stands at the edge of the tracks. Riders from famous teams and new-coming solo riders all passed by at rapid speeds as they warmed up for the trials the next day.

“Oh!” I yelled as a yellow and blue streak passed, “There goes Aqua Thunder! He’s one of the top solo racers in the Circuit!”

“Here comes Scarlet Slash!” Ivy yelled as a dazzling rider on a bright red Comet Wing came past. “She’s the second ranked female rider in the entire world!”

I don’t get what the big deal is, Nilak muttered as more racers passed by, they look pretty average to me.

Mel bumped her shoulder against Nilak, you’re just jealous because they all look better than you. She hummed to herself as a burly Water Wind passed by, his muscular tail and legs adorned with fins for aquatic life, and some look downright handsome.

Nilak jerked his head around to stare at her, after all you went through to kiss me you’re talking about other males as being better?! He scoffed, typical females. Always attracted to the biggest muscles and smallest brains.

She bumped him again, harder this time, oh quit with the hurt act, you’re starting to turn green with envy. I wouldn’t ever leave you for somedragon else, I’m just teasing you so you love me all the more.

Clever dragoness, he said, just be careful, I might start doing the same to you. Oh, here comes a fine young she-dragon now.

I looked in the direction he was and spotted a pure white Blizzard Tail with a rider decked out in black speeding down the track on all fours. “Nilak, that ‘fine young she-dragon’ is none other than Whiteout and her rider Black Beauty. She’s the Circuit Champion and the winner of the Draconic Heaven for the last eight years in a row! No one has ever seen the rider’s face in public, and the many attempts to snap a shot of her at home have ended in disaster. You might want to lower your expectations, because she is the very best there is, and the one we have to beat in order to stand a chance at the title.”

Nilak watched as the dragoness sped past in a white blur, can’t blame me for having good taste.

Mel rolled her eyes, you’ll have no taste if you keep that up because I’ll rip out your tongue. She grabbed Nilak by the base of the neck with one paw and dragged him away from the stands, follow me. We’re going to have a little chat.

Nilak locked eyes with me and sent a quick, help me before being dragged out of sight. I just waved with one hoof before he passed behind a tent, chuckling to myself at his predicament.

“Ah the trials of love.” I folded my forelegs on the barrier surrounding the track, “What will they throw at us next?”

Lucky smirked as she watched the other racers speed by, “I don’t know about you, but I can’t decide whether to be scared for them or happy. Either way it’s sure to get very interesting around here.”

I nodded, “You got that right.”

Just at that moment Ivy decided to come running around the corner, her face as white as a ghost and her breath coming in ragged gasps. “Blood….Claw…..here, at the…..trials.” She slumped against the side of the stands and we ran to her to see if she was alright.

“Did I hear you right?” I asked, “The Blood Claw are here?”

She nodded, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath, “I saw them at the sign-in tent. They weren’t wearing their usual uniforms but I spotted their symbol etched into their saddles. We’ve got trouble and it’s not going without a fight.”

Lucky and I shared a look and she stood up quickly, “I’ll find the lovebirds. You stay here and look after Ivy.”

As she sped away Winx came fluttering over the top of the stands, her eyes filled with worry as she landed next to us, will she be alright?

I nodded, “She just pushed herself a bit too hard to get to us. A bit of rest and she’ll be back on her hooves.” I pulled Ivy up by one leg, “Up you go. Now, let’s see if we can help Lucky find the others.”

Ivy hopped on Winx’s back, even without a saddle, “I’ll be able to spot them better from the air. I won’t go too high but it might give us a better chance of finding them.”

I nodded, “Head off towards the far side of the track, I’ll head in the direction of the sleeping area. Between the three of us we should be able to find them.”

Winx nodded to me and flapped her wings, lifting off into the air and zipping off to the west. I waited to make sure they went the right direction and then ran off in the opposite direction. With Lucky running the way they had left, and with Ivy and me spreading out in either direction, we were bound to run into them sooner or later.

It wasn’t long before I got a mental message from Lucky, I found them. They were having a deep conversation about who looked better in the sunlight. We’ll meet you back at the saddle tent to grab our gear.

Got it, I sent back.

On our way, was Winx’s reply.

We met up a few tents away from the equipment tent, hoping to avoid running into the Blood Claw before we could get our stuff. Winx and Ivy arrived just after Lucky and the other dragons ran around the last row of tents. I waved them over and we peaked around the edge of the tent to spy on the equipment checker. His tent was open on all sides like before, but because of the stacks of gear it was hard to see what was going on in the front. I motioned for the girls to stay put with the dragons, and then crouched low to avoid being spotted. I worked my way up to the side of the tent, my approach hidden by the stacks of gear, though the lack of view worked the other way as well. I had no idea if the Blood Claw were right on the other side of the saddles or not. I prayed they weren’t and slowly stood up to glance over the top of a pile. The tent seemed to be empty, though I didn’t let my guard down as I climbed over the mounds of stuff. I landed softly and looked around, trying to spot our saddles in the piles of spare parts and tools.

Luck must have been on my side, because I spotted them off to the right on a small stack of racing packs. I had just grabbed them and hoisted them over the stacks when somepony called out from the front of the tent. A quick look told me exactly what I had hoped to avoid, Blood Claw members climbing over the table to come at me with small daggers and wing blades. I threw caution to the wind and crashed through the stacks of gear, sending everything flying as I rolled into a run and grabbed our saddles. Ivy and Lucky didn’t need to be told twice as I reached them, the girls throwing the saddles onto their dragons’ backs with little regard for front and back. All that mattered was that we got away. Nilak provided some literal cover fire as I attached his saddle, breathing fire in front of the Blood Claw to discourage any forward movement.

Once we were set I signaled the girls and we jumped onto our dragons, taking to the air with great haste as the Blood Claw made their way to their own dragons. We didn’t wait for them to get airborne, turning tail and flying like there was no tomorrow. We got in the way of several racers that were on the track as we flew just above ground level. All we could do was yell quick apologies as we sped by, the Blood Claw now in full pursuit on their Whiptails. We flew down the track the wrong way, racers dodging us left and right. My heart felt like it was going to beat out of my throat and I could feel Nilak breathing hard under me. We couldn’t keep up this pace for long, and a quick look behind us showed the Blood Claw were gaining.

I looked back forward just in time to see a big white dragon in our path, and I knew that we were too close to get out of the way. I braced for the impact but it never came. Whiteout jumped over our backs and landed without missing a step, her ice-spiked tail leaving a thin trail of snow as she passed. Mel and Winx were able to move out of the way, but that still left the Blood Claw for Whiteout and the Black Beauty to deal with.

We slid sideways as we came to a stuttering halt, the girls stopping next to us as we watched the horrid scene unfold. Every one of the Blood Claw was armed and screaming for blood, and all the two racers had were each other. I expected them to get torn to shreds by the gang members, but no such trouble. If anything, the Blood Claw were outmatched by the two females speeding towards them.

Whiteout slid to a stop as the Blood Claw barreled down on them, swinging her tail slightly as she waited for them to get closer. At the last moment she jumped onto her front legs and spun her tail around in a complete circle, the ice spikes impacting the gang members and their dragons in multiple places as she sent them flying. She came to a stop and fanned her wings, roaring like a wild thing as the terrified Blood Claw scampered away on hoof or dragonback. As the fleeing figures faded into the distance, we ran up to the two racers and tried to get our mouths to shut.

“That was amazing!” Lucky gushed with awe dripping from her voice, “I’ve never seen anything like it!”

“Me neither,” Ivy agreed, “I thought you were dragon food for sure.”

“How can we ever repay you for helping us?” I asked.

Black Beauty looked from Lucky to Ivy and finally to me, her magenta eyes being the only part of her face that we could see, “You don’t have to do anything except race your hardest in the trials tomorrow.” Her voice was silken but with an edge that spoke of a warrior’s spirit, “I’ll be joining the race to give you newbies a challenge. I like to sample the possible competition before the new season starts.” She tapped Whiteout on the shoulder with her hoof, “Come on girl, let’s get you some food and water and then we’ll take a good long rest.” They turned away and walked off of the track, Black Beauty calling over her shoulder as they walked past the side barriers, “Make sure you give it your all tomorrow if we end up together on the track. I won’t go easy on you just because you’re new.”

With that she was gone and we were left in shell-shock on the pavement. Lucky, Ivy and I shared a look of total disbelief, “Did we just have a full conversation with the top Dragon Circuit racer in the world?!” Lucky’s voice was so full of awe and joy it was almost intoxicating.

“If we didn’t that was one very realistic dream,” Ivy said, her eyes still glued to the spot where the two racers had disappeared.

“Well,” I said, “I think we owe her the honor of following her example. I don’t know about you but I could use a good night sleep after being on the run for almost a week.”

I second the motion, Nilak added.

Of course you would you lazy oaf, Mel retorted, you could sleep on a boulder and we still couldn’t wake you up.

Cut it out you two, Winx said with surprising force, I’m tired of you two bickering and sending barbs at one another every time you are together. Now, I am going to get some sleep with Ivy, and if either of you two wake me up, there is going to be one hell of a pissed off dragon. Do I make myself understood? Her frills were fully erect and her eyes looked like they could cut through solid rock. Mel and Nilak nodded with wide eyes, apparently equally shocked at the smaller dragon’s irritated mood.

Winx snorted in contempt, good. Now if you’ll excuse us, we have some sleep to catch up on. She walked around the tents and started down the open row next to the track towards the sleeping area.

Mel, Nilak, Lucky and I all leaned around the end of the tent to stare after the retreating forms of Winx and Ivy as they stormed away.

Wow, Mel said with shock in her tone, remind me to never to get on her bad side.

I hear you, Nilak agreed, it was bad enough when she was a clueless newcomer, now she’s becoming the dominant brat that I hoped to never see again. He looked at Mel, do you remember Viloria Glitterwing?

Mel scoffed, how could I forget? She was the biggest prick this side of the Draco River. She always thought she was better than anyone else and if you stood up to her she nearly bit your head off.

Well, that little dragon is starting to turn into another Viloria. If we don’t do something we’re going to have some real trouble on our claws.

I heard that you two, Winx said over the mental link, remember that I can hear your words now better than ever. And for the record, I don’t act like a prick, you two just drive me batty because I can’t ever get some peace and quiet. Now butt out and give us some time to rest.

We watched as Winx and Ivy disappeared from sight, waiting just long enough to let Winx cool down a bit before we followed them, meeting the two in an open space between two team tents. Lucky and Ivy propped up the tent while I made us some dinner. I had managed to procure a cooking kit during one of our supply runs while on our way to the track, and it had come quite in handy over the last few days. Once the tent was up the dragons moved inside, curling up around the walls of the large enclosure as I worked the small gas burner outside the front door flap. Lucky and Ivy joined me as I finished cooking some eggs and fried veggies, the smell of frying oil permeating the air with its delectable aroma.

“Celestia, I could eat a house I’m so hungry.” Lucky said as she sat down next to me, “Can you cook that any faster?”

“Hold on just a minute,” I said, “If you want to burn yourself go ahead and eat it, but I prefer to taste my food rather than feel it as pain.”

She scowled and crossed her legs over her chest with a huff, “Well that doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

Ivy sat down across the frying pan from us, her eyes roaming over the sizzling food with hunger plain in her gaze. “I’m almost tempted to take you up on that offer.”

I chuckled, “Enjoy it while you can, because tomorrow the real work begins.” I looked up from the food at the setting sun, and I truly hoped we had seen the last of those heartless Blood Claw. I wasn’t sure there would be a way to escape them next time they came after us.

Author's Notes:

Well they made it to the trails. Now they just have to be good enough to get into the Circuit proper. Hope you guys are ready 'cause things are going to get dicey next chapter. Hold onto your flanks, it's about to get exciting!!
See you all next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

VIII - Race Day

After having such an exciting day at the sign-ups, the actual trials seemed almost boring by the time we had watched several rounds. Race candidates were separated into groups of ten, with teams racing as one and solo riders filling in the gaps. Our heat wasn’t until eleven, though with everypony so hyped up we could hardly sit still. We were situated not far from the start so we could see both the beginning and the end of every heat. Each gate of the start was walled off from the other racers, but once the riders left the start they would be in constant contact. Direct attack on other racers was not permitted, but bumping and shoving was all part of the challenge. Some played dirty and tried to trip other racers, but most ended up tripping themselves and losing the heat. Only the two top placers in each heat would move on, the rest would be going home to wait for next year. Team scores were an average of the places achieved by all of the members, so even if one racer got in first, if the rest of his team did poorly they would not qualify. It was a way for the trials to be fair for all comers, though there was a great gap between the best and worst riders.

Lucky winced as another young rider and his blue Winchester crashed into the barriers protecting the audience in the stands, “At this rate half of the racers are going to knock themselves out before they even lose the heat.”

Mel lowered her head to look Lucky in the eye, don’t feel sorry for those who are way out of their league. If they don’t make it here then they would have been torn apart in the Circuit. Besides, every loss is a better chance at our victory.

Ivy chuckled as she lounged on Winx’s back between her wings, “You sound like a wise sage who’s had too much to drink. Worry about us and not the other racers.”

Winx looked over her shoulder at her partner, be careful how you speak to Melinda, she won’t take insult very well the way I know her.

“Shut it you two,” I interrupted, “Whiteout and Black Beauty are racing next.”

Nilak and the others crowded against the barrier, trying to get a good view as the racers moved into the starting gates. Whiteout and her rider were in the gate closest to the outer wall, which gave us a very good view of her as she readied for the start. Whiteout, being a Blizzard Tail, was a pure white dragon roughly thirty feet from nose to tail. Her wings were tucked to her sides at the moment, but I knew they would be at least ten feet wider than her body was long. Her hide was smooth all the way from head to tail, iridescent blue streaks making her white body appear to be made out of shifting snow. Along the sides of her elegant tail were bright blue spikes that were made entirely of ice. They angled back sharply to run nearly parallel to her spine, turning her tail into a wedge of cold that could knock other racers about like flies. She had amazing blue eyes that were facetted like diamonds, and at the crown of her forehead was a dark blue mark in the shape of a snowflake. Black Beauty was, as always, completely decked out in black so that only her eyes showed. Even her tail and mane were covered by the sleek fabric, meaning nopony could see anything concerning her looks. Her outfit went in stark contrast with Whiteout’s coloration, and yet it seemed to fit perfectly together.

The red light on the starting post lit up, quickly followed by the yellow and green as the horn sounded to begin the heat. Whiteout launched from the start like a frozen bullet, and left the other racers in the dust before they could even move. She passed by us so fast all I could see was a white streak, and before we knew it she was gone.

I glanced up at Nilak to see his mouth hanging open, “You might want to close that before something flies in.”

He closed his mouth with a snap and glared down at me, you were just as amazed as I was. So don’t go calling the kettle black when I know you’re the pot. He looked up as Whiteout came past again on the next stretch of track, the nearest racer only just coming around the corner at the end of the starting straightaway. I must admit I’m impressed though. If she’s the one we need to beat, then I’m up for the challenge.

Oh really mister hot shot, Mel said through a smirk, I bet you just want to get close to her so you can gawk at her shapely backside before running past.

Nilak blushed a deep red under his face scales, so what if I do? Do you think any other male wouldn’t try the same? Give me some credit for liking what I see, Mel. It’s not like you weren’t checking out that Water Wind yesterday like a prize steak.

Mel blushed in return as she tried to look casual, well, so what if I thought he was handsome. He had some good things going for him and I wanted to appreciate his good breeding.

Nilak scoffed, whatever.

The race was a forgone conclusion as to who would get first, though the competition for second and third was quite stiff. Three dragons were neck and neck as they crossed the finish line, the places only separated by hundredths of a second.

The horn sounded for the next heat and I did a quick time check on the clock tower overlooking the track, “That would be our cue. Come on guys, we’ve got a race to run.”

I hopped onto Nilak and led the others into the starting gates, our team on the end closest to the wall with the girls on either side of Nilak and me. We got into a starting stance and waited for the lights to flash. My vision narrowed down to just the track, nothing else taking up my attention. The red and yellow lights flashed, and as the green lit the horn sounded, Nilak and I breaking from the starting gate almost before the door got out of the way. We ran so fast along the first stretch that I could have sworn we weren’t touching the ground, and yet a quick check behind us showed Winx and Mel were keeping close. However, a pair of Crested Bonewings were coming up from behind, making a run to slip past us on the inside. One of them pulled alongside Mel and Lucky and crashed into their side with his shoulder, causing Mel to have to slow down or risk running into Winx. Winx saw the other one coming up to do the same and pulled one of her agility tricks, jumping over the second dragon in a barrel roll so that she landed on his other side as he charged through open air. The two racers crashed into one another and tripped on each other’s paws, crashing head over heels as Mel maneuvered around them.

Using our voices would have been impossible with the wind of our passage, so I sent a mental message instead, nice move Winx. That should get them off of our backs for a while.

My pleasure, she sent back as she fell in beside Mel.

We made it around the next three stretches without any trouble, and directly ahead lay the ramp that would be our assist into the air for the second half of the heat. Balloons chained to the ground marked out the course in the air, creating a path much like the one on the ground with the balloons as the side barriers. If a dragon flew outside of the balloons or crashed into the chains, the team was automatically disqualified. Nilak pounded up the metal ramp and leaped into the air, pumping his wings as the girls followed close behind. I checked behind us to see if anypony was gaining, but to my utter shock we were leaving the pack in the dust just as Whiteout and Black Beauty had done. I whooped in joy and raised my hooves in victory, though my excitement was short lived as I heard a loud roar of pain and outrage echoing from behind me.

Nilak, Mel, Lucky and I all looked back to see Winx and Ivy falling from the sky, twisting in midair as Winx tried to get her wings under her. I didn’t even think about what I was doing until Nilak had Winx in his front claws on one side and Mel had her on the other. Ivy was still in the saddle thanks to the strap I had added for safety, but Winx was still cringing in pain and whimpering.

Winx, what’s wrong, I asked in fright, did you pull something?

She shook her head and lifted her curled wing, revealing a feathered shaft that protruded from her side like a bloody thorn. It was about two inches thick and had to be at least six feet long, the other end embedded deep under Winx’s right wing.

Nilak and Mel shared a look of worry, somedragon tried to kill her. Nilak’s voice was filled with fury, his eyes slit in rage as he looked around for the attacker.

Worry about that later, Mel said, we’ve got bigger problems. How are we going to finish the race carrying Winx?

We can’t, Nilak said with resignation, one of us will have to go on alone and hope the average will balance out the poor standing of the others.

Oh no you don’t, I said with force, we are a team, and that means we finish together what we start together. Mel, can you get under Winx so we can take some of the weight off of her wings?

She nodded and did a quick wingover to position herself under Winx so that the smaller dragon could rest on her back between her wing bases.

Good, now Nilak, I need you to fly just above Winx and hold onto her shoulders with your front paws. If you can ease the burden for Mel in any way it would be a huge help. I tried not to let the fear in my heart tinge my voice.

Sure thing Silver. He flapped above the girls and secured his claws just in front of Winx’s shoulders.

Now, I said, we’ve got a huge lead on the other racers. If we do this together we can still win this thing. We have to work together in order for this to work. Mel, try and keep Winx from getting bumped too much. Nilak, we need speed and lots of it. I looked down at the girls as they met my eyes, let’s hope this goes well.

Nilak used his massive wings to push Winx along, her weight almost nullified by Mel below her. We made some good time around the aerial part of the track, but the home stretch was on the ground. If we didn’t have enough of a lead once we touched down, it was a sure thing that we would get passed. We gave it everything we had, seeing Winx’s blood fall to the ground in scarlet flashes as her eyes began to flutter.

No, no, stay with us Winx, I coaxed, we’re almost there.

She lifted her head to look at me, I – I don’t know, how much longer I can, stay awake. Her head slumped and her full weight made Mel stagger slightly before she got it under control.

Guys? Ivy’s voice was filled to the brim with fear, and with Winx in such a condition I was having trouble reigning in my own emotions.

Don’t worry Ivy, were going to finish this race if it’s the last thing we do. I grit my teeth and nudged Nilak with my back hooves, come on Nilak, we’ve got to get this done and get Winx to medical help.

I’m giving it all I’ve got, he strained as he pumped his wings all the harder, his face contorted with concentration as he clamped his jaw and gave it everything he had.

We came in at the end of the aerial stretch, but there still lay two hundred yards between us and the finish line. Mel staggered as she came in for a landing, her legs struggling to hold Winx up. Nilak landed next to her and lifted the smaller dragon up with his jaws and front paws, setting her on his own back and letting her head curve up in front of me.

We’re not done yet, he said as he ground his jaw, now help me hold her up so I can run. If she starts to slip, push her back towards the center. He flared his wings slightly to provide a more stable base for Winx to lie on, Silver, keep her head from falling off of my neck.

Got it, I said, holding onto the small dragon’s neck with an iron grip.

Hang in there Winx, we’re almost done, Mel encouraged the smaller dragon, though whether she could hear Mel’s words or not we couldn’t know.

Nilak ran for all of his worth, Mel keeping pace to make sure Winx didn’t fall off. I could hear the crowd roaring as they saw what we were doing, cheering for us to finish. I checked behind us and saw that the other racers were coming up fast, and it didn’t look like we were going to make it. I turned forward again and willed the finish line to get closer, but it was not to be. Not twenty feet from the finish line the rest of the riders caught up with us, but at that point they did something that shocked all of us to the bone. Dragon after dragon locked their front legs and slid to a halt not five feet from the finish. Riders and dragons alike turned and waited for us, making two rows for us to move between. Mel and Nilak had stopped in utter disbelief at what they were doing, but at the thundering cheer of the crowd, they began to walk forward. Riders saluted with their hooves over their hearts and dragons bowed their heads as we walked by, our team the first to cross the finish as the others walked behind us. The audience went through the roof, cheering and whistling as medic crews made their way onto the field. Winx was lifted onto a medical wagon and carted off of the track, Ivy riding next to her as they raced off to treat her wounds. Mel, Nilak, Lucky and I stared after them as they made their way to the track hospital, and then as one we looked at the other racers who had let us win.

“Why would you do that?” I asked in disbelief, “You had the race in the bag and you all threw it away for us?”

“Why did you do it?” Lucky seemed as puzzled as I was, “You cost yourselves the chance to race in the Dragon Circuit.”

The riders looked between themselves, one young rider with a red mane and tan fur stepping his white and yellow Thunder Claw forward to address us. “To put it simply, you three were going to win for sure. There was no way we could have caught up and beaten you.” He glanced in the direction Winx and Ivy had been taken, “Had that son of a bitch that pulled the trigger not gotten in the way, you’d have won by a mile.” He looked back at us with a wide smile, “We figured that it would be better to wait for next year than to win because someone cheated for us.” He saluted us again and the others did the same, “You’ll go far in the Circuit. Take care of each other and we might see you next year.” He lowered his leg and turned away, the other racers following him out of the track towards the resting area.

I never thought I’d see the day that a youth would respect and honor somedragon like that. Nilak seemed to be quite in awe of the
young riders, the ones I knew back home would have left us to bleed in the dirt and not even take the time to look back.

What a rare trait in this day and age, Mel agreed, we might want to think about having him join us if the time ever presents itself.

First let’s worry about Winx getting better, I reminded them, she may be in the care of the best doctors around, but she was still shot with a ballista bolt under her wing.

Speaking of which, Mel said, did they catch the ponies who did this?

I shook my head, they would have told us if anything had turned up. Besides, I can only think of one group that would have it in for us.

The Blood Claw, Nilak supplied.

I nodded, and they won’t stop until the six of us are dead. We may have survived the trials, but once we get into the Circuit there’s going to be a whole new list of possible enemies and allies to contend with.

A whole new set of rules too, Lucky added as she started walking Mel toward the medical area. I followed with Nilak and we stopped outside Winx’s tent, hoping and praying that she would be okay.

Author's Notes:

Well that kind of sucked. I warned you that things would get exciting this chapter. And just to be a bit of a tease, I'm going to hold off posting the next chapter for a bit to let you all stew in the uncertainty of Winx's condition.
(insert evil laugh here)
Anyway, I'll see you all next chapter, once it comes out of course.
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon

IX - Ruckus Welcome

Winx was lucky. The bolt had only cut into her muscle and hadn’t hit anything too important. The bumping and jostling during the race hadn’t helped, but at least she could still race with us. She wouldn’t be able to fly for about a week as her muscles healed, but other than that she would be fine. The investigation into who had attacked us proved my hunch correct that there was no trace of a weapon or who had fired it. The police told us that it could have been anypony, but we all knew it was the Blood Claw. We stayed by the medical tent day and night while the rest of the trials went on, knowing that at least we had qualified to join the Circuit. It had been a hard-won victory, but we were now one step closer to getting at Mythic Song and freeing the dragons. Nilak and Mel kept Winx busy mentally while her body healed, while Lucky and I helped Ivy keep her mind off of Winx.

We were watching a heat of racers as they tried to qualify for the Circuit, when we heard a voice behind us, “That was some stunt you pulled during the race.” We spun around to see none other than Black Beauty and Whiteout standing behind us. Her eyes were half-lidded in suspicion, “I’ve never seen dragons work together that way before and I’ve seen just about everything dealing with dragons.” She leaned forward slightly with interest glinting in her gaze, “What’s your secret?”

We shared a look and tried to come up with a believable lie. When nothing came to mind we just turned to the mare in front of us and shrugged. “We don’t actually know how we did it,” I said, “I just did what I thought was right and Nilak seemed to pick up on what we needed to do,

“Same goes for me,” Lucky agreed, “I didn’t even think about what I was doing. I just reacted.”

Black Beauty looked between us with suspicion still smoldering behind her rosy eyes, “Instinctive reactions eh? Well, if that’s true then you will have an advantage over most of the other racers in the Circuit. Having quick reflexes can mean the difference between winning a race and getting killed. Make no mistake, the Circuit can kill you if you aren’t ready for it, and I’ve seen ponies die because of my own actions in the past.” She turned and climbed into Whiteout’s saddle, “Keep that in mind as you move forward from here.” She turned and Whiteout walked back down the trail between the tents, her icy tail leaving frost on the ground as she went.

“Okay,” Ivy said nervously, “is it just me or does she seem to know too much?”

“I don’t know,” I replied uncertainly, “but one thing’s for sure. We need to keep an eye out for those two or she might just figure out our secret.”

Lucky shivered as her fur fluffed up her forelegs, “At least we’ll be able to feel her coming. That Blizzard Tail sure can make you feel like an ice cube when she’s around.”

“No wonder Black Beauty always wears all that clothing,” Ivy said as her eyes flashed with understanding, “I bet it’s to keep from freezing while she’s riding Whiteout!”

“Maybe,” I agreed, “but regardless of how much we can see of her, she can see everything we do and say and has the wit to figure us out.” I turned and walked toward the medical tent, the girls following close behind, “We need to be very careful about when we do things and how we do them, or all of this could blow up in our faces.”

Once the trials ended the qualified teams were packed up and moved to the Circuit Headquarters in Firebrand. It was a three day trip by air, but because Winx still couldn’t fly we had to go by land. We arrived more than a week late and completely exhausted, though once we saw our new living quarters it was well worth the wait.

The Racer House was more like a gigantic mansion combined with an apartment building. The massive front doors were solid ironwood and had to be opened using a system of pulleys and chain. Even with the mechanical advantage provided by the hardware, it still took four draft ponies to open each door. The entrance hall was over eighty feet high with vaulted ceiling arches to make it even more spacious. Dragons and riders moved about in clusters or hung around alone, most gathering around the newcomers to offer congratulations.

One such well-wisher clapped me on the back and laughed, “Nice to see you made it. You three are going to have some real fun around here.”

I looked up and almost stumbled in shock as I recognized the short teal mane and golden eyes, “You’re Thunder Ace! The fourth ranked racer in the Circuit!”

He bowed with a flourish, his deep red coat and wings rippling in the overhead lights. His legs were finely toned and his light frame made him extremely agile on the track. His light blue tunic was adorned by a thick leather belt that wrapped around his waist. Inscribed on the belt in gold letters were the words, Train hard, Race harder.

He caught me looking at his belt, “It’s my personal motto. No matter how hard you push it in training, you have to go even further to win races.” He clapped me on the back again and led us towards a bar off to the side of the main entrance, Lucky and Ivy tagging along like love-struck puppies as the dragons noticed Thunder’s partner off to the side of the bar.

Nilak, Winx and Mel walked up to the imposing Armored Silver with caution, the massive dragon being almost a quarter larger than themselves. His head and shoulders were covered in bone plates that acted as armor, the surface gleaming silver like polished steel under the lights above. His red eyes seemed uncaring that three dragons were now standing directly in front of him, though his spiked tail gave a slight twitch as Winx walked up to him. Compared to the massive dragon before her, Winx seemed child-like and utterly powerless, her natural instincts to submit getting the better of her as she crouched low to the ground. I watched in interest as Shield Fang regarded the small female in front of him, and I tensed as he bent over from his sitting position to sniff at Winx. She kept perfectly still as he moved his head along her body, pausing over the healing wound in her side. He moved his head back up and then stood, almost having to duck his head under the balcony as he reached his full height.

I was about to get between them when he bent his front legs and lay down with his nose almost touching Winx’s. He snorted in her face and flicked his tail from side to side slightly in what I could only take as amusement. Winx smiled and lay down flat on her stomach as well, looking up at the massive dragon with playful eyes. Shield Fang rumbled deep in his barrel of a chest and lifted his head, swinging his right paw out to lightly cuff at Winx on her uninjured side.

Winx squeaked as she was rolled over, though when Mel and Nilak reacted she bounced up playfully and fanned her frills in excitement, it’s alright. He just wants to play with me. She crouched low and then sprang up and onto the larger dragon’s back, swatting at his head from behind playfully as he looked back at her.

He rumbled again and arched his tail over his back, wrapping the tip around Winx’s back leg and lifting her up to hang upside down. She squealed in joy as the male gently swung her from side to side, showing no difficulty in flipping the smaller dragon around on the end of his tail. Mel and Nilak looked on with wide eyes as Shield Fang swung Winx around and then slid her along the floor, flicking her into a spin as he let go of her leg. She spun on the smooth stone floor and slid halfway across the hall, causing riders and dragons to jump out of the way as she came to a halt.

She attempted to stand and stumbled like a drunkard because she was so dizzy. Everypony laughed at her ridiculous behavior as she slowly made her way back over to us. Nilak and Mel walked up to steady her as she stumbled back to fall flat in front of Shield Fang, her face absolutely beaming as she looked up at the other dragon. I glanced at his face and could have sworn I saw a hint of a smile teasing at the corner of his lips, but I brushed it off as my imagination.

Let’s do that again, Winx sang in a woozy tone as her head flopped onto her front paws.

Oh no you don’t, Mel said as she dragged the smaller female over to us, that’s enough playing for now. If you do anymore you’re libel to get motion sickness.

Winx looked up at Mel with a pleading look, can’t I at least say thank you?

Mel rolled her eyes, you know he wouldn’t understand you anyway. She looked at Nilak as he chucked, what’s so funny?

You sound like her mother, Nilak chuckled as his shoulders shook with mirth, I remember my mother saying the same thing when I was little.

Mel smacked him on the shoulder, knocking him onto his side as she shook her head, males, what can you do?

At this point Thunder decided to remind us that he was still sitting next to us at the bar, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a set of dragons that act the way they do.” He chuckled to himself, “I think that’s the first time I’ve seen Shield Fang do anything besides growl at another dragon.” He looked over at us with one raised eyebrow, “What’s the secret? Special training? Selective breeding?”

Lucky rolled her eyes, “What is it with you top-ranked racers that makes you so interested in our dragons?”

Now both eyebrows raised, “Somepony else has asked you the same?”

I leaned back and placed my elbows on the counter as the dragons had their own conversation in the back of our heads, “Black Beauty almost matched you word for word back at the trials. You would think our dragons were some rare breed or a one-of-a-kind jewel or something like that. The way ponies are acting I’m half expecting them to start interrogating us day and night.”

Thunder laughed as he leaned back as well, “I can understand that. To tell you the honest truth, I’ve never seen dragons that act the way they do. It’s almost like they have their own personalities and conversations. There, you see,” he pointed at Mel as she tilted her head slightly and sent a verbal retort via Nilak’s mind, “I swear the dragons are talking to one another right now and we just can’t understand them.” He laughed as Nilak stepped back and flared his wings at her barbed comment, “Looks like that one struck a nerve. My money’s on the female.”

I figured it was time to get out of the public eye before somepony started getting too nosy. I stood up and walked over to where the dragons were having a mental argument, trying to get their attention, you guys. You’re making a scene and ponies are starting to notice. Now either you get things under control or I’m going to take you all by the ear and drag you into the hall to be spanked.

The three dragons looked at me with equal looks of shock, and then burst out laughing, their bodies shaking violently as they failed to stay standing. Nilak grabbed his middle with his front legs, complaining of pain because he was laughing so hard as Mel closed her watering eyes. Winx started hiccupping and that just set them off again. Finally, I looked back at Lucky and Ivy for backup.

“A little help here girls?” They nodded and joined me next to the dragons, each of us grabbing their ears and pulling none too gently on the sensitive flesh. All three reacted immediately to the action, and with quite vigor.

Oww, oww, oww! Cut it out! Nilak complained as I dragged him out of the hall. Lucky and Ivy followed behind with Mel and Winx in tow.

You’re going to rip it off if you don’t quit pulling! Mel begged Lucky as tears of pain started to run from her eyes.

Good, Lucky replied, then maybe you’ll listen better with the one you have left.

Ivy! That hurts! Winx was flat out crying as the green mare dragged the dragon along, I’m sorry, okay! I’m sorry!

We walked all the way up the stairs rather than take the enormous elevator, finding our room on the fifth floor and opening the door. We walked in through the extra-big entrance and practically threw the dragons into the main living area, their cries of pain not even bothering me as I walked up to Nilak. The girls did the same with Mel and Winx as they lay curled up on the floor, holding their ears with their front paws as we stared down at them.

“Do you realize how much trouble we could be in if anyone started to talk about dragons that seemed to have a mind of their own?” I asked Nilak in a cold tone, “How long do you think it would take the gossip to reach Mythic and for him to put two and two together?”

Owww! Point taken Silver, Nilak said, you don’t have to go and rip our ears off for it!

I agree, Mel said as she looked up at Lucky, a simple scolding would have sufficed.

My poor ear, Winx wined, it feels like it’s been torn.

“I didn’t tear your ear Winx,” Ivy said with exasperation, “I just got your attention in a very effective way.”

“Now that we’ve got your attention,” I said, “let’s go over this and go over this once. We are here to win the Draconic Heaven so we can get to Mythic Song and break the spell controlling the dragons’ collars. If you three can’t keep your bickering under control we’re never going to get even close!” I took a steadying breath, “Now, do we understand each other? Do we ever have to go over this again?” All three shook their heads vigorously, “I thought not.” I turned around and was about to close the door when Thunder and the Black Beauty moved into the doorway from opposite sides.

“Mind explaining why you were having a conversation with your dragons?” Thunder asked as he stepped into the room.

I stepped back and tried to formulate a lie but Black Beauty cut me off, “Don’t lie to us. We heard everything you said just now, including the part about freeing the dragons and breaking some kind of spell.” She poked her hoof into my chest as my legs came up against the back of the couch, “Spill, or we’re going to force the answer out of you.”

To prove her point Whiteout and Shield Fang stepped into the doorway as well, walking up to flank their riders and cutting off any escape. I looked back at Lucky and Ivy for help, but they seemed just as powerless as me. It wasn’t until Nilak took a step forward and spoke that my brain seemed to work.

You want answers? Then I’m all for giving you answers, his eyes were narrowed and staring directly into Black Beauty’s, you want to hurt Silver, you’re going to have to go through me.

Black Beauty looked down and held her head, her eyes flashing with confusion, “Thunder, did you just hear that?”

He looked over at her like she had gone crazy, “Hear what?”

Black Beauty looked up at Nilak again, “I think that dragon just spoke into my mind.”

Thunder scoffed but flinched when Nilak turned his smoldering gaze on him, I can assure you both that I am speaking to your minds, and that I’m not going to be polite about it if you threaten my friends again.

As Black Beauty’s and Thunder’s eyes bugged wide in shock, Mel walked up and added her two bits, we can all talk, and unless you want to take us all on right now, I suggest you back down.

Winx couldn’t be left out of it, yeah, Nilak could barbeque you and your dragons before you could say ‘Yikes!’

Black Beauty grabbed behind her and slumped into a chair as she held her head, “I’m going crazy. Yeah, that has to be it. Dragons can’t talk.”

Thunder sat down next to her on the floor, “Then we’re both having the same hallucination because I can hear them too.”

I walked up and smiled down at them as they held their heads, believe me, I wouldn’t believe it had I not undergone the same thing in the beginning.

Black Beauty stared at me for a second before her eyes rolled up in her head and she fell backward in the chair, out cold in a dead faint. Thunder held his head with both hooves and rocked back and forth, “This is all a bad dream. This is all a bad dream.”

I bent down next to him and he jumped in fear as I placed my hoof on his shoulder, “No, you’ve just awoke in the real world nightmare that we’re trying to end.”

He shook his head in disbelief and then tried to stand up, making it about two steps toward Shield Fang before falling over in a faint as well. I sighed and waved the girls over, “Well, we thought about bringing them in the loop, now it looks like he have no choice.” I bent over and grabbed Thunder under the forelegs, “Ivy, get his hind legs. We’ll put him on the couch and let him sleep it off. Maybe we can get them to listen once they wake up.”

“Hopefully they won’t rat us out,” Lucky muttered as she placed a thin blanket over Black Beauty.

I looked at her as Ivy and I set Thunder down on the couch and got his body into a fairly comfortable position, “If they choose to rat us out we could always do what Winx suggested and barbeque them, though I would prefer not to do that if we can help it.”

“We are not going to barbeque two of the top racers in the Dragon Circuit!” Ivy protested, “We’ll just have to make sure they join us so that the problem doesn’t come up.”

I sat down in the chair opposite the couch Thunder was in, rubbing my temples with my hooves, “I hope you’re right.”

Shield Fang and Whiteout walked into the room to curl up next to their riders, seeming to not mind that both of them had just fainted. Mel, Nilak and Winx shared a look and then glanced at me.

I picked up on their idea and nodded, “If they join up with us we’ll free Shield Fang and Whiteout, but only if they choose to join our cause. If they don’t we leave them both the way they are until we take care of Mythic. They’ll end up being freed in the end anyway so long as things go according to plan.”

The dragons nodded and lay down around the outside of the room, keeping a close eye on the other two as their riders slept. Lucky joined me in my chair facing Thunder and Black Beauty, while Ivy went into one of the bedrooms to catch up on some sleep.

I stared at Thunder for a minute or two, thinking about how all of this had come about, “How are we going to reach Mythic if we can’t even keep our dragons a secret?” The question went unanswered as Lucky softly snored next to me and the dragons rested around us.

Author's Notes:

Happy New Year everypony!!! So here's chapter nine and thank Celestia for small miracles. Winx isn't going to die. I make no promises for the rest of the cast.

Anywhoozles, I've got some more chapters on the way so stick tight for just a bit. The next two should be up later tonight. After that, I'll probably let you guys sit until tomorrow. And as a special birthday treat from me, I'll be posting four chapters for all of you to go bananas over! So get your marathon snacks ready now, it's going to be a wild ride!!

Alright, let's get this show on the road, and I'll see you all next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

X - Silver Blizzard

Try as I might not to fall asleep, my eyes ended up closing of their own volition, and when I woke up it became clear that Black Beauty had tried to escape. Nilak had her pinned on her back with one of his front paws while Mel and Winx kept Whiteout from going ballistic. I checked the couch and was relieved to see Thunder still passed out on the cushions. At least that minimized our problems to one at the moment. I looked at the chair next to me where Lucky had been, but it was empty. I stood up slowly to stretch out my muscles, trying to ignore Black Beauty’s protests at being held against her will. At that moment Lucky walked back into the main room from the bedroom, a very sleepy-eyed Ivy following with a hoof covering a huge yawn.

They walked up to me and Lucky gestured to our captive, “Seems she tried to make a run for it while we were taking a cat nap. Nilak heard her trying to get away and took care of the problem for the time being. He woke up Mel and Winx soon after because Whiteout kept trying to get him off of Black Beauty and he needed to keep her calm.” She clapped Ivy on the shoulder, “He got me up a few minutes ago in order to go and get miss sleeping beauty over here because their mental summons didn’t reach her in her sleep.”

“Oh don’t get all fluffed up.” Ivy said as she stretched her neck and hind legs, “I had a long day and I needed the sleep. Speaking of which, why didn’t you wake Silver up? I’m sure he was out like a light when you came to get me.”

“He was, but Nilak assured me he could get him up so he sent me after you instead.” She glanced at me, “Apparently it worked.”

I rolled my eyes and walked around the couch to stand over Black Beauty, “Well, what are we going to do with her?”

“Let me go you crazy whacks!” She tried to struggle but Nilak just pressed slightly harder and all she did was flail her legs a bit. “Let me out of this nuthouse before I scream!”

Nilak glanced at me, she already did plenty of screaming and nopony has heard us yet. I figure the rooms are soundproofed so riders don’t bother one another during the night.

I nodded to him in agreement, “Sounds perfectly reasonable.”

Black Beauty looked at me with wide eyes, “What sounds perfectly reasonable? Are you talking to yourself again?”

I rolled me eyes as Lucky bent down next to Black Beauty with a smug grin, “You know who he was talking to and can’t admit it to yourself that a dragon can talk. Believe me, compared to some of the other things we can do, talking dragons is the least of your worries.”

Her magenta eyes went wide and she tried to struggle some more, Mel and Winx having to hold Whiteout back as the worried female tried to get to her master. “Either you let me go or I’ll do something we’ll both regret.”

“Oh, and what would that be?” I asked as I walked up next to Lucky.

The trapped rider pulled a small dagger out from under her clothes and placed it against one of Nilak’s toes, “I’ll cut my way free.”

Nilak snorted and leaned over, his nose just inches from the frightened mare’s, you do that and you’ll lose your hoof for it. Now, put the dagger down or I’ll push on your ribs until they crack.

Black Beauty shook her head from side to side, “Dragons can’t talk. I’m just imagining it.” She pulled her leg back and swung at Nilak’s foot, but only got about half way before he caught her limb with his other paw. He squeezed her leg and she cried out in pain, dropping the dagger with a clatter as Nilak flicked it out of reach with his tail.

Nilak released her leg and growled in her face, next time I’ll break your leg. Now stop trying to play dumb and listen to us. We don’t want to hurt you or Whiteout. We just want to talk to you.

“He’s right,” Lucky said, “we just want you to listen to us and then you can decide if you believe us or not.”

Black Beauty looked at Lucky with suspicion in her eyes, “And what guarantee do I have that you won’t hurt us if we try and run? For all I know if I try and run you’ll kill me at the edge of the door.”

Ivy rolled her eyes, “Do we look like the Blood Claw to you? We just want to share what we know, and if you choose to join up with us we have no quarrel with you. Even if you did start running around telling everyone that our dragons can talk and we spoke in your mind, who would believe you?” She chuckled to herself at the mental image, “You’d be the laughingstock of the entire Circuit and everypony would think you’d gone off the deep end from too many close calls on the track. I’ve seen some of the things you’ve gone through in races, and even one of them would be enough to drive most ponies a little bit batty.” She crossed her forelegs and grinned at the captive mare, “When you think about it, we don’t even have to do anything to you if you run, your story will be your own undoing.”

Black Beauty looked from Ivy to Lucky and then to me, her eyes now showing a slight glint of resignation, “Alright, but can you at least get this overgrown newt off of me so I can actually listen without feeling like a pancake?”

No trouble at all, Nilak said as he moved back a few steps, taking his paw off of the mare’s upper body.

She stood up slowly and then glanced at Whiteout, as if contemplating running away anyway, when Thunder decided to wake up from his little nap.

“Hey, what’s going on?” He sat up holding his head and looked around to room, his eyes blinking rapidly as he yawned widely, “Hay that was one hell of a dream,” he paused as he spotted us by the front door, “or maybe not.” He kicked over the back of the couch and walked up to us, his eyes traveling from one pony to the next and finally ending on Shield Fang. For a split second I thought he was going to make a run for it as well, but he just reached up and rubbed the big dragon on the side of the muzzle, “Well, I guess if it wasn’t a dream I might as well stick around to hear the ending.”

He looked at Black Beauty as she sputtered in disbelief, “Oh don’t tell me you aren’t at least a tiny bit curious about dragons that can talk into a pony’s head? I know you well enough that your scared act is nothing more than that, an act.” He held one hoof by his ear as she muttered under her breath, “Sorry, I couldn’t catch that. Could you speak up a bit?”

“I said you’re too smug for your own good at times.” She bit back, “Alright, I’ll listen to what you have to say, but at the first sign of trouble I’ll getting out of this room, through a door or otherwise it doesn’t matter.”

Lucky and Ivy smacked a high hoof while Mel and Winx let Whiteout rejoin her master. Thunder walked over to the couch and sat at one end with his back legs along the cushion and his forelegs crossed behind his head, “Well, you might as well get started.”

We walked over and took various seats facing the two racers as they sat on the couch. Black Beauty remained on edge and sat with her rear on the very edge of the couch so moving would be quick if she needed to. Lucky rolled her eyes at her behavior, “You’re going to give yourself a backache if you sit like that. Relax for two seconds and let us tell our story. We’re not going to hurt you. How hard is that to understand?”

Thunder laughed and leaned forward to pull Black Beauty backwards so her torso rested against the back of the couch. “Quit acting like a cornered mouse and listen. I won’t be able to pay attention with you wound up like a spring the whole time.”

She shot a dagger glare at him but didn’t comment, crossing her legs and staring at me, “Well, are you going to tell us or not?”

Nilak and the other dragons moved behind us as Whiteout and Shield Fang rested their heads on the back of the couch. I cleared my throat, “Well, the simple truth is that our dragons can speak because they aren’t under the control of the collars.” At this Black Beauty and Thunder had the exact same reaction, they jumped behind the couch and hid. “Oh would you come out already? Do you think any of us would be alive if our dragons were bloodthirsty killers bent on slaying ponykind? Come out from behind there and let me finish.”

They peaked over the couch as one and shared a look, finding courage in each other’s gaze. Thunder sat back in his spot, though he adopted Black Beauty’s pose of sitting on the edge of the couch as she did the same.

I rolled my eyes upward, “What a pain.” I cleared my throat again, “Now then, where was I? Oh yes. You see, dragons were not the starters of the war that ravaged our planet for thousands of years. Ponies began the fighting and he kept it going, though by the end of the war it mattered little who had started it and who hadn’t. Nilak,” I waved a hoof over my shoulder at him, “was sent to my home city to find a way to free the dragons from Mythic Song’s collars. You see, he plans on using the magic within the collars to take over all of the dragons and conquer the world. Melinda was sent for the same reason,” I gestured to her, “but was captured before she could get anywhere and ended up being my friend Lucky’s partner. It was only when I cut the power to her collar that she revealed her true self to us and we began this whole venture.”

“What about her?” Thunder asked, indicating Ivy with one hoof, “How does she factor in?”

“I was brought into the group much as you could be,” she explained, “though I didn’t know why I could speak to dragons until Silver cut the power to Winx’s collar.” She reached back and rubbed the dragon between her eyes, “I never knew that Winx could be so much more than just a pet. Since we’ve been together without the collar in the way, we’ve bonded closer than ever before.”

“Could the same happen to Whiteout and Shield Fang if you cut the power to theirs?” Black Beauty asked, leaning forward with interest.

I glanced at Lucky and Ivy, “We know it will break the suppressing power the collar has over them, but if they were collared from birth there might not be much of a mind in there to listen to.” I indicated Winx with my hoof, “Winx was like a young child for the first several hours before her brain caught up with her body. In many ways she’s still very immature mentally, even if her body is close to adulthood.”

Hey! She yelled as she glared at me, I resemble that remark!

Nilak leaned over, that’s I resent that remark, Winx.

She looked at him and blushed in realization at what she had just said, oh, sorry, my bad.

I smiled as I looked back at the two racers, “See what I mean?”

Thunder narrowed his eyes, “Why is it I can barely hear their voices in my head? It’s like I’m listening to them on opposite ends of a tunnel.”

I shrugged, “No idea.” I look back at Nilak, “Any ideas?”

He narrowed his own eyes in thought, it could be because they don’t have a strong bond with us. If they could talk to Whiteout and Shield Fang I think it would be much easier for them to understand.

I looked back at the racers, “Did you get that?”

They nodded, “I think I heard right,” Black Beauty said, “if we talk with our own dragons it would be easier to understand them?”

I nodded, “That about sums it up.” I glanced between the two, “But are you sure you want us to do that? Once the magic in the collars is released their will be no turning back.”

Black Beauty looked at Thunder as he caught her gaze. They seemed to come to an agreement and nodded to us.

“Alright,” I said, clapping my hooves, “if that’s what you want we’ll get started right away.” I hopped out of my chair and walked over to my tool bag, picking out my wire cutters as I turned back to the uncertain-looking racers, “If you don’t want me to do this then I’ll stop and we can forget the whole thing.”

They shook their heads, “I’m ready for it,” Thunder said with confidence, “do it.”

“Alright.” I walked up to the dragons and popped the panel over the main wires. The same mess of metal and plastic presented itself to be cut and one by one I sawed through them on Whiteout. She looked down at me with interest as I made my way through the ever-stubborn white wire, and when I cut through she shook her head like a bee was buzzing around it.

She stepped back from the couch and swatted at her face with one paw, her eyes scrunched up and her teeth bared. Black Beauty made a move to comfort her dragon but I stopped her with a raised leg, “Leave her for now, she needs to work this out on her own.”

Black Beauty sent me a cold look but didn’t try and force her way past me. Whiteout shook her head violently one more time before slowly raising it to stare at all of us, where am I?

Black Beauty couldn’t take it anymore and ran to her dragon, wrapping her legs around the base of her neck as she beamed, “Oh Whiteout, can you ever forgive me?”

She looked up at the dragon, who seemed to be quite puzzled at the statement, forgive you for what? Taking care of me and loving me like family? You are my surrogate mother, and I consider you family even though we aren’t the same species. She bent her head down to rest it against Black Beauty’s back, I will never resent you for what you could not have possibly known. We’re partners, and more importantly we’re needed. She looked up at us with determination in her blue eyes, I could hear and understand everything you were saying. I was just unable to express it because of the collar. If there is anything I can do for you, just name it.

I smiled and looked back at the others, “We could really use somepony like you in our group. If we had you and Thunder on our side we would stand a much better chance of winning the Draconic Heaven.”

She nodded and looked down at Black Beauty, if you are in agreement, I wish to help in their fight to free the other dragons.

Black Beauty looked up at her with tears in her eyes, “Anything for you my sweet.”

Thunder cleared his throat loudly, “If you don’t mind my interruption, Shield Fang still has a working collar that needs to be fixed.”

I laughed and walked over to the massive male, “Sure thing. Let’s get this thing the way it should be.” A minute or two later the last of the white wire was cut and Shield Fang looked at his partner with a raised eye ridge, does this mean I have to play nice with others now?

We all burst out laughing at his comment, the completely innocent tone dripping with irony and the raised eye ridge matching Thunder’s expression to a tee.

Thunder laughed along with us, “I knew there was something I liked about you from the moment I laid eyes on you all those years ago. Now I see why that was.” He walked up and presented his leg to the dragon, “Pleased to meet the real you Shield Fang, I’m Thunder Ace.”

The massive dragon smirked and shook the offered limb, nice to meet you too, though I think there are some more introductions to undertake before we’re done.

He looked at Winx and winked one eye, making the smaller dragoness blush wildly as Ivy chuckled, “Don’t tell me you find him attractive?”

Winx nodded as she hid her head behind one wing, her frills erect and twitching from nervous energy as she bashfully tried to hide her reaction to the dragon’s action, I won’t deny he’s got very handsome features, and a wonderful voice and perfect eyes and…. oh, you know what I mean. She hid her head under both wings and placed both paws on top of them to hold them in place.

We all burst out laughing again as Shield Fang walked over and tapped her on the back with one claw, making her squeak in nerves as he slowly folded her wings out of the way to reveal her madly flushed cheeks.

You know, I wouldn’t have done that if I didn’t think you were cute as well, his voice was deeper than usual and it resonated though our heads like a huge church bell as he smiled down at Winx.

She fit the flattered damsel part perfectly as she stuttered over her words, b-but how can you s-say that? We just met yesterday!

He ran the back of one claw down her cheek, making her shiver with excitement at the touch, does one need more than a day to fall in love?

Winx seemed unable to cope with the sheer emotion going through her body, her eyes rolling up in her head as she slumped to the floor in a dead faint.

Ivy rolled her own eyes and walked over to the small dragon, tapping her lightly on the head to try and wake her up, “It’s no use, she’s out like a light.”

Whiteout looked at Shield Fang with a reprimanding glare, you could have done that much slower and she might not have fainted.

I know, he said, but it was fun watching her squirm for a bit. I meant every word I said. I just wanted to see if I could pull at her heart strings for a bit of fun.

“You and Winx are going to end up like Nilak and Mel before too long,” I said with a smug grin, ignoring the protests and denial of the latter two, “just remember to go easy on her. She’s not experienced in this kind of thing and you could make her feel overwhelmed if you do too much.”

Shield Fang glanced at me sidelong with the same raised eye ridge, you don’t think I know that? Be a good colt and worry about your own partner before you get up in my face about Winx. I may agree with your mission, but that doesn’t automatically make us friends.

I nodded, “Point taken.” I glanced at Thunder and Black Beauty, “So, now that you two have seen what the truth is, are you with us? We could really use a pair of skilled riders like you on our team.”

They shared a look and then looked at their dragons. They looked back at each other and nodded, looking at us and speaking in unison, “We’re in.”

Author's Notes:

Two down, one to go. Let's keep this chapter train rolling.
See ya next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

XI - The Master Plan

It took surprisingly little time for Black Beauty and Thunder to come to terms with being able to speak to their dragons. We offered to have them join the Freedom Fighters but they refused.

“If we suddenly joined up with a rookie team out of the blue it would raise a lot of questions,” Thunder said as he was walking out of our room, “don’t worry, Black Beauty and I will help as much as we can and offer advice when you need it.” He waved for Shield Fang to follow him, “Come on buddy, you and I have some things to talk about.”

The silver dragon snorted, I’m sure we do. He looked at Winx with a warm smirk, see you later sweetheart. I’d rather stay here with you but you know how it goes.

Winx blushed madly again, I’ll see you at the race in three days. You’d better be there.

He parted his lips in a draconic grin, wouldn’t miss it for the world. He glanced at Nilak and Mel, keep her out of trouble until then okay?

Nilak waved him off with one paw, get moving or you’ll end up spending the night again.

Shield Fang chuckled as he turned and followed Thunder out the door, would that be such a bad thing?

Whiteout rolled her eyes as the big male turned the corner and disappeared from view, I swear he’s going to flirt with the wrong dragon one of these days and get his muzzle clawed.

Black Beauty pat the dragon’s cheek with her hoof, “Don’t worry about him. He can take care of himself in those situations. As for you six,” she said as she looked at us, “watch out for the shooter at the next race. It would be the perfect time to take another shot when you’re busy running the track. Whoever wants you dead won’t stop at one failed attempt.” With that she led Whiteout through the doorway, the pearly dragon using her tail to flick the doors closed behind them once they left.

The remaining dragons shared a look as Lucky, Ivy and I did the same. We all looked at each other as the same thought entered all of our heads, we need better gear.

I think some decent armor would come in handy, Nilak suggested, at least some thick leather to protect our bodies.

Maybe we can use some light metal plates to protect our more vulnerable spots and cover the rest with your leather, Mel added.

“Both are good ideas,” I said, “but the added weight would slow us down quite a bit. We’d need to train with more weight than the armor so that once we race the armor won’t slow us down.”

Lucky tapped her hoof against the floor, “How about we attach a harness to the saddles and hang metal weights off of that? It should be more than enough to hold the amount we need.”

“I don’t know,” Ivy said thoughtfully, “can you imagine how much that armor is going to weigh? We’d need almost two tons of metal to best that amount for all three dragons.”

What if we only had one of us wear the harness each day? Winx suggested, that way the bad guys won’t figure out what we’re up to and it will lessen the cost of the gear.

Great idea Winx, Mel said as she beamed down at the smaller female, why didn’t I think of that?

Because you have half a brain? Nilak offered, earning a tail swat to the back of the head from Mel, oww! I didn’t mean it Mel! Why’d you do that?

Because you were being rude and sarcastic, Winx said smugly, I would have hit you first if Mel hadn’t beaten me to the punch, or swat, as it were.

Nilak rubbed the back of his head with his left paw, that still doesn’t mean she gets to get away with it. I’ll just have to figure out my revenge at a later date. Right now we have more important things to worry about.

“Save the petty bickering for later you three,” I said as I clapped my hooves together, “we need to find someone who can make the armor and harness as well as someone who can supply us with the weights.”

“I think I might know where I can find the harness and armor,” Ivy said. “I saw a sign in the main entrance that said ‘Blacksmith’. If I go to him it shouldn’t be too much of a problem.”

“I’ll look around for a weight room or something similar,” Lucky said as she walked over towards the door, “I’m sure they’ll let us borrow a few for our needs without too much trouble.”

“Wait a minute Lucky,” I said as she reached the doors, “we need to figure out how to pay for all of this. I’m sure that even if the person in charge of the weights lets us use them, the blacksmith is not going to be free or even cheap when it comes to a project this big.” Lucky walked back over and sat down on the couch as Ivy narrowed her eyes in thought, “Now think hard. Is there any way we can pay for the armor with the minimal funds we have?” Both girls shook their heads and I looked at the dragons for help, “Nilak? You know a lot about the Dragon Circuit from your superiors right?”

He shook his head from side to side gently, I know just as much as you do. All I was told was to infiltrate the Circuit and win the Draconic Heaven. Anything else I had to figure out on my own.

“So we’re stuck,” I growled, sitting down in a chair in defeat, “we have no way to pay for our gear.”

I might be able to help with that, A female voice echoed inside our heads, seeming to be coming from far away, I overheard your conversation because my quarters are directly above yours. I have more than enough gold to pay for what you need, but the winnings of your first race come back to me as payment.

We looked up and I asked in disbelief, Black Beauty? Is that you?

Who else? Her laughter rolled through our minds, believe me, paying for armor is nothing compared to losing an ally to enemy fire. I’ve seen the Blood Claw cheat in races before, and I’ve seen racers die because of their actions. I knew from the start that they were behind the attack, I just didn’t know what to do about it. Now that you six have solved the problem for me, I think it’s the least I can do to loan you the money you need to make it happen.

Thank you so much Black Beauty! Winx said excitedly, her frills jumping up as she bounced slightly on her paws, how can we ever repay you?

She just said how we would repay her silly, Mel said in annoyance, or weren’t you listening?

Oh, Winx replied, her fins lowering for half a second before bouncing back up again, does that mean we can all wear the harnesses at the same time? Are you willing to do that Black Beauty?

I will give you enough money so that you can get three harnesses and three sets of armor, she replied, it wouldn’t do for me to help you and then short-change you on my goodwill. Stop by my room in the morning and I’ll get you what you need. Now get some sleep, because I’m going to have Thunder, Shield Fang and Whiteout help me in training you three in racing. You have some basic skills mastered, but you’ll need to learn a lot more if you’re going to make it all the way to the top. Anyway, see you bright and early. Whiteout and I will be knocking at your door before sunrise.

Once she cut the connection we all looked at one another in shock, “Did she just really say that, or was I imagining it?” I had to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating.

The girls and dragons nodded in sync, Lucky glancing up with wide eyes, “First day in the Circuit and we’ve already got new allies.”

“Well don’t get cocky or overconfident,” I reminded her. “We’ve got powerful friends but anything can happen in a race. We need to be the best there is and I agree with Black Beauty about needing more training.” I clapped my hooves and shooed them into the next room, “You girls are sleeping in the bed. I’ve slept on worse things than a couch and I don’t plan on invading your privacy.” I glanced at the dragons, “I guess we can hang out in here together. I didn’t see a separate place for you to sleep in so it looks like the floor with you.” I climbed onto the couch as the girls walked into the bedroom, “Goodnight you two.”

“Goodnight,” they chorused. The door closed with a click and I rested my head on a plush pillow as the dragons lay down around me in a circle.

Nilak rested his head on the end of the couch next to my back legs, looking at me with lidded eyes as he sent me a quiet thought, do you think we can trust Black Beauty and Thunder that quickly? I mean they seemed a bit too quick to trust us and offer help. Call me paranoid but it seemed far too easy.

I leaned forward and rubbed him between the eyes, making him rumble softly in a dragon purr, you worry too much. I wouldn’t have let them in on our secret unless I trusted them. Thunder Ace is the worst liar in the entire Circuit, so we would have been able to tell if he had hidden something from us. Black Beauty may be a bit shady on the outside, but I know for a fact that she’s taken in several dragons that had their riders killed in one way or another. She keeps them at her home and has them taken care of while she’s out racing, but during the off season she’s with them all the time, keeping them happy and healthy when nopony else would take them in. I don’t know about you, but that sounds like somepony we can trust without suspicion.

Alright, I see your point, Nilak conceded, just don’t come crying to me if this blows up in our faces because of one of them.

He closed his eyes and I leaned back onto the pillow again, letting my gaze roam across the ceiling, just worry about the races and let me worry about the rest. He didn’t answer and I looked down to see his eyes were closed and his chest was rising and falling in smooth motions. A soft snore exited his nose and I rolled my eyes, lazy oaf. I closed my eyes and let my mind wander, the darkness of sleep overtaking me as I listened to the dragons softly snore or mumble.

Everything around me was pitch black, with no discernible features in any direction except for the feeling of solid ground beneath my hooves. I turned around, hoping that I might be able to see something, only to feel a sickening sensation in the pit my stomach. It was that pinching you get when you are absolutely terrified, and as my surroundings began to grow brighter, I realized why.

All around me where my friends, tied up with rope and covered in cuts. Their faces were frozen in screams of pain as shadowy figures drove glinting blades into their flesh. I tried to run to them, to put a stop to this torture, but no matter how hard I moved my legs, I couldn’t get any closer to them.

“You cannot save them Silver,” a deep and hauntingly familiar voice said from behind me, “you will watch as they die slow and painful deaths, and I will delight in their agony.”

I spun around to try and find the source of that voice, but all I saw was a fading puff of smoke.

I froze as a hoof grabbed my shoulder from behind, the cold taste of steel tickling my throat as a knife was held against the fur, “The Blood Claw never give up, and sooner or later your defenses will fall. At some point you’ll let your guard down, and then your friends will join your dear mother in the grave.”

I was helpless to do anything as my mother materialized in front of me, bruised and shivering as dozens of shadows circled her like wolves on the hunt. Her eyes met mine and she screamed in silent terror as the shadows attacked, my own scream echoing through the darkness as her body was devoured by the void. Before I knew what was happening, I was spun around to face my captor, his blood red irises and black eyes boring into mine from the face of the local gang boss, his fur dripping with blood and his teeth replaced with those of a shark.

“No,” I whispered as I tried to back away, “Nilak killed you and your group. I saw you burn to ash!”

His lips twisted into a sadistic grin, “I’ll see you in Hell once my brothers see to it that your world falls apart. Then I’ll enjoy seeing you scream as I have some fun with your dear momma.” He sank the blade into my stomach and I coughed up blood as my eyes locked with his.

He leaned in close and whispered in my ear, “You cannot escape your fate Silver, not even if you run to the ends of the world.” My body slumped to the ground as his grip on my shoulder released, “Stew in your helplessness for a while. I’ll be waiting for you.”

His hoofsteps faded into the distance, and I was left in a growing pool of my own blood as the images of my friends flashed before me one by one. I shut my eyes and tried to block out their screams, but it was no use.

I woke up in a cold sweat again that night, but the act of going back to sleep eluded me until the light of the sun was already peaking over the horizon. That had been the worst dream so far, and I had a feeling it wasn’t going to be the last. Even as the others woke up around me, the sounds of their screams echoed through my mind until long after we left the room.

Author's Notes:

Well it seems not everything is right in paradise. Silver is being haunted by the ghost of his mother's murderer, and is now facing the possibility of losing his friends. Lovely picture wouldn't you agree? (Note the sarcasm)

Anyways, that's all for now my lovely readers. Check in next time and we'll see where our intrepid heroes venture to next. I'll see you tomorrow and a Happy New Year to everypony!!

See you all next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

XII - Training Begins

It took a near mountain of bits to buy all of the things we needed, but Black Beauty said it was small change compared to her annual winnings. The coins had to be carted over to the blacksmith in three large barrows, and I swear all six of us had eyes the size of dinner plates at the sheer volume of money being carried into the smith’s private safe. The gruff smith was a very imposing stallion, shaped like a wedge and with legs the size of trees. His beard was cut to a few inches to avoid being singed in the forge, and his brown curls were so ragged you would think he had cut it himself (we found out later he did). The surprise about the ash-colored pony was that his heart was as warm as the forge. He had a wonderful and pleasant personality that made working with him easy. As long as you weren’t rude to him, he’d get the job done in half the time compared to if you were impatient. The racers all knew him simply as ‘Smit’, even though his actual name was Iron Ingot.

He had listened to our request and then nodded several times, “I should have the weight sets complete by the end of the week. The armor should be a few more.” He glanced over at our dragons, “I’d want to protect them too if the Blood Claw was after me. You’re very wise to seek a means of defending yourselves when you aren’t under the protection of the Circuit Guard.”

We bowed low to show our gratitude, “Thank you very much Smit.” I said as we straightened, “We’ll never forget this.”

He laughed and jerked a hoof over at his safe as the last cart was pulled out, “I don’t think I will for a long time either!” He smacked me across the back and I stumbled slightly before getting my hooves under me, “You’ll go far young’uns. Just come back to see me if anything breaks or needs a tune-up!”

I straightened and nodded with a smile, “We will Smit, hopefully not too close in the future!”

Lucky looked back as we walked out of his shop, “We’ll come visit sometime soon Smit! Count on that!”

His laughter chased us out the door as we followed the dragons into the main hall.

Nilak caught our eyes as we walked alongside him, he seemed like a very nice pony. I’d like to see where he falls when the time to choose sides comes into play.

Mel glanced at him sidelong, what time to pick sides? What are you talking about Nilak?

He glanced over at her with a serious expression, the sides that will form when all of the dragons are free. Not all dragons will take
freedom as you and Winx did. Some may even go on the attack. The ponies will fall into similar camps, those who wish for war, and those who do not.

But that could mean another dragon/pony war! Winx said as her frills erected.

Nilak nodded to her, and that is what we hope to prevent if at all possible. If we can get Mythic Song out of the way, then there would be nopony to blame for the continued enslavement of the dragons. Besides, he glanced at Mel, Winx, Ivy and Lucky, most will probably remember the caring and love given to them by their owners, however misplaced.

Then if we can stop the sparks of fighting from spreading, we stand a chance of preventing all-out war, Mel smiled at Nilak over our heads, a sound plan considering it came from your head.

The girls and I chuckled as we came back to our room, Nilak sputtering and fuming as the rest of us tried not to fall over.

“Give it a rest Nilak,” I said as I sat down in a recliner, “you’ll never get the better of Mel in a battle of words.”

That doesn’t mean they don’t still hurt, he growled, feigning being insulted, my pride has taken a fatal blow. I don’t know how long I can live with the shame of being bested by a dragonelle! He flopped on his side and then rolled onto his back with his legs sticking straight up, just bury me in the back of the building. I’ll never be worthy of resting in a true dragon burial site.

Mel rolled her eyes and walked over to Nilak’s side, such melodrama. Fine, I’ll give you mouth to mouth to save your sorry hide. She leaned down and then kissed him as we turned away. I could hear them making out and I rolled my eyes as I imagined Nilak working it for all he could get.

Nilak apparently rolled over because the next thing I knew he had put one of his paws on my shoulder, you can turn around now.

I smiled and turned around as the girls did the same, “For a second I thought you were actually gone.” I glanced at Mel and gave her a
sarcastic salute, “Nice work Mel.”

She rolled her eyes at me as Lucky and Ivy face-hoofed, you’re as bad at Nilak sometimes, you know that? Honestly sometimes I can’t tell which one of you two has the smaller brain.

Nilak and I stiffened at that, yelling at the same time, “Hey! I resent that remark!” We looked at each other as the others burst out
laughing, and then joined in as the room echoed with our mirth.

I wiped a tear from my eye and clapped my hooves to get their attention, “Alright everyone, just because the gear isn’t ready yet doesn’t mean we can’t train. I don’t know about you but I would like to get some time in on the practice track before we try it with added weight.”

The others nodded and we walked out of the room again, heading down the steps to the back courtyard and the practice track. It wasn’t much in ways of a track, barely longer than the building and a simple oval in shape. The start and finish were the only parts on the ground, the rest of the track was in the air. That was where the course made good on its worth. The ground portion may have been quite small, but the air portions were so complex it turned the route into a quadruple-decker monster that had a near-vertical drop back to the finish. The buoys were so close it would be near impossible to go fast around the corners, but that was only if you didn’t have the skill. I had seen the plans for the track in Smit’s forge while the others had been checking out armor designs, so I had a pretty good idea of how to make our speed turn into an asset rather than a hindrance if we used our weight and angles correctly. At the moment there was nopony here, but I knew at other times of the day they had to work the track in shifts to make sure everyone got a chance.

I motioned for the others to follow me, “Come on guys, we’re not going to get better here on the ground.”

“But how are we supposed to fly in that mess?” Lucky asked as she saddled Mel, “We’ll crash into each other or the buoys if we aren’t careful.”

I smiled as I climbed onto Nilak, “That’s the idea. You didn’t think the pros got as good as they are by having an easy practice course did you?” The girls shook their heads, “Well, then I guess I don’t need to tell you why we need to master this course before we get the weights. If we can do all of this track at full speed without crashing into anything, and then learn to do it with weights, racing with the armor is going to be easy in comparison.”

Mel and Winx looked over at Nilak, and he nodded, I agree with Silver. If we can’t master this tiny little track, then we will most surely fail in the races to come. He held his left paw out in front of him, one cannot stand,

Mel placed her left paw on top of Nilak’s, but two can support each other,

Winx smiled and placed her left paw on top of theirs, and three will never be broken.

I reached over Nilak’s shoulder to put my hoof on theirs, “United we stand,”

Lucky placed hers next to mine, “united we fall,”

Ivy put hers across from ours, smiling as we all finished the oath in our heads, dragons and ponies, fighting for all.

Just as before, a flash accompanied our joining, and this time I felt the power resting in my chest flare at the same time as our joined hooves and paws.

I looked at Nilak as I pulled my leg back, “Will the power in us get stronger each time we do that?”

Nilak nodded as the girls looked over at us, the stronger we bond the more powerful all of us will get. The magic works both ways so every time you join with us a bit of your spirit will join with our own. Think of it as a pool of water that has a thin stream going from one end around to the other. Water can flow both ways, just as the power does through our bond. In time you may even learn to channel that power into us if we need it, or we could put more into you to give you assistance. It is an even trade and one that none of us take lightly.

We pulled our hooves/paws back and walked over to the starting line, getting set at the mark as the starting flag rose on a pole to the right of us. It reached the top after a few moments and dropped like a stone, Nilak and Mel taking off like a shot as Winx fell in directly behind us. We had to take to the air almost immediately to avoid running off of the track, and right at the start Nilak and Mel were jockeying for position. I tried to stop them from hitting each other, and with a quick flip over our heads, Mel got in front of us as we sped single file along the track.

As it turned out, our first time on the practice track at full speed was not too bad. Winx ran into a few buoys and Mel couldn’t stop fighting with Nilak for position, but all in all it wasn’t as horrible as I had imagined it was going to be. We took a break around noon and I spotted Black Beauty off to the side, watching us from the sidelines atop Whiteout. I tapped Nilak on the flank and he looked down at me. I pointed over at Black Beauty and Whiteout and he followed my gesture, his expression lighting up as he spotted them. We walked over to them and off of the track, Mel, Lucky and the others following close behind.

Nice to see our skills are noteworthy by the great White and Black Duo, Nilak smirked as we came up to the female pair, I would have thought our training needed to have begun to earn your respect.

You earn our respect when you show you deserve it, Whiteout said with slight venom. She must have seen how we reacted because she softened it with a smile, you did well for a first attempt, but you’re nowhere near as good as you think. You’ll need to cut your time in half before you can truly compete with the other Circuit racers. I admit when we started out we didn’t have that much natural skill, but I put that off as me still being under the control of the collar. If you can master this course and then learn to do the same with the armor there won’t be a team in the entire Circuit that can beat you.

Black Beauty nodded as Whiteout glanced at her over her shoulder, “You’ll truly be the best if you can beat Whiteout and I on this practice track.” She glanced at all of us one at a time, “What do you say to a small wager? If you beat me on this track right now, you won’t need to be trained. But if even one of you gets beaten, I’ll make you train so hard you’ll feel like you need a cart to get back to your room.”

I caught Lucky and Ivy’s eyes and they nodded. I looked over at the dragons and they all nodded in turn. I looked back to Black Beauty and smiled, “We have a wager.”

She nodded, “Very well. Take your position at the start and prepare to give your all. Only by racing at your best can you hope to beat me.”

We all nodded and walked back to the start. Black Beauty took the outside position and we waited as the white flag rose like a specter. As it dropped Nilak and Mel took off like a shot as Whiteout tried to get ahead on the first stretch. Winx pumped her wings rapidly and got into the air ahead of us, shooting over our heads and taking the first position as Nilak and Mel followed suit. I could have sworn Black Beauty smiled behind her veil as we sped ahead of her. Whiteout stayed on the ground and I watched as we flew into the airborne part of the track far ahead of them both. For a bit it seemed we would stay ahead of her through the entire course, but for some reason every time we came around a corner she gained a bit more on us. I urged Nilak to go faster and he nodded, pumping his wings faster and faster until we were screaming around the corners. We passed Mel and Winx on the second to last turn, but out of nowhere Whiteout slipped in on the inside at the last minute and dove to the ground ahead of us.

We came to a stop once we landed and I hopped off of Nilak in disbelief, “How in the world did you get past us when we were ahead at the beginning?”

She looked down at me and shook her head slowly, “You’ll need to train with me to find out. And I do believe that you lost our wager, spectacularly if I might add. You must now train under me until you can beat me on this track. I suggest you get some rest for the rest of the day, you’ll be busy for the next several weeks.” With that she turned Whiteout and they walked out as we all shared shocked looks.

“Well that could have gone better,” Ivy muttered with an exasperated wave of her hooves.

Lucky and I shared a glance and then burst out laughing. Nilak and the other dragons looked at each other in confusion.

I don’t get what’s so funny, Mel said as they looked back at us.

I controlled my mirth with difficulty and I somehow managed to force out, “Damn it all. Black Beauty knew from the beginning that she would win. I made a wager against somepony who knew the outcome of the race the entire time.” I face-hoofed and rolled my eyes as I lowered my leg, “I fell for the oldest trick in the book.”

Lucky sighed as Ivy slid off of Winx, “Well I guess this is another fine mess you got us into. What’s next, trying to outrun the Blood Claw and leading us into a dead end?”

I rolled my eyes and turned to her and Mel, “What did you expect me to do? Roll over and beg to be taught like a simple dog? You and I know all too well my pride won’t let me back down from a challenge.”

Then maybe it’s time we taught you a lesson in having too much pride, Nilak said as he put a paw on my shoulder.

I glanced back at him and then at the others, feeling like something bad was about to happen. Lucky and Ivy walked up with wicked smiles on their faces, and I tried to get away only to be stopped by Nilak’s tight grip.

“We’re going to have lots of fun,” Lucky said as she pulled out a red cloth and what looked like make-up.

“Oh no, you’re not going to do what I think you’re doing.” I looked back at Nilak, “A little help buddy? Any help?”

He just stared at me with the same wicked smile as the girls grabbed my shoulders. Needless to say, I went by the nickname ‘Clown Colt’ for the next few weeks, though luckily I was too busy working off our debt to Black Beauty to worry about it too much. And hay were we working. In the following month she gave us so much training, with and without the weights, I was shocked the dragon’s wings hadn’t fallen off and that Lucky, Ivy and I were still alive. It was only at the first race of the season that we truly understood why she had pushed us so hard.

Author's Notes:

And a Happy 21st birthday to me and the first of four chapters for all of you!!! Hang onto your flanks 'cause this is going to be awesome!!

See you next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

XIII - The Aquarius Cup

We had to travel with the Circuit Guard, as well as the other racers, to Hoofer City. Here we would be racing against our fellow riders for the first time this season. The Aquarius Cup was known as the first true test for would-be racers after joining the Circuit. If they couldn’t make it here, then their chances of making it later were next to zero.

The Aquarius Cup was a simple standard race with no special challenges or adverse obstacles. To put it bluntly, it was a race purely for speed. Just like the trials back in Dodge City, it was a simple track with two parts on the ground with an air portion in the middle. It was significantly harder than the Aurora Racetrack, but that was to be expected. Now we had to prove ourselves in a race that would start our record in the Circuit standings. If we could do well we would stand a far better chance down the road of getting good starting positions. Right now we were in a gate start just like at the Aurora, but in later races they would have mass starts and our position in that blob would be decided by our current Circuit ranking. Highest ranking racers go in front.

I glanced at Lucky and Ivy as they got into position next to Nilak and me in the gates. We had gotten the three slots right in the middle of the gates, given the ranking members already had the inside slots. The good news was we were the farthest in of all the rookie racers, giving us a good chance of out-pacing them in the starting straightaway. Of course Black Beauty and Thunder were the two farthest in, though given they were the two top-ranked racers in the gates I wasn’t too surprised. The flag started to go up and I felt Nilak tense slightly under me. I couldn’t really blame him, given this would be our first race with the new armor on our dragons.

The armor was a marvel to say the least, plates large enough to cover most of the dragon’s upper halves and necks, with thick leather in between for movement. All three sets had been weighted to be as light as possible, and with all of our training with the lead harnesses, they were feather-light in comparison. As a final touch that Smit threw in free of charge, he had painted a flaming blue F inside of a blue circle on the chest plate of every armor set. Now we weren’t just a team in name, but also in appearance.

The flag dropped and the gates opened, Nilak and Mel pushing ahead while Winx fell in right behind us. The wind of our passage was so great I almost couldn’t see because my eyes were tearing up. We fell in against the inside wall and I was shocked to see we were only two riders behind Thunder and Black Beauty. I smiled in glee as I remembered all of our hard training with Black Beauty before this race. Now I understood why she had pushed us so hard. Around the first turn we slipped inside a rider on a dark green Forest Jumper, leaving him behind as we came onto the second straightaway. I whooped for joy as we fell into the fourth through sixth slots, getting a rhythm as we used the blue-green Aqua Strider ahead of us to draft.

I called down to Nilak as we came up to the final stretch before the aerial part of the course, “How’s it going down there? Everything feel secure?”

He nodded as he glanced back at me, breathing too hard to even send a thought.

I pat him on the shoulder as we came up to the ramp, “Alright, here we go.”

We pushed into the air and sailed over the Aqua Strider like he was standing still. Mel and Winx followed close behind and it wasn’t long before we got into a good position behind Thunder and Black Beauty. Shield Fang and Whiteout glanced back at us as we came up from behind, seeming to be a bit surprised at our rapid climbing of the ranks. They seemed to put a bit more power into each of their wing beats as we cut around tight turns and powered through high loops. At first Nilak tried to keep up with them, but I pulled on the saddle just enough to let him know we didn’t need to push it. Being in the top five on our first race was good enough. We didn’t need to push for champion until the Draconic Heaven. That was when it all came down to who was the best. We had a long way to go before we reached that point, so letting Black Beauty and Thunder win was okay.

We came down on the home stretch and powered through until we crossed the finish line, the crowd going nuts as three seemingly upstart rookies took the third, fourth and fifth spots in the first race of the season. The announcers were going crazy too and I had to smile at what they listed off as possible reasons for our victory. I had never once touched a steroid in my life, and I’m sure none of our dragons had either, and cheating was completely out of the question, unless you counted having a dragon with free will as cheating. We stepped off the track as the rest of the racers came in behind us, and Thunder stopped right next to us as the dragons got a drink from the water station next to the finish.

“Great race today guys!” he said through a huge smile, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a starting race with that much energy in my entire career!” He smacked me on the back and I almost fell into the water before Nilak caught me with his neck, “Keep this up and you’ll be gunning for champion status in no time! By the way, how did the armor hold up?”

I smiled as I straightened, “It held up beautifully. I have to say that Smit did his work well.”

“Well of course he did!” Thunder said as he tapped the metal with a hoof, “Why do you think we pay him so much for his work? An average smith wouldn’t get half of what we pay him for the kinds of jobs he completes. It’s all for love of his work. He’ll make it feel like he put his heart and soul into every inch of what he builds. We don’t pay him so much because he asks for it. We pay him that much because we appreciate his work so much.” He smirked and said to me behind his hoof, “Between you and me, I round up to the next thousand on every one of my purchases.”

I rolled my eyes, “If you weren’t such a good racer that kind of generosity would have you broke by the end of the first month.”

He patted me on the shoulder, a bit more gently this time, “Then it’s a good thing I’m such a good racer! By the way, I think you just about paid off you debt to Black Beauty in that race alone!” He pointed at a big scoreboard above the stands, “Check out what the winnings are for the top ten positions.”

I looked up at the scoreboard and the spinning slots flipped over to show the winnings for the top ten places. It wasn’t too hard to stretch my mind to match the numbers, but that was before Thunder told me that there were an extra three zeros in every total. My mouth gaped as I looked at what Lucky, Ivy and I had won in this one race, and I had to hang onto Nilak’s neck to prevent myself from falling on my face.

Basically, the winnings scoreboard looked like this:

1- Black Beauty, 750,000

2- Thunder Ace, 500,000

3- Silver Spirit, 250,000

4- Lucky Star, 100,000

5- Ivy Charm, 75,000

6- Sunny Shores, 50,000

7- Painted Glory, 25,000

8- Sonic Melody, 15,000

9- Lunar Mist, 10,000

10- Wild Card, 5,000

In a way, it didn’t look like we had won all that much, but add the three zeros onto our winnings, and we raked a total of four hundred and twenty-five million bits in our very first race! Our debt to Black Beauty was five hundred million, so we were only another fifth place winning away from paying her off. It finally clicked in my head how Black Beauty had been able to pay for all of our armor and weight harnesses without really batting an eye.

I glanced at Lucky and Ivy, their eyes still glued to the winnings scoreboard. I looked back at Thunder and smiled, “I think we did pretty well.”

I heard Lucky sputter behind me, “I’ll say! We won so many bits I don’t think we’ll be able to carry it home!”

“Actually,” Thunder interjected as he leaned over to look at her, “you never see any of the bits until you pay for something with them. Until you need the money for something it’s held in the Racer Treasury. Besides, all of this race’s winnings are going towards paying Black Beauty. It won’t ever leave the Racer Treasury, and a portion of your next race’s winnings will also go towards paying off the remainder of your debt.” He chuckled, “I have to say though, you did amazing for your first race. If I hadn’t had an inside opinion on how you did so well I would have thought you cheated as well.”

Lucky walked up as the others finished drinking, “I would think that’s the only reason you still beat us in that race.”

Thunder’s eyes widened and his grin doubled in size, “Oh ho! Is that so little miss? Well I have a little wager for you if you think that’s the case.”

He tapped Shield Fang on the shoulder and the big dragon lifted his head with a raised eye ridge, yeah boss? What’s up?

“How about a race to settle a wager between me and Miss Star here?” Thunder smiled at Shield Fang, “You up for it?”

Shield Fang nodded, you know it boss. Just name the time and place and I’ll be ready.

The crimson Pegasus looked back at Lucky with a grin, “What do you say Lucky? Are you prepared to put your bits where your mouth is?”

She nodded, “I’ll race circles around you and your dragon.” She looked back at Mel, “You ready to race Thunder and Shield Fang?”

Mel nodded, you know I’m always up for a friendly competition. Tell me the place and time and I’ll mop the track with them.

Shield Fang seemed a bit bemused at this, that’s pretty big talk for such a small dragon. Are you ready to go head-to-head with one of the best dragons in the world?

I’ll tell you when I meet him. You I can handle with one wing tied to my back, Mel smiled as Lucky laughed. Shield Fang looked about ready to retort when Nilak put a paw on is shoulder.

Shield Fang glanced back at Nilak and asked, what did you stop me for? I had a really good jibe I wanted to use.

Because she would have spun it around and jabbed you back twice as hard, Nilak replied, trust me, I’ve gotten into enough verbal battles with her to know that there is no way a dragon is ever going to win an argument against that particular dragonelle.

I chucked as Shield Fang and Nilak talked, “You know Thunder, if I didn’t know any better Nilak and Shield Fang are forming a bromance.”

He looked over at me with his typical coy smile, “And here I thought I was the only one who seemed to notice. I guess with them being the only male dragons in our little band, it was only a matter of time until they joined forces.”

Lucky walked up with Mel right behind her, “Are we going to race or not?”

“Patience young one,” Thunder said with a wave of his hoof, “We’ll give the dragons some time to fully recover from the race before we hit the track.” He raised an eyebrow at her, “Wouldn’t want you blaming your loss on Mel being overworked now would we?”

I chuckled as she narrowed her eyes dangerously, “Be careful Thunder. Overconfidence can break a racer when he least expects it.”

He turned to face her with his legs crossed in front of him, “I would expect you to follow your own advice young lady. Remember, I’ve been on the Circuit for almost ten years now. I didn’t get to be the fourth ranked racer on sheer luck. It took long hours and hard practice to get where I am, and the only reason you did so well was because your dragon did half of the deciding for you.” He straightened and grinned, “That’s why our little race will be without input from our dragons. I’m going to have Shield Fang follow every one of my instructions, even if he wouldn’t normally agree with them. Mel will be hindered in the same way so it will be your skills under the light. If you are as good as you say you are, then you’ll have no trouble keeping up with me. If I’m right and you lose, then you will owe me the entire amount of winnings from your next race. If you win then I’ll pay off the rest of your debt to Black Beauty and throw in my winnings from today as a bonus. What do you say to that?”

Lucky grinned devilishly, “I’ll take those terms. Just be prepared to lose.”

“Very well then,” Thunder replied as he hopped onto Shield Fang, “we’ll meet on the practice track back home at six o’clock. Don’t be late or I’ll consider it a forfeit.”

“We’ll be there!” Lucky called as Shield Fang took off. She looked over at Mel, “You ready to do this?”

Mel nodded, on my honor I swear that I won’t interfere unless it is to protect your safety. We’ll show those two that just being new doesn’t mean we’re not excellent racers.

Lucky nodded and we all climbed onto our dragons as we flew out of the city, Circuit Guard flying on the sides and behind our group as we made the trip back to Firebrand.

Winx flew in close to Nilak and Ivy yelled over the wind to me, “That was so much fun! I can’t believe we get to do that for a living!”

Winx nodded, I agree with Ivy. It was so exciting to race like that! I wonder what we’re going to be up against next time?

I shrugged my shoulders, “The races are randomized every year. The only thing that stays the same is what track is used each time. The problem is that the tracks can be rigged with traps to trip up racers, so we need to be careful when they announce special conditions for races.”

The girls nodded. “We’ll be careful,” Ivy said over the wind.

With that they flew over to talk to some of the other racers, and I leaned down to say to Nilak, “What do you think is going to happen between Lucky and Thunder?”

He glanced over his shoulder at me and bounced me slightly in a shrug, together those two are a fantastic team, but with their victory riding solely on Lucky’s judgment, I don’t know if she’s up for the task. Before this season Thunder had to race guiding Shield Fang’s every move, so relying on his own instincts will be second nature to him. Lucky has never had to follow those instincts in a race setting without Mel’s help. If you want my honest opinion, I think Lucky and Mel are going to get their flanks hoofed to them on a silver platter. I have a feeling they are not going to be able to keep up with Thunder by any stretch of the imagination. He chuckled and I felt the deep rumble in my legs, I must say Thunder sucked Lucky right into a no-win situation, while still making her think she could win. He pretty much assured his victory while making his opponent think she was going to mop the track with him. Very clever, and an effective way of stacking the odds in your favor against an opponent that you aren’t sure you can defeat. I knew Thunder had a brain under that cocky mask he normally hides behind, but now I know he’s got a wit and cunning that makes him more dangerous than a whole unit of Circuit Guards. He glanced up at me with one eye, I’m just glad he’s on our side.

I nodded, “That and the fact that Shield Fang could take on almost any dragon and win in single combat. Those two are a formidable pair and a great asset to our cause.” I pat Nilak’s shoulder as I spotted Firebrand on the horizon, “Well buddy, ready to see Lucky and Mel make fools of themselves?”

He chuckled as we banked down behind the building, I am, but I wonder if they truly have any idea how much they’ve been suckered?

I rolled my eyes, “One thing both males and females have as a fatal flaw, pride. Threaten that pride and both our species will do just about anything to protect it, even destroy it ourselves to prevent others from doing so.”

Mel and Lucky landed next to the start while Nilak, Winx, Ivy and I walked over to the stands. Thunder landed next to Lucky and together they got into the starting gates.

Ivy leaned over to whisper behind one hoof, “Five bits says Mel and Lucky surprise Thunder by winning.”

I looked sidelong at the green mare, “You’re on sister. Just be prepared to lose.”

Nilak snorted as we shook hooves, you two are deplorable. Betting on your friend like they’re a prize chicken going into a fight.

Winx leaned into Nilak and looked up at him with big eyes, half of tonight’s dinner says Mel gets her wings hoofed to her.

Nilak looked down and then back at the track, the flag starting to rise on the pole. He looked back down at Winx and nodded, it’s a bet.

I chuckled as Winx curled up on her belly to watch, “What was that you just said about betting on your friends?”

Nilak looked at me out of the corner of his eye, his back straight and his head high, I said betting on your friends is deplorable. I never said anything about betting on your mate.

Winx, Ivy and I all shared a look, rolling our eyes in unison. I leaned back and watched as they took off, “Whatever you say Nilak.”

Needless to say the race was a foregone conclusion. Mel wasn’t able to cut the turns like she used to and half of the time she was flying too slowly to keep up with Shield Fang. Thunder finished the race so far ahead of Mel and Lucky he was able to sprint through a second and still fly in half of Shield Fang’s length ahead of Mel. I held out my hoof and Ivy snorted as she dropped the five bits into my grip. I could hear Winx doing a little victory dance behind us and I just had to laugh as I heard Nilak’s stomach growl at the promise of only getting half of dinner today.

We walked down to the finish area and listened as Lucky pleaded and begged with Thunder to cancel the bet. I could also catch just the tiniest amount of Mel talking with Shield Fang off to the side, though given the language in their thoughts I quickly shut them out.
After listening to Lucky whine for about ten minutes Thunder finally cut her off with a wing to the mouth, “You made a bet with me and you lost. There aren’t any take-backs in real gambling, and there aren’t any with me. You lost fair and square, so as we agreed, you owe me your full winnings from the next race.”

Lucky grumbled something under her breath as Thunder removed his feathers from her mouth, walking away with her head bowed and her tail thrashing in annoyance. Mel followed close behind with similar body language as they made their way back up to our room.

I looked at Thunder with a sideways grin, “You meant to teach her about not getting too cocky in the Circuit, didn’t you? This was never about bits, it was about learning to know your limits.”

He looked at me with a raised eyebrow and a bemused expression, “Why whatever could you mean by that? I saw a chance to make some easy money and I took it. Any lessons she got out of this is purely coincidental.”

“Sure it was,” Ivy mused as she and Winx turned away to join the others in our suite, “just remember that we’ll someday be able to flip this around on you, so don’t get too puffed up.”

I chuckled as they pushed their way into the building, “You have to admit, those girls are pretty nice to have around.”

Thunder nodded as he climbed off of Shield Fang, “She’s right you know. I did plan on teaching Lucky a lesson, though I have to admit the winnings she’ll be paying me won’t feel too bad either.” He laughed as we walked back into the compound together, “You have some wonderful friends Silver, don’t ever let them slip away.”

I nodded, “I won’t sir, and thank you for the lesson. I don’t think any of us will be forgetting it any time soon.”

He waved to me as he walked off with Shield Fang, and I leaned against Nilak’s flank as they disappeared down a hall, “What would we ever do without them Nilak?”

Nilak looked down at me and then back to where the dynamic duo had disappeared down the hall, I truly don’t know Silver. I truly don’t know.

Author's Notes:

Round two of four up and running!! Let's keep this show on the road and get things going on the third. Also, you would think after facing Black Beauty in a one-on-three race they would have learned not to mess with the top ranked racers. Oh well, Lucky's loss I guess.

See you next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

XIV - Tricky Traps

Our next race was being held in Coltington, a three day travel on dragon wing and right in the middle of the desert. We arrived hot, sweaty, in need of a serious shower, and what do we find waiting for us? Turned out the track was nothing more than a grounded circuit that looped all the way around the outside of the city. The start and finish were situated on either side of the main road, with a crossing that could be closed off during races. From what I had seen in the past, the second race of the season always proved to be the most challenging, given this was the first Handicap Trial.

Handicap Trials were special races where specific rules were added to make the competition even more difficult than normal. Most of the time Handicap Trials were picked at random, but the second race of the season was always the first. It was a ploy used by race officials to help weed out the less experienced riders, and to force upcoming talent to show their best skills. It worked every time, and for years the first Handicap Trial was known as the Second Storm. The first race of the season was the first true test for rookie racers, but the Second Storm proved without a doubt who belonged and who did not. The handicaps were chosen at random, so nopony had a clue what to expect before the race, making it all the more difficult to prepare in advance.

The race meeting hall was a stout little building made of sandstone, just off the main road. That was where the racers met in order to discuss the race’s Handicap. Given dragons weren’t supposed to be smart enough to listen to complex ideas, Nilak and the others had to stay at the stables until the race was about to start. None of them were happy about it, but there was nothing we could do.

The announcer stood in front of us with a pedestal in front of his rather large frame. His salt and pepper mane was beginning to show more salt than pepper, though his voice was still clear as crystal as he spoke. His dark blue coat was also beginning to show bits of grey, though nopony minded much because the old unicorn had been doing this for longer than most of the racers had been in the Circuit. “Welcome racers, to the first Handicap Trial of the season! Now I know all of you are itching to find out what the Handicap is for tomorrow’s race, so I won’t keep you waiting any longer.”

He reached into a plastic ball on his left with dozens of paper slips folded in half. He grabbed one after riffling about with his hoof, and pulled it out as the lid closed with a clank.

“The Handicap for this year’s first Handicap Trial shall be…” He unfolded the slip and raised his eyes to look at all of us, “Traps.”
Some of the other rookies murmured amongst themselves in confusion, but I knew exactly what it meant for this to be a trap race. I had seen them in the past. Obstacles were placed on the track and were meant to slow down or throw a rider from his dragon. None of the traps were ever deadly, but there was a reason medic crews lined the side of the course during every race. I knew that some of us weren’t getting out of here without a broken bone or two. I also knew that all of us were going to have dozens of bumps and scrapes by the end of the day.

“The rules for a Trap race are simple,” the announcer said as he placed the slip back in the ball, “no dragon is allowed to fly or leave the perimeter of the track during any portion of the race. To do so would mean automatic disqualification and prohibited entry into the next race of the season. Cheating will not be tolerated in the Dragon Circuit, so I suggest you stay between the lines.”

With that we were dismissed, with Lucky and Ivy mumbling to one another as I led them out of the tent.

“Wonder what kinds of traps we’ll run into?” Ivy wondered as we made our way back to the stables, “Ooh! Maybe a trap that sucks the dragon into a hole and holds them there until the end of the race!”

Lucky and I laughed at the ridiculous idea, “Really? And how do you expect them to keep such things hidden from the racers?” I asked, “It would be nearly impossible to hide such a nasty trick on a racetrack.”

She pouted with fake tears in her eyes. “Lucky,” she whined as she hung on her friend’s neck with both hooves as she displayed her best puppy eyes, “Silver’s being mean to me again.”

Lucky rolled her eyes before dumping the melodramatic mare on the dusty ground, “Grow up and take care of your own problems. Geez.”

Ivy stood up and dusted off her chest with a glare in Lucky’s direction, “Well you don’t have to be so blunt about it.”

“So what’s the plan Silver?” Lucky asked me as we walked into the stables.

“I don’t know,” I replied, “they don’t call them traps for nothing. I’m certain that any plans we make now won’t do a thing for us once we get onto the track, so I’m going to tell you the same thing I’m telling the dragons, be ready for literally everything.”

The dragon stalls were not unlike farm stalls, only much larger and with better security. Nilak and the others were at the very end, so we had to walk the length of the stables to reach them, although it wasn’t without reason. We had chosen this spot on purpose so that we could speak with the lowest chance of being overheard. Given we spoke mostly in thoughts, the concern was little to none, but you never could be too careful.

So what’s the word Silver? Nilak asked as he leaned around the edge of his stall.

Yeah, what’s the trick going to be for this race? Winx added as she placed her front paws on top of the stall door. Given she was so small compared to most other racing dragons, she had to stand on her hind paws in order to see.

The race is going to be a trap race, I said to all of them. The track is going to be littered with nasty surprises and we aren’t going to know what they are until we run right into them. Also, flying isn’t allowed, so we’re going to be running the whole thing.

That’s crazy! Winx yelled as her frills rose to full mast, what do we do if one of us gets hurt? We can’t carry someone while running through the track!

That’s why the race is scored by total distance for the racers that don’t finish, I explained, anypony who can’t finish is awarded points for how much of the race they complete. Given that most of the rookies won’t finish at all, I’m guessing that the leaderboard is going to be thinner than usual.

That may be all well and good, Mel said calmly as she shared a look with Nilak and Winx, but what about if the Blood Claw try and pull something with a trap of their own? We won’t know the difference until it’s too late to pull back.

That forced all of us to pause as the image of being crushed or squired by a Blood Claw trap played through all of our minds.

We’ll just have to fly out of it. I don’t care if we get in trouble. I’m not going to let something happen to any of you guys just because of a stupid rule. I shared a look with Lucky and Ivy, feeling slightly relieved when they nodded agreement, then it’s settled. If the Blood Claw pull a trap of their own, we’ll break any rules we need to in order to stay alive. Other than that, we stay on the ground and do our best to finish the race. I looked around and met the gaze of everypony and everydragon there, are we clear?

They nodded. Clear, they chorused.

Given that the city didn’t have space for quarters like the ones back home, riders and dragons had to be housed separately. So, while Nilak and the others got to hang out at the stables, Lucky, Ivy and I got to sleep in a fancy hotel. It wasn’t the same as the living quarters we were used to, but it was more than we ever had at our old homes.

“Goodnight girls,” I called over my shoulder as I entered my room.

“Goodnight,” the chorused as they closed the door to their own suite.

And boy where we going to need our sleep tonight. Because tomorrow was going to be one Tartarus of a ride.

We were at the starting line, waiting for the horn to sound. The main road had been closed so that the track could loop fully around the city without interruptions. We were currently waiting just off one side, with the finish line directly behind us. Due to the short length of the course, there were going to be three laps in this race before the final placing was recorded. Winx and Mel were on either side of Nilak and I, and we tensed as the warning lights flashed from red to yellow.

In a split second, the lights changed to green and the horn sounded, causing the racers to blast out of the starting gates in a thick cloud of dust. Nilak tried his best not to bump me around too much, but I could see other riders having trouble staying on their mounts because of the bouncing lope dragons normally used. Black Beauty and Whiteout were just ahead of us and on the inside edge of the track as we came around the first turn, though we weren’t able to see her for long.

Machines lifted out of the sand on either side of the track, roaring to life as the fans kicked up swirling lines of dust and sand that crossed from one side of the track to the other. Nilak and I shut our eyes tight as we barreled into the blustery mess, though I could feel the pelting fragments across my entire body as we charged ahead blindly.

As soon as the pelting stopped, I forced my eyes open to see what was ahead, only to close them again as a second dust tornado came at us from the other side. This repeated for three more times before the machines stopped popping out of the ground. Nilak and I slowed down to catch our breath for a moment, but we had to pick up the pace again as other racers began to catch up. Winx and Mel were jockeying for position with some of the other racers, though Winx was having a bit of trouble making her way through the larger dragons.

Worry about them later, Nilak said to me as we came around the second corner of the track, they’ll do the best they can just as we are. If we can’t finish because we were distracted by the girls, then we won’t be doing them any good.

I nodded, turning my body around to face front again as we thundered into the next section of track. Just like before, there wasn’t any warning before the traps began popping out of the ground. This time there were metal trees that popped out of the track in a thick maze, swinging bulbous branches around in every direction as they spun on a central axis.

I yelped as a blunt end nearly took my head off, “What are they trying to do, kill us?”

Nilak grunted as a lower branch impacted his left flank, I think it’s meant to slow us down by making the way harder to traverse. He jumped over another low branch, only to get blindsided by another branch swinging at head level.

“Nilak!” I cried as his head snapped back with a dull thump.

As his paws hit the ground again he groaned and shook his head from side to side, swaying a few times before he pushed into a standing position again.

“Are you alright?” I asked, uncertain if he could go on.

He snorted once as he glanced over his shoulder at me, don’t sell me short Silver. Mel might say I have a hard head but she isn’t just making fun of my sometimes absent-minded memory. He reached up and knocked the side of his head with a fisted paw, that tree thing might have rung my gong but I’m still kicking.

I chuckled as I kicked his flanks lightly, “Then let’s get moving. We don’t want to fall behind because you can’t see straight.”

He grunted agreement as we made our way through the rest of the metal trees, somehow avoiding getting clobbered again. I got scraped a few times by near misses, but had avoided getting hit directly by some miracle. I wasn’t looking forward to the second and third laps.

As it turned out, Winx and Mel had passed us while we had been recovering in the trees, and we managed to catch up to them as we came around the second corner. Both sets of girls seemed slightly surprised to see us coming up from behind, but otherwise didn’t comment.

We raced side by side into the next section of track, wary of what could be coming next. We weren’t disappointed when the ground around us began to change into a darker shade of brown and Winx yelped in fright as her paws began to sink into the sand.

“Quicksand!” Lucky yelled as Mel’s paws began to sink as well, “Don’t move around! You’ll only make it worse!”

Everypony froze and the sinking slowly ground to a halt. Nilak and I seemed to be in a more shallow part, as he had only sunk in to his knees. Mel and Winx, on the other hoof, were wallowing around with sand up to their bellies.

“Well this sucks!” Ivy growled as she looked around, “How do we get out of this?”

I looked around at the track, seeing that the darker sand went from one side of the track to the other. There was no way to go but forward. “I guess we have to force our way through. Winx! Mel! Get behind Nilak and we’ll find a way that has more shallow sand! We’re not going to let some sticky tricks stop us!”

The girls nodded and their dragons slowly forced their way behind Nilak. He and I shared a knowing look, and he began to slowly force his way forward. We could hear the other racers coming up behind us, but so far we retained the lead. I didn’t even need to look back to know what was going on, given that the sounds of skidding paws on sand were enough to tell be everything. Apparently the other racers couldn’t get their dragons to go into the shifting quicksand.

It took a while, but somehow we managed to pull ourselves out of the muck, shaking off about a hundred pounds of it before picking up the pace again.

Winx whined as she kicked one of her back legs in annoyance, I’ve got sand in places I didn’t even know I had. Can we stop so I can clean myself off?

Not unless you want to do that for the next three laps, Mel countered. Cheer up. After the race we can take a nice long bath to get rid of all the sand and dust.

Winx mumbled something dark but otherwise didn’t complain. We slid around the next corner, seeing that final stretch of the track was somewhat different than the last. The track was marked out in perfect squares, about five feet across and going from one side of the track to the other. At first it wasn’t that bad, but we soon figured out how wrong we were.

At first it was only one or two, but ever so slowly, the squares began to rise and fall in different patterns, making the footing completely random as we made our way forward. It was like the track had come alive and we were trying to run along the back of a giant serpent. We stumbled onto solid ground again, passing the finish line as the assembled crowd roared in approval. However, the pain and challenges had only just begun.

All through the next lap, the traps hit us again and again, except they were going faster than before. The sand tornadoes were now rotating from side to side in random patterns, while the clobbering trees were going much faster than before. Also, the shallow track through the quicksand had moved, forcing us to wallow through the deep stuff until we could reach the other side. The moving track portion was the worst of them all. Instead of moving in simple wave-like motions, the patterns had become completely random, making the ground look more like a boiling pot than a desert.

We stumbled over the finish line once more, somehow finding the strength to continue on like before. However, Lucky, Ivy and I all knew that our dragons were nearing their limit. This was going to be a race of stamina now, not speed or skill.

Just like the previous lap, the traps were going even faster than before. The fans were now moving up and down as well as side to side, while the clobbering trees were moving so fast I was shocked we made it out of their in one piece. The quicksand had gotten so deep that Winx had to lift her head to keep it above the surface, and Ivy had to jump on Mel’s back to keep from being swamped. The moving track part was even more ridiculous. Instead of moving from side to side, the waves were now coming directly at us. We had to jump them like hurdles or run up and down the faces like a hill climber. By the time we got past that, I could feel Nilak’s limbs shaking as we stumbled towards the finish.

“We’re almost there guys!” I called over my shoulder, “Stay strong just a little longer!”

My words were interrupted by an ominous rumbling, and I turned around slowly to see the entire track in front of the finish line rising up into the air. Our jaws dropped as it climbed to about eighty feet tall before grinding to a halt. Standing before us was a huge circular tunnel, with what looked like knobs on the entire inside surface. Nilak took a step forward, but before he could jump in the cylinder began to rotate, until the whole thing looked like a clothing dryer on high.

The dragons took one look at the swirling mess in front of them, and plopped onto the ground as one. Not that I could blame them. After all the energy they had spent getting through all the other traps, there was no way we could make it through this mess.

I looked back as I heard something closing in behind us, and my eyes widened as I spotted Whiteout and Shield Fang closing in at a steady trot.

They paused next to us as Shield Fang lowered his head to our level, having trouble there youngsters?

Nilak glared at the larger dragon, given that was all he could do, buck you.

Black Beauty chuckled as she pulled Whiteout in front of us, “You six may be the most promising rookies this year, but that doesn’t
mean you know everything. Come along Thunder,” she turned Whiteout towards the spinning trap, “we have a race to finish.”

He laughed as Shield Fang walked up to their side, “That we do.” He turned around in his saddle and gave us a salute, “Until we meet again children.”

With that they leaped into the tunnel and easily made their way through, jumping down on the other side as the crowd roared.

I groaned as I slid off of Nilak’s back, “Well, that just proves that we still have a lot to learn.” I walked up and ran my hooves behind Nilak’s ear, making him hum in appreciation as my legs rubbed the boundary between his scales and feather, “Guess they win this round.”

I heard Lucky laugh as she walked up on the other side of Nilak’s head, “Well at least we finished in the top five again.” Her face twisted into a scowl, “If only I didn’t have to give Thunder my winnings.”

Ivy giggled as she walked up by my side, “That’s what you get for thinking you’re better than one of the top ranked racers in the Circuit.” She used the edges of her hooves to rub Nilak’s face between his eyes for a moment before turning back to Winx, “We’ll get them next time, eh Winx?”

The poor dragoness was so winded she couldn’t stop panting, I’ll… try… my… best… Ivy…

“Alright guys,” I said as an official came past us with a measuring tape, “I guess the race is over.” I lifted up Nilak’s head with both of my forelegs, forcing him to his paws before he could protest, “Guess you three deserve a nice long soak in the baths after this one.”

That was enough to cause all three dragons to perk up.

I guess I could force myself to get up if that is the case, Mel grunted as she forced herself onto her paws once more.

Me… too…! Winx said between pants as she followed the rest of us on shaking legs, I… really… need… a… rest…

Join the club, Nilak said with a groan as he winced. Silver? I don’t suppose you and the girls could join us in the baths? I could really use somepony small who knows just the right spots to rub.

I smirked, “Sure buddy.” I glanced at Lucky and Ivy, “I think we all need a good soak after a day like today. What do you say girls?”

They shared a look and a smile. “Why not?” Lucky said as she turned to me, “It’ll be nice to wash the dust and sand out of my mane.”

Ivy smirked as she elbowed Lucky gently in the side, “And you’ll get to show off that skimpy new swimsuit you got a while ago.”

I rolled my eyes at her as Lucky gasped, “She doesn’t need to wear anything more than what she’s comfortable with. I have no interest in peaking at you two while we’re in the baths.”

The dragons laughed as Ivy and Lucky fixed me with a dark look, you’d better watch it Silver, Nilak said as he glanced in the girls’ direction, or you might just find yourself being drowned in the bath instead of soaking in it.

I rolled my eyes and the girls led Mel and Winx away, “It doesn’t matter to me. I just wanted to embarrass Lucky a bit before we take care of you guys.”

Nilak shook his head slowly as we followed the girls, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Author's Notes:

Three down, one to go. How are you liking your Birthday Marathon Submission so far?
I really don't know how the cast can stand getting coated in sand and dirt like that. I'd imagine having sand stuck in one's fur and under scales is ten times worse than just getting your skin rubbed raw.
Anyway, let's get on with the next one.

I'll see you next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of he Moon.

XV - Hot Water

I sighed in relief as I sank up to my chest in the soothing heat. My eyes closed as I leaned back against the edge of the baths, letting the warmth and steam ease the aches from the last race.

This feels nice, Nilak drawled as he relaxed on my left, his head resting on the edge of the pool while his body was submerged in the deeper section.

I smiled as I glanced over at him, “I couldn’t agree more. This is the best I’ve felt in a long, long time.”

The baths were a huge building attached to the racer headquarters, made entirely out of polished white marble. The entire inside of the massive structure was one giant room, save for the changing areas for the mares and stallions. Large pillars supported the roof and the water had two areas for anyone to use. The deeper section was sloped downward from the shallow, allowing dragons of any size to rest fully submerged in the soothing water. Around the edge of the pool on all sides was a shallow ledge that would allow riders to relax near their mounts, as I was currently doing with Nilak. All and all, it was simply amazing to relax for a change. No Blood Claw to attack us, and no races to take up our time. The next race wasn’t for a week and a half, so the team had all agreed that we needed to take a break.

“I wonder when the girls are going to show up?” I muttered, more to myself than anything.

Who knows? Nilak replied with his eyes closed. For all we know they’re still back at the room trying to choose the appropriate swim wear.

I chuckled, “That’s true, although Ivy was always the one to fuss over fashion and the like. Lucky never really paid much mind to that kind of thing.”

He snorted, just wait until they show up. I’m sure both of them will be wearing next to nothing, if anything at all.

I used my hoof to bop him lightly on the top of his muzzle, rolling my eyes at him, “You do remember that ponies usually go everywhere in the nude, right?”

He huffed in annoyance at my blow, but otherwise didn’t comment. However, not a moment passed before his head lifted off the ground and I saw his eyes widen slightly in shock. I rolled my head backwards to see what had shocked him so much, only for my lips to part in a wide smile as I saw what it was. Or, I guess I should have said, who it was.

Mel and Winx were walking out of the dragon entrance, seeming to glow in the light as they talked to one another. Their scales had been polished to a perfect shine and every inch of their skin looked like it would put satin to shame. I could understand why Nilak was at a loss for words, both dragonelles looked absolutely stunning. I rolled my head back upright so I wouldn’t get a crick in my neck, and smirked to myself as I heard their claws click softly against the floor. Nilak still hadn’t moved from his gape-mouth position, and as I heard the clicking come to a stop I knew something funny was about to happen.

I could imagine the grin on Mel’s face as she spoke, keep your mouth open like that and you’ll start catching flies Nilak. One of my eyebrows rose as I heard her giggle softly, what, do I look that good to you?

Nilak was still frozen, so I stood up and tapped him on the end of his nose.

He blinked a few times and shook his head before looking at me with a confused expression, what happened? I froze there for a minute and I have no idea why.

I rolled my eyes, “Oh brother. You mean to tell me you froze at the sight of those two walking in and you have no idea why you did so?” I jerked my hoof over my shoulder at the girls for emphasis.

His expression looked like he was still in a daze, I remember seeing Mel and Winx walking into the room, but after that my mind just kind of shut down. He looked back towards the girls and sucked in a breath sharply, by the Goddess!

I turned around and saw that both dragonelles were blushing a very deep red, and given that Winx was red to begin with, that was saying something. I turned back to Nilak and grabbed onto one of his horns, giving him a shove towards the girls before he looked at me in confusion.

I jerked my head in their direction, say something. You staring at them is just making them feel embarrassed. I had narrowed the link to just us so the girls wouldn’t overhear.

He turned to look at me with a slightly fearful expression, but what do I say? I don’t know where to begin.

I sighed in exasperation, just start at the top of their bodies and work your way down. Don’t make comments about odd things like their paws or their teeth, but just say something. Anything would be better than this silence!

He swallowed nervously, alright. I’ll try. I felt the link broadening again as he locked gazes with the girls, who still hadn’t lifted their heads to look at us, wow. You guys look amazing.

Both girls lifted their heads with matching looks of uncertainty, do you think so? It was Winx who asked.

Nilak nodded dumbly, I don’t even know where to start. Mel, your scales look like they were cut from the most pure sandstone, and your skin looks like it would be softer than my mother’s feathers.

Good, good, I thought to myself, now one for Winx.

And you Winx, he continued, you look like somedragon took a rose and used the petals to paint you from nose to tail. I wasn’t sure if I was looking at the little runt I had come to know, or a ruby someone had cut in your image.

I rolled my eyes as he bounced from one dragonelle to the other, oh brother. You’re laying it on a bit thick buddy. However, I didn’t say it over the link, afraid the girls might hear me.

By the time Nilak was done, I swore I was looking at two dragons that had been dipped in red paint from the base of the neck up, because both girls were blushing so hard I was afraid they might pass out from the blood rush. Winx couldn’t even meet our gazes, and Mel was having so much difficulty speaking that her muzzle kept opening and closing without a sound.

I grunted as I lifted myself out of the water, “Alright you two, enough with the flustered act. I agree with Nilak that you look stunning, but don’t let it go to your heads.”

Mel’s muzzle closed with a click and she fixed me with an annoyed glare, butt out Silver. I was enjoying Nilak’s little romantic moment.

Yeah! Winx added as she lifted her own head, don’t spoil it for us!

I rolled my eyes, “If I hadn’t jumped in when I had, I’m almost certain one of you would have passed out from the blood rushing to your heads.” Both of them sent me a dangerous look, so I raised my hooves in surrender, “Alright, alright. I get it. Just don’t come crying to me when you two start getting light-headed.”

I heard chuckling coming from the girl’s changing area as I sank back into the water, and I looked over my shoulder to see Lucky and Ivy walking out. It was Lucky who was laughing, though Ivy seemed to barely be holding her own mirth in.

“Oh that’s a good one Silver,” Lucky said as she walked into the room, “I haven’t heard a joke that good in a while.”

Ivy nodded as she covered her mouth with one hoof to hold in a chuckle, “Me neither. I was sure Winx was going to bite your head off for that one.”

Both girls were wearing clothing that left very little to the imagination. Lucky was wearing a two-piece swim suit that was a light blue in color, highlighting her flanks and hind legs while drawing the eye back up to her mane and eyes. Her mane was down around her shoulders and her forelegs were covered in fishnet stockings. Ivy wore something similar, only her suit had a thin strip of cloth connecting the chest and hip pieces going up the middle of her stomach. It was just wide enough to cover her stomach, while still leaving her flanks and back visible. Her suit was a solid jet black and it hugged her slim frame like a second set of fur, rippling with reflections as she moved. To put it simply, both girls made it very hard to keep my eyes from wondering to forbidden territory.

Thankfully, Mel decided to speak up before I did something stupid, you look good Lucky. I knew that ponies could be beautiful when they tried, but you and Ivy look amazing.

Both mares blushed. “Oh stop it Mel,” Lucky said as she walked up to the water’s edge, “you and Winx look better than we could ever hope to be.” She tested the water with one hoof before slipping in on my right side, “Aaaahhhhhh. Now this is what I’ve been needing.” She sat down and rested her head on the stone behind her as she closed her eyes and smiled, “A nice hot soak to get rid of the aches and pains.”

Ivy laughed as she galloped towards us, “Look out below!”

I had just enough time to shield myself with a wing before she leaped into the deeper water and sent a massive splash towards the ceiling. Lucky didn’t have time to react and sputtered as the wave washed over her, making her narrow her eyes at Ivy as she surfaced.

“Would you kindly not do that?” she said with an annoyed tone as Ivy swam about in the deeper section, “Some of us want to relax while we’re here.”

“Ah come on Lucky,” Ivy whined, “it’s no fun if you spend the whole time sitting still.” She splashed Lucky with water as she laughed, “Come on! Have some fun for a change!”

Me next! Me next! I had just enough time to stand up as Winx leaped into the air and tucked herself into a ball, crashing into the water on Ivy’s right before a massive wave erupted from the impact point.

Ivy laughed in joy as the wave crashed over the rest of us, causing Lucky and I to sputter and cough while Nilak turned around to glare at the grinning Winx. Her frills were fully erect, and her entire body seemed about ready to pop from the happy energy she shed.

I heard Mel chuckling behind me, you and Ivy are hatched from the same egg, Winx. Her claws clicked as she walked up to the edge of the pool behind Lucky, both of you have too much energy and can never seem to get rid of it.

Come on Mel! Winx giggled as she swam around with Ivy clinging to her neck, it’s so much fun! Play with us and have some fun for once!

I saw Mel smile and slowly shake her head, I’m afraid I’d never be able to keep up with you two. Go ahead and play with each other. I’m going to follow Lucky’s lead and get some much needed relaxation.

She stepped to the side and walked into the water, purring in pleasure as the steaming liquid hit her sensitive skin. Her eyes partly closed as her entire body sank into the water, leaving just her upper neck and head above the surface.

I smirked as Mel moaned softly, and I heard Ivy and Winx laughing as she slowly moved around Lucky and I, this feels amazing. Her voice sounded like she was on cloud nine, and as she swam around to rest her head next to Nilak, I could feel the water vibrating with her resonating purr, I could lay in this forever.

Nilak rubbed his head against Mel’s, purring almost as strongly as she was, you know we can’t. Once we leave here we’ll have to get back to training and prepare for the next race. We can’t afford to get lazy.

Shut up and let me enjoy this you oaf. I laughed as she gave Nilak a sideways glare, I am going to take my sweet time letting my muscles relax and my joints realign. Nodragon, and I mean nodragon, or pony, she added with a glare our direction, is going to stop me.

I never said you had to stop, Nilak said as she lifted her head with one forepaw to look at him, I just said that after we get out of here we’ll have to get back to work.

N-Nilak, she asked as he began to lean closer, w-what are you doing?

Oh don’t act like we’ve never kissed before, he said as his muzzle came to within an inch of her own, I just wanted to give you some extra attention since we have the time.

Yeah but I never said you could – she cut off as his lips met hers, and I heard her moan into the kiss as she leaned into his larger frame.

I rolled my eyes as I turned to face Lucky, though my grin faltered as I caught her expression. She was watching Nilak and Mel with an inexplicable light in her eyes, but her gaze kept moving to me. She stood up slowly and walked up to me, her eyes still glazed over with the strange light, and I felt myself getting nervous as she sat down at my side.

“Umm, Lucky?” I asked, “What are you doing?”

“I’m-I’m not sure,” she said as her hooves moved up and around my neck. “There’s this sensation inside me, telling me to do this. I can’t explain it but, I like it.” Her legs came to rest on my shoulders as her hooves draped over my back, “It feels warm and so many other things I can’t explain. I just don’t want it to stop.”

I felt my face heating up as her chest pressed against my own, “N-Now hold on a minute Lucky. I-I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but I think we should –”

I never got to finish because she leaned forward and pressed her lips against mine, moving her legs so she was sitting in my lap as she kissed me.

My eyes widened in shock, and for a split second I thought about pushing her away. However, that quickly disappeared as she tilted her head slightly, deepening the kiss and pressing herself into me. I had no idea why she was doing this, but I didn’t care. My hooves moved up to her hips as she moaned into my mouth, and as her tongue danced across my lower lip, I allowed her entrance. My tongue intertwined with hers and she moaned much louder this time, pressing so hard against me that I felt like she wanted to become a part of me. I could hear Winx and Ivy speaking to one another in the back of my mind, but at the moment all I cared about was how amazing kissing Lucky felt.

Lucky pulled back to take a breath, her cheeks flushed and her breathing ragged as she looked into my eyes. Her lips were puffy and red from kissing me, but the same light still lingered in her eyes. I knew at some point she had to come out of this, but at the moment, I didn’t care.

However, that feeling of happiness quickly changed to shock as she began to fiddle with the straps of her suit, undoing the knot holding her chest piece in place. I quickly covered my eyes with one leg as she took it off, feeling my face turn beet red. I may have enjoyed kissing her, but this was too much!

“What’s the matter Silver?” Her voice had taken on a sultry tone, and she ran her hooves up my chest in a very teasing way, “Are you afraid of being with me?”

I refused to look as I removed her hooves from me gently, “Lucky, this isn’t you. Something is making you feel this way and do these things. I don’t know what it is, but you have to stop.”

By this time I could hear Winx and Ivy off to my right, seeming unsure about what to do. Mel and Nilak had also stopped their own make-out session, apparently hearing the uncertain tone in my voice. All of this I could tell by hearing, given I still had my eyes closed so I wouldn’t see Lucky topless. Nudity be damned, I wasn’t going to get an eyeful of Lucky’s mare bits when she was sitting in my lap!

“Come on Silver.” Her tone had changed into that of a child not getting what she wanted, “I know you want to do this with me. You’ve wanted to be with me since we were young.” She rubbed her crotch against my own and I hissed as my body betrayed me, my wings flaring behind me as my own parts began to react.

Her voice took on that of a mother scolding her child, “Oh dear, did I make you get excited? Well we’ll just have to fix that won’t we?”

She tried to move her hooves towards my stallionhood, but I forced them back out of the water as I heard Mel and Nilak moving over to us.

Lucky? It was Mel speaking in an uncertain tone, what’s gotten into you? Why are you trying to mate with Silver?

“Because he makes me feel good.” She said in a ‘duh’ tone, “I saw you two kissing and suddenly I got this amazing feeling. It was like I had been dipped in pure ecstasy. I don’t know what it is but I love it!”

I heard Mel whispering to Nilak, and I tried to hear what they were saying. However, they stopped before I could make anything out.

I know this feels amazing Lucky, it was Nilak speaking, but you need to stop. This isn’t just your own needs making you do this. Because you and Silver are our partners, our feelings for each other must have passed through our bond and into you. You must like Silver a lot for it to be going this far, but your inhibitions have been stripped away because of what Mel and I were doing.

Suddenly, Lucky seemed to get lighter, and I heard her cry out as she was lifted off of me, “Hey! Put me down right now! Let go of me!”

I hesitated as I opened one eye a slit, but let them both open fully when I saw that Lucky wasn’t bare for all to see. She wasn’t exactly dressed, but it was good enough.

Nilak had wrapped Lucky from her hips to her neck with his tail, making a sapphire cocoon around her as her face tightened in strain.

She must have been trying to force her way out of his grip, but Nilak was way too strong for her. Mel moved up to her and lifted a paw out of the water, moving a single claw towards Lucky as she thrashed around in Nilak’s grip.

“I said let go of me!” She yelled as she struggled more, “Put me down now or I’ll scream!”

You’re already screaming, Mel said calmly as she placed one claw on Lucky’s forehead. Lucky froze, knowing how sharp a dragon’s claws were, now hold still and let me help you. This will only take a moment.

Mel’s paw began to glow a light blue, and the glow slowly spread until it covered Lucky from head to tail. For a moment nothing happened, and then Lucky’s eyes flashed a bright white in color before turning back to their normal emerald. She fell limp in Nilak’s grip, and he slowly moved her over to the pool edge. I averted my gaze as he unwrapped his tail from her, letting Ivy tend to her state of dress before turning back around.

Lucky groaned as she opened her eyes, holding her head with one hoof as she pushed herself up with the other, “Oh, my head. What in the world happened?” She opened her eyes and looked around, “Why is everyone staring at me?”

“You don’t remember?” Ivy asked as she sat next to Lucky, “Are you sure you’re alright?”

Lucky nodded slowly, “I remember watching Mel and Nilak going at it, but then everything gets a bit hazy.” She curled her legs under herself and stared at the floor in front of her, “I remember this warm feeling passing through me, like I was drunk or something, only different. I also remember talking to Silver about something, and then I –” Her breath hitched as her eyes went very wide, and her face turned a stark shade of crimson as her hooves flew to cover her mouth.

“I take it you remember what happened next?” I asked, still not quite believing it myself.

Lucky looked up at me with pure shock in her eyes, “I….I kissed you……didn’t I?”

I nodded slowly, and her face became so red it was bordering on turning purple, “Oh my Celestia. Oh Luna let this be a sick joke.”

Ivy held Lucky gently as the poor girl began to tremble, “Shh, it’s alright. It wasn’t your fault. It was whatever crazy crap that passed through our bond that did this to you.”

“Yeah,” I said as I turned to Mel and Nilak. “Would you mind sharing about that? You seem to know exactly what happened to Lucky.”

Mel and Nilak shared a look before turning back to us.

The sensation that Lucky experienced was something we dragons call the ‘mating pull’, Nilak explained. It’s a feeling that tells a dragon when their mate is nearby and forces them to act. Do you remember what happened on that hill way back before we joined the circuit?

“How could we ever forget?” Ivy said as she rubbed along Winx’s neck, “You two were making out for about twenty minutes.”

Mel blushed as she spoke, well, that was when my mating pull hit me, causing me to come after Nilak like a fresh slab of meat. Lucky just experienced the same thing because of what Nilak and I were doing. I think it was triggered when she saw us kissing, and the feelings we had for one another passed through our bond and into her.

“But how can dragon stuff affect me?” Lucky asked in confusion, “Ponies don’t do that kind of stuff.”

My best guess? Nilak said calmly. When we all became bonded together, a part of our dragon magic became one with each of you. So, even though the mating pull is a purely dragon trait, it effected Lucky because she, in a way, is part dragon as well.

So when our own mating bond became strong, Mel added, she was effected and acted out on her own feelings. These things don’t randomly happen. Lucky must have thought about doing those things in the past, but simply never acted on those impulses. When the mating pull hit her, those mental blocks were shattered, and she acted out her deepest desires. She glanced at me, apparently she’s been keeping feelings hidden that are aimed solely at you Silver. She wouldn’t have acted that way if that weren’t the case.

I looked at Lucky, unable to voice the question that must have been evident in my gaze. Lucky averted her gaze and closed her eyes, telling me all I needed to know.

“Why didn’t you ever tell me, Lucky?” I asked as I took a step towards her.

Her shoulders began to shake as I saw tears run down her face, “Because I never had the courage to say anything.”

She covered her face as she sobbed, Ivy pulling Lucky into a hug as she looked up at me with an uncertain expression. Apparently she didn’t have a clue how to comfort the cobalt mare either.

This isn’t a bad thing, Nilak set his head down next to Lucky and Ivy, now you don’t have to hide your feelings anymore. Just let them out and be happy that you no longer have to bottle them up inside.

“But what if Silver doesn’t feel the same way?!” She wailed as she grabbed onto Ivy’s shoulders, burying her face in the crook of the other girl’s neck. Her shoulders shook as she continued crying, and all eyes turned to me with very hard expressions.

I gulped as everyone glared at me. What was I supposed to do? Confess my love for her when I had no idea how I felt? This was all so sudden! I wasn’t prepared for this!

“I-I umm,” I swallowed again, “I-I don’t know how I feel. I’ll admit that I loved kissing Lucky, and I felt warmth in my heart when she was acting like that, but I don’t know if that was the magic talking or if it was really me.”

I turned to look at Lucky as she locked gazes with me. Her eyes were bloodshot and her nose was running as she tried to put on a brave face. I knew she was waiting for me to break her heart, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I liked Lucky. That much I knew. But this whole mating pull thing was way too much at one time. I needed time to think it over before I could give a true answer.

I sat down next to Lucky and used my hoof to wipe away her tears, “I can’t say without a doubt that I love you, Lucky.” I stopped her reply by placing my hoof over her lips, “But, I do care for you very much, so I can’t say for sure that I don’t love you either.” Her eyes got a hopeful light in them again, and I couldn’t help but smile as I wrapped my legs around her shoulders, “Will you give me a chance Lucky? Will you let me figure out my own feelings for you?”

She sniffed and rubbed her eyes with the backs of her hooves, “I-I’ll try Silver.” She lowered her legs and gave me a small smile, “I’ll wait for you if it takes forever.”

My heart jerked at her words, and on a split second impulse, I leaned forward and pressed my lips to hers. I heard everyone else gasp as I gently cupped her cheek in my hoof, but she didn’t fight me off and I pulled back slowly, letting her be as she opened her eyes again.

“That was my apology,” I said with a matching small smile, “for making you feel like I didn’t care for you.”

She averted her gaze, “Thank you Silver. I know I can’t ask you to love me outright after all that just happened, but it’s nice to know you don’t hate me for what I did.”

“Hate you?” I asked in shock, “How could I ever hate you? Sure it was a shock, but I could never begrudge you for expressing your feelings. I promise you, I will never hate you for being who you are, and if that means you want to be with me, then I will just have to accept that.”

She looked up at me and leaned forward, wrapping her hooves around my neck before resting her head on my chest, “Thank you Silver. You don’t know how much this means to me.”

I wrapped my hooves around her shoulders and gently rubbed behind her ears, “You’re welcome Lucky.”

All of a sudden, somepony started clapping off to the side, and we all looked up in surprise as Thunder walked into the room. Shield Fang followed close behind him as he walked towards us, a huge grin splitting his lips as he looked between Lucky and me.

“About time you two got together.” He said as he placed his hooves back on the floor, “I was starting to wonder if I was going to have to lock you two in a room to get you to confess.”

We all shared a look, knowing that things had just gotten a lot more complicated.

Author's Notes:

Hot damn that was steamy, and not from the bath water. Looks like we have some new social dynamics in the team. Wonder how it's going to pan out later.

Anyways, this is the fourth and final update for my Birthday Marathon Submission, so you'll have to wait for the rest at a later date. Happy reading, and I'll see you next chapter.
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

XVI - The Price of Uncertainty

After the incident at the baths, Lucky retreated into herself. Her normally spunky and outgoing personality was replaced with something far more chilling. Every time I was in the room, she wouldn’t meet my gaze and her voice reduced to a whisper. Her normally smiling lips were tight and the cheerful light in her eyes was replaced with cold depression. Ivy tried to perk up Lucky’s spirits as much as possible, but even a life-long friend wasn’t enough to bring the old Lucky back. I had thought that we were okay after talking it out, but apparently there was something else going on. Either Lucky thought I hadn’t meant what I had said, or she doubted herself after her accidental confession.

To make matters worse, Lucky’s depressed state was affecting the whole team, so much so that nopony had the energy to do much of anything. It was the worst for Mel, given she was the closest one to Lucky. She was almost as withdrawn as her rider, with nary a word for anypony besides Nilak. Even then, she only spoke with him in private, leaving the rest of us wondering what it would take to pull things around.

Given that this was mostly my fault, I felt terrible that I had caused this change in Lucky, and subsequently, the team. However, I had no idea what I could do to fix it. I had no idea what my feelings were concerning Lucky, and after her unintended confession at the baths, I was at a complete loss on what to do.

Days passed, and still there was no change in Lucky’s behavior. We tried going out and having fun in the city, but even riding roller
coasters didn’t provide Lucky with any enjoyment. Finally, the time had come for the next race, and frankly, we were all worried about how the team would perform. With Mel and Lucky barely motivated enough to get out of bed in the morning, the rest of us were starting to think we wouldn’t place this time around. Now, one bad race wouldn’t knock us out of the running for the Draconic Heaven, but it would make the following races that much more critical. We couldn’t afford a slip-up when making up for it would be ten times harder.

The next race was being held in Dragon’s Edge, a city on the coast about five days from Firebrand. The city rested just short of the great cliffs that lined the coast, making it a perfect spot for couples and tourists. It also provided a unique environment for racing. This race was going to be a normal one, without the tricks and surprises of a Handicap Trial. However, even without the added challenge of a handicap, Ivy and I were still worried about how well Lucky and Mel would do. Lucky still hadn’t pulled herself out of her funk, and so, neither had Mel. Mel was at least talking to the rest of the team now, but even still, her voice was muted and uncertain, making it quite unsettling when the rest of us thought about how boisterous she had been before.

We arrived in Dragon’s Edge to a beautiful sunrise. However, I had a sinking feeling in the bottom of my stomach, because the clouds and sea were both blood red. There was an old seapony’s legend about weather like this, and after a moment I remembered what it was.

Red light in morning, sailors take warning.

Somehow I knew that something bad was going to happen today. I just didn’t know when or where it would happen.

To make the worry in my gut even worse, Black Beauty, Thunder, Shield Fang and Whiteout weren’t going to be racing today. Whiteout had come down with scale rash, meaning she’d be out of the races until it was cleared up. While not life threatening, scale rash was unbelievably frustrating, given the rash festered and itched underneath a dragon’s scales, making it impossible to scratch or sooth with any medicinal ointments or creams. It would go away in time, but for now Whiteout was going to have to deal with being benched.
Shield fang had his own problems to deal with. During a private race against another high-ranked member of the Circuit, Shield Fang had torn one of the tendons in his left wing. It wasn’t a critical injury, but he too was unable to race today because of the healing wound. Needless to say, racing without our most experienced allies wasn’t helping my unease, coupled with the ominous omen as we flew into the city.

We landed at the race building, a squat little place just outside of the city limits. The track was located between the city and the racer rest stop, or at least, the part that was on the ground. Seaside Speedway lived up to its name, because the only parts of the track that were on the ground were the start and finish strips. The rest of it was marked off by flying buoys that were anchored to platforms in the ocean beyond the cliffs. Much like the practice track back at headquarters, Seaside Speedway was a track comprised entirely of flight portions, with only the minimum required area for the starting section and finish line. Both strips of compacted dirt were pointed directly out to sea, separated by a thin strip of salt-coated grass.

As we lined up at the start, I noticed that Mel wasn’t wearing her armor like she should be. I leaned over and waved my hoof to try and get Lucky’s attention, but she simply stared off down the track like nothing mattered at all.

“Hey!” I yelled as the flag began to rise on the starting pole, “Where’s Mel’s armor?!”

Lucky’s shoulders rose and fell in a heaving sigh, “What’s the point? The Blood Claw haven’t tried anything since the Trials. They won’t do anything this time either.”

“You don’t know that Lucky!” I hissed as the flag drew close to the summit of the pole, “For all we know they could be waiting out there for just the right moment. You are putting both your life and Mel’s at risk by being this careless!”

My heart dropped into my stomach as she slowly shook her head, “So what? Whether I live or die doesn’t matter. Nothing in this world matters anymore.”

“What are you talking about Lucky?!” I yelled as I heard Ivy gasp behind me, “You are a part of this team! If you won’t fight for yourself, then at least let us fight for you! You are a Freedom Fighter! Start acting like a team player and get your head out of your guilt-tripping plot!”

For the first time since the baths, Lucky’s eyes flashed with emotion. They flared with anger as she threw me a deathly stare, but as she opened her mouth to throw something back at me, the flag dropped and the starting horn blared. The dragons raced out of the starting gates, and I was forced to turn away from Lucky as we thundered toward the launch ramp. I knew I was going to pay for that last comment later, but at least Lucky seemed to have come out of her depressed state long enough for the race. I could only hope she didn’t have Mel torch me afterwards for what I had said to her.

As usual, the team pulled out in front of the pack before we had gone more than half a mile, meaning we had the corrugated steel ramp to ourselves by the time we launched into the air. However, the thrill of racing through the tightly packed buoys was soon replaced with terror as piercing screams and pain-filled roars echoed across the waves.

I looked back and saw something I would never forget. Giant nets, each armed with hundreds of metal hooks, had been thrown over the other racers, preventing them from taking off. Race officials were unable to aid them as dozens of Blood Claw riders surrounded the racers on the backs of their Whiptails. We pulled to a stop as Nilak and I spun around to help, but when I directed him towards the trapped racers, something caught my attention.

“Wait a minute Nilak.” I said as I placed a hoof on his shoulder, “Something isn’t right here. See how they aren’t moving in on the racers?” He nodded as we hovered in place, “The Blood Claw aren’t doing anything to harm the other races except keep the race officials back. They aren’t the target here.”

If the racers aren’t the target, then who is? he asked as he glanced at me over his shoulder.

The answer was the piercing whistle that caused both of us to flinch as a ballista bolt arced past our heads. We turned as one to look at the cluster of boats that had gathered under us, and had to dodge as more deadly projectiles came flying towards us.

“Scatter!” I yelled, “Head for land! We’ll be out of range if we can get away from the ocean!”

“Right!” Lucky and Ivy chorused as we split from one another.

As one we raced towards land, dodging dozens of flying bolts as the ships opened fire on us. We were just getting close to the cliffs when I spotted movement. I narrowed my eyes as the shrubs along the cliff edge suddenly seemed to unfold, and I cursed under my breath as I spotted a dozen more ballista blocking our path.

“Pull back!” I screamed as the ballista sighted in on us, “We can’t make it through here!”

Nilak strained as he pulled a high-G turn, barely dodging a bolt as it scraped across the chest plate of his armor. Winx was able to make the turn tighter than us, though two bolts managed to find her as she turned tail. One bounced off the armor under her left wing, while the other lodged itself into the leather covering her stomach.

“Are you guys okay?!” I called over to them as I saw Winx wince.

After a moment Ivy yelled back, “We’re fine! It just poked through her scales! Nothing serious!”

Winx used her back legs to pull the bolt out of her armor, I’m fine. I’ve had crash landings worse than this.

I nodded as I cast my gaze over to Mel and Lucky, though as I locked my gaze onto them I felt my blood run cold. Mel was caught between the boats and the ballista on the cliffs, doing crazy maneuvers just to avoid being hit. I knew that she couldn’t keep it up for long, and Nilak began rushing towards the ships before I could even give him directions.

The wind whistled in our ears as we dove towards the boats, and I could see the ballista crews scrambling to aim at us before we could reach them. However, they were too slow, and by the time they had the weapon aimed our direction, it was too late to fire. Nilak crashed into the side of the little speed boat with his front paws, letting his momentum carry the boat up and over as water enveloped the deck. The last thing we saw of the Blood Claw was their flailing limbs in the water. Using the leftover speed from the first impact, Nilak was able to do the same to another ship, reducing the total to three. However, as we climbed to try another run, I heard Mel roar in agony and fear.

Nilak and I turned to see what was happening, and my heart felt like it had stopped as I saw what had hurt Mel. Flashbacks of Winx played through my mind as I saw a bolt sticking out from under Mel’s left wing base, and I reached for them with one leg as another bolt impacted them on the other side. This one rammed into the fold in front of her right hind leg, and at that moment her body gave out.

“Mel! Lucky! No!” I cried as Nilak roared in panic, watching them drop from the sky like limp dolls.

I felt Nilak’s muscles strain as he dove after the girls, though as Mel plummeted from the sky, I saw Lucky slip from the saddle, screaming as she fell towards the waves. I leaned over Nilak’s shoulders, urging him to go faster. However, I knew we would be too late to save them.

Mel crashed into the water in a massive splash, just moments before Lucky impacted the waves to her right. Nilak fanned his wings as he came in for a landing, but I didn’t wait for him to stop. I stood up in the saddle and pushed myself into open air, raising my hooves over my head and tucking my wings tight against my body as I plunged headfirst into the water. The cold made me want to gasp as I dove into the murky depths, but I forced my limbs to move as I opened my eyes. The salt made my eyes burn as I looked around for Lucky, and I pumped my legs as I spotted her sinking form. As she sank further beyond my reach, my lungs began to tighten from holding my breath, but I forced the air back down before I gave a few last, desperate pulls with my wings. My eyes were so blurred from the salt and the tears they produced, that I couldn’t even see Lucky anymore as I reached blindly into the darkness.

Finally, my hooves hit fur. I grabbed and held on with all my might as I pulled her towards the surface, grinding my teeth as my lungs screamed for air. I kicked with all my worth and gasped as my head broke the waves. I pulled Lucky up to my chest as I tread water, her head rested against my shoulder as I looked around. From what I could see, Nilak had Mel in a similar position, with her head resting on his shoulders as he supported her body with his.

I turned back to Lucky and wiped her mane out of her face, feeling discouraged by the watery streams of blood running from her scalp. Her eyes were closed and her body hung limp in my grasp. I held my hoof in front of her mouth, and grunted as we started to sink. I gripped her around the waist again as I kicked harder to keep us afloat. I wasn’t sure if she was breathing or not, but either way, she needed to be seen by a doctor, and soon.

Unfortunately, it seemed the Blood Claw had other ideas. Since Winx was busy dodging the bolts from the cliffs, the remaining boats had ample time to come up next to us and the dragons. Nilak couldn’t use his fire because it would alert the audience that he wasn’t under the control of the collar. I was even more helpless, because it was taking all my strength to keep Lucky and I afloat. One of the speed boats pulled up next to us and a Blood Claw member pulled Lucky from my grip before I could stop him. I was only a few seconds behind her as we were both hoisted into the small craft.

“Well look what we have here.” The dark blue unicorn in front of me said as his black eyes roamed over Lucky and I, “A pair of little fish that got tossed into the big, bad ocean.” The rest of them laughed as the stallion levitated a knife from his belt, “So, which is it going to be little colt? You want to watch the filly get gutted like the minnow she is, or do you want to be the first on the fillet table?”

I squared my shoulders, knowing that there was no way out of this, “If you’re going to kill us, just do it already. There isn’t any point in making us wait.”

His mint green mane whipped into his face as a gust of wind hit the small boat, and he wiped it out of his eyes as he grinned at me, “As you wish. I’ll make this nice and quick for you.” He pulled back his head and spun the dagger in his amber magic before pointing the tip straight at my heart.

“Any last words?” He asked in a sickly sweet tone.

I closed my eyes and shook my head. It didn’t matter what happened now, we were going to die.

The grin never left his voice as he chuckled darkly, “Very well then. It was nice knowing you kid.”

Just as he said that, the air around us filled with the sounds of gunfire, and I heard the dull thud of bullets impacting flesh. I opened my eyes slowly and looked around, only to realize that help had come at last.

Circuit Guards flew in every direction on silver and blue Centurion Dragons, while rifleponies lined the cliffs as far as the eye could see. The Blood Claw members on our little speedboat were already dead, forming pools of blood as a guard flew in to hover above us.

“Are you alright?” He asked, his silver armor flashing in the sunlight.

I glanced at Lucky, who still hadn’t moved, “I’m alright, but my friend is hurt!” I pointed towards Nilak and Mel, “Her dragon was hit twice by the ballista! They need medical attention!”

He saluted me with one hoof, “Roger that! I’ll send a medic team for your friend while the other riders tend to her dragon! Don’t worry, they’re going to be alright!”

I turned around as he flew off and pulled Lucky into my lap, feeling a surge of relief when I saw her chest slowly rising and falling. It was faint, but she was breathing. I tried to slow the bleeding with one hoof as her mane became tinged red, hoping that the guard was right. I saw three riders fly down and tie off ropes to Mel’s neck base and tail, lifting her into the air as another rider flew in and landed next to the boat.

I passed Lucky off to him as he tied her to the gurney mounted behind his saddle, and I watched as he flew off after his companions towards Dragon’s Edge. Nilak swam over to the boat and I climbed into the saddle as he began swimming back to shore. However, I wasn’t watching the waves, because my eyes were still locked on the retreating forms of Mel and Lucky as the Circuit Guard carried them away.

It’ll be alright, Nilak said in what sounded like a hopeful tone, Mel and Lucky are tough girls. They’ll survive this and come back stronger than ever.

“I hope you’re right Nilak,” I said as he climbed onto a rock and shook off the sea water, “I truly hope you’re right.”

We both turned to watch as Mel and Lucky disappeared over the cliffs, and Nilak took to the air as Winx fell in beside him.

“Are they going to be alright Silver?” Ivy asked with fear laced in her tone, “They’re not going to….you know.”

I snapped my gaze to lock with hers, “Of course not!” I turned my gaze back to the skyscrapers as we followed the remaining Circuit Guard, “Mel and Lucky are going to live.”

They have to, I added to myself.

Don’t worry Silver, Nilak said softly. I could feel he’d narrowed the link so only he and I were able to hear each other, I’m certain they’ll make it out alright. Have faith in them and in yourself.

But no matter how much I tried to tell myself it wasn’t my fault, my mind kept coming back to one point. Mel wasn’t wearing her armor because of what I had said to Lucky. Even if Lucky was the one who hadn’t put the armor on Mel, it was my fault she had been feeling too depressed to bother. No matter how anyone might try to spin it, it meant that Mel got hurt because of me. Lucky, got hurt because of me, and I still hadn’t had the chance to tell her how I feel. Now, I might never get the chance to.

Lucky could die thinking that I didn’t love her.

Author's Notes:

Hi to all of you lovely ponies in book land!! Another chapter out and ready for viewing. Also, yikes! Bet you didn't think I'd have a chapter like this waiting for you. I warned you that Winx was the only one safe from being killed off, although at this point we still don't know what's going to happen to Mel and Lucky.

Guess you'll have to wait for the next chapter to find out.

Anyways, I'll see you next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

XVII - A Wounded Heart

I paced back and forth in the waiting room, my wings twitching with nervous energy and my eyes glued to the floor in front of me. Lucky and Mel had been rushed into the emergency room the instant they arrived, leaving the rest of us to wait outside in a nervous mess. Nilak sat against the left wall of the oversized space, his front paws kneading the white tile floor as his eyes remained locked to the double doors, as if trying to see through them and discern Mel’s condition from here.

Ivy and Winx sat together on the right side of the room, Ivy seated on one of the many benches while Winx sat on the floor next to her. I could feel their gazes following me as I paced back and forth in front of the double doors, though thankfully they remained silent. Given how upset I was, I wasn’t sure I could keep my emotions in check if they tried to speak to me.

At some point Black Beauty and Thunder had shown up, though as soon as they entered they fell into a nervous silence with the rest of us. For that I was thankful, for the same reason that Ivy and Winx remained quiet.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the double doors swung open and a doctor stepped into the room. I froze mid-step and turned to face him, hearing the others move up behind me as he removed his surgery mask.

“I have good news, and I have bad news,” he said as his soft green eyes roamed across us. “The good news is that your friend and her dragon are going to live.”

It seemed like ten tons had lifted from the room at his words. I felt my shoulder muscles relax for the first time in hours, and I heard Ivy sigh in relief as she leaned into Winx for support.

A knot formed in my stomach as I turned back to the doctor, noticing the resolved light in his eyes, “What’s the bad news?”

He clenched his jaw and turned his head to the side, “The dragon will be fine. It should only take about a month for her injuries to fully heal. The problem is Ms. Star.”

My heart dropped into my stomach as my blood ran cold, “What happened to her?” My voice shook and I could barely hear myself speaking.

The doctor heaved a great sigh and looked me in the eyes, “The impact with the water appears to have caused a severe head injury. The cracked ribs and her broken left foreleg will heal in time, but even without the anesthetic to keep her under, we have been unable to wake Ms. Star. She seems to be in a comatose state caused by the trauma to her brain. As far as we can tell, she will live, but as to the question of her ever waking, I cannot say.”

“Can’t you use a drug or something to force her out of it?” I asked, taking a hesitant step forward, “Like a stimulant or something?”

He shook his head slowly as he pulled his surgeon’s cap off, revealing a short silver mane , “I’m afraid the risks to her safety would be too great. One slight miscalculation in the dosage, and we could cause her body to go into shock. At minimum it would put great undo stress on her biological systems. At most, well, I think you get the idea.”

“So she’s suck like that,” Ivy murmured as she lifted a hoof to cover her mouth, “until she wakes up on her own?”

The doctor nodded, “Unfortunately all we can do for her now is keep her on I.V. fluids and monitor her vitals. Aside from that, she must recover at her own pace.”

I opened my mouth to ask another question, but the doctor stopped me with a raised hoof, “There is nothing more I can tell you concerning Ms. Star. She and her dragon have been moved to our recovery ward so that other patients can be seen to. You are allowed to visit them, but I wouldn’t recommend anything beyond talking and gentle physical contact. Their bodies are still recovering from surgery.”

I closed my mouth with a click, though Ivy seemed to have one final question. “Are Lucky and Mel in the same place?”

The doctor nodded, “All recovering patients, be they pony or dragon, are housed in the same location to cut down on costs. The dragon should be coming out of her induced unconsciousness before too long, so you’ll be able to interact with her while she’s lucid.” He pointed to the right side of the room, where another set of double doors rested, “Head through those doors and take the first right. The Recovery Ward is the fifth hallway on the left. Ms. Star and her dragon are in the last room on the right side of the hall.”

He stepped in front of me as I made to go around him, “Please be mindful of the other patients. Your friend and her dragon are not the only patients being housed in that section of the ward, so show some restraint concerning your volume.”

We all nodded. “Will do doc,” I said as I walked over to the second set of doors.

The others followed me as we navigated the hospital halls, finally ending in front of a set of double doors. Black Beauty and Thunder had left once they got the news, although their faces showed they weren’t happy about what had happened. I only hoped they wouldn’t worry too much. Meanwhile, on the wall to the right of the doors before us, there was a small plaque inscribed with the words, ‘Lucky Star and her dragon Melinda.’

Everypony seemed to be on baited breath as we stood in front of the doors, and I took a moment to calm my nerves before pushing them open. Nilak and the others followed me in as we filed into the room, though what awaited us was an image I would rather soon forget.
Mel was curled up in the corner of the room, with her head just short of the bed that Lucky was lying on. There were large swaths of surgical bandages wrapped around her body, covering what I assumed to be long lines of stitches and staples. Her breathing was smooth and regular, though I didn’t know how long she would stay like that.

Lucky was a different story. She lay on the bed in what I assumed to be a light blue patient’s smock, leaving her forelegs and neck open to the air. Her left leg was hooked up to several machines, and there was a thin I.V. drip connected to a vein just above her hoof. Her head was bandaged from her eyebrows up, and what parts of her mane escaped the bandages hung limply over her shoulders and onto her chest. Her eyes were closed, and aside from the pale color of her fur, she looked like she was simply asleep. However, we all knew that this was no ordinary sleep, and could turn out to be one she never awoke from.

I slowly walked up to the bed, cupping her cheek in my right hoof as I leaned over her. Nilak had moved over to watch Mel, and I heard him softly trying to speak with her in their minds. I tuned him out so he could have some privacy, my focus solely on Lucky’s still features. A traitorous tear slipped from my eye, and I quickly wiped it away before anypony could see it. I pulled my hoof back as Ivy stepped up next to me, with Winx looking over our shoulders at Lucky.

She looks so peaceful like that, Winx said softly as she rested her head by Lucky’s hooves. It’s like she could wake up and start cracking jokes at any moment.

I heard Ivy sniff as she held Lucky’s hoof in her own, “She’ll pull out of it. We’ve never gotten into a situation that we couldn’t overcome. She’ll wake up soon.” I barely heard the whispered words that followed, “She has to.”

I saw Nilak nudge Mel’s neck with his snout, come on Mel. Please wake up. I can’t finish my mission alone after finding you. He lay down and rested his head on top of her neck, I love you.

I tried to hold back my tears as Winx and Ivy began openly sobbing, though our heartbreaking moment was cut short by a very tired voice in our heads.

You could have at least let me sleep a little longer, Mel said with a groan as she opened her eyes. My head hurts enough as it is without you four making it worse.

Nilak smiled widely as she lifted up her head, rubbing his snout against hers as a deep purring emanated from their chests.
Nilak smiled as he pulled back to meet her gaze, don’t ever scare me like that again. I lost you once. I don’t plan on losing you again.

She smirked slightly as she placed a paw on top of his, I don’t plan on it. All at once, her nose twitched twice, and her eyes snapped to Lucky as her body stiffened, what happened to Lucky?

All eyes fell on Lucky as Nilak pressed the side of his head against Mel’s.

“The impact with the water caused swelling in her brain,” I said softly. “They’ve done all they can to heal her wounds, but even without drugs to keep her under, they can’t wake Lucky up.”

Silence fell over the room like a blanket, and Mel began to shake her head from side to side, her eyes locked onto Lucky, no. No. Oh please Goddess no! She buried her head in the base of Nilak’s neck as her body shook with sobs, I should have been there to protect her! I should have been able to save her! Nilak tried to say something over the mind link, but she interrupted him, no! Don’t you dare say this isn’t my fault! She may have forgotten my armor, but I was the one who allowed her to stay in that depressed state! I should have forced her to put it on me! I should have been faster in the attack! I could have …could have…

She couldn’t finish, and simply fell into uncontrollable sobbing as Nilak made soft shushing noises. He looked to us for help, but in all honesty, I thought there wasn’t really anything we could say to her. The sad truth was, she was right. Even though Lucky’s bad mood had affected Mel, she should have still done everything in her power to protect Lucky. By not forcing Lucky to put her armor on, Mel had failed to do her duty as Lucky’s guardian, regardless of whether she chose the role or not.

Just as Nilak was my guardian and Winx acted on Ivy’s behalf, Mel had made an unspoken oath to protect Lucky during our mission. Besides that unspoken oath, we had also made a pact, as a team and as friends, to work together and protect one another. In failing to protect Lucky and herself, Mel had broken that promise.

We sat there for a few moments, letting Mel cry herself out. It took longer than I expected, but given our situation there wasn’t really anything I could say. Mel moved over so she could rest her head next to Lucky on the bed, and Nilak pressed his side against hers for moral support.

What are we doing to do now? She asked as she stared at Lucky. Without Lucky I can’t race, and without me racing how can the Freedom Fighters continue on to the Draconic Heaven?

“I’ve heard of race teams removing members from their rosters due to injury,” Ivy said softly as she rubbed Winx’s neck with one hoof. “It’s rare, but it does happen from time to time.”

But how can we go on without our whole team? Winx asked. It would be like trying to fly with only one wing. It would only work for so long, and not very well at that.

Nilak and Mel shared a worried glance, and Ivy let out a defeated sigh as she knelt beside the bed.

I wracked my brain for a way to reassure the team, and I flared my wings in realization as a memory from school hit me. “Times shall test thee, young hero, and shall create many challenges in your path. Thy greatest strength, and thy only hope, shall cometh from the fire of a hero’s heart, and be forged in the bonds of friendship. So sayeth I, Starswirl.”

Everypony looked at me like I had gone crazy. “What do you mean by that?” Ivy asked.

I smiled as I met their gazes, “Those were words from a ballad that was sung hundreds of years ago. It speaks of how a warrior becomes a hero, and how they must follow certain codes in order to stay upon the path of good.” I looked from one puzzled gaze to the next, “Don’t you see? If we let our grief and pain over Lucky’s condition blind us, then we won’t have a chance in ever making it to the Draconic Heaven. But, if we choose to stand as one, to fight on in the hopes of Lucky waking up to our victories, then don’t we owe it to her to do our best? Don’t we owe it to ourselves to make her proud?”

I felt a sense of pride as everypony’s eyes lit up with determination.

Yeah! We should make sure Lucky wakes up with lots of wins to celebrate! Winx said as she bounced slightly on her paws, we need to be strong for her while she’s like this.

Nilak met Mel’s gaze and they nodded in unison. I’ll stay here with Lucky, she glanced at Lucky’s still form with a sorrowful light in her eyes, I owe her that much after what happened.

And I will do everything in my power to protect us all in the coming races, Nilak said with determination, on that I give you all my solemn oath.

I smiled, “Do you guys remember our oath to one another? The one we made when we first started on this venture?”

They nodded in unison, and Nilak held out his paw, placing it gently on Lucky’s non-wired leg, one cannot stand,

The rest of our group smiled as we recited our team pact. Mel placed her left paw on top of Nilak’s, smiling at him as she softly added, but two can support each other,

Winx didn’t need to be told twice. She placed her left paw on top of theirs, her frills fully erect as she said, and three will never be broken.

I reached over and placed my left hoof on top of theirs, gripping the bedside to keep from falling on top of Lucky, “United we stand,”

Ivy placed hers on top of mine to mine, “united we fall,”

Everypony joined together to recite the last line, “dragons and ponies, fighting for all.”

The familiar flash of energy accompanied our vow, and I felt the magic in my heart strengthen slightly as the power binding us dissipated.

We all leaned back, and Nilak gave me as knowing look, so we plan on continuing to race? Even with Lucky in a coma and Mel stuck at her side?

I nodded, “We can’t afford to let our mission fail because something bad happened to one of our members. Sure I’m upset, but that doesn’t mean we can let our mission fail because of that fact.” I placed my hoof over my heart, and I locked gazes with everypony before I spoke, “I plan on seeing this through to the end, and I can’t do that without your help. So, are you still a part of the Freedom Fighters, or have we gone soft from seeing one of our own getting hurt?”

Everypony shook their heads as one, and I smiled as I felt a fire being lit in my chest, “Then let’s get out there and show those other racers what we’re made of!”

“Yeah!” Everypony cried as we turned and marched out of the room, leaving Mel at Lucky’s side as we exited the hospital.

Once Lucky was safe to move, she’d be relocated to the Racer Headquarters in Firebrand, so right now we had to focus on staying on top of the leaderboard, or else her sacrifice would have been in vain.

We came out of the building and met the bright sunlight of dawn, a brilliant yellow glow that seemed to herald a new beginning, and the start of another race. We formed up as a team, and flew to the racetrack, ready to take another crack at the Seaside Speedway. Like it or not, we were down one member, so from now on we had to work extra hard.

Author's Notes:

Hello to all of you out there in book land!! It's me, your favorites batpony author her with another chapter for your viewing pleasure. I realized that the last one ended on a pretty bad cliffhanger, so I wanted to get this one up as soon as possible. Please don't kill me, there won't be anypony left to take care of my limited edition MLP comic books. Oh, wait, *pushed them under the bed and closes the door* you didn't see that.

Anyway, I hope you guys like this chapter and have the itch to see what happens next. I'll bet I can guess what's on your mind. Is Lucky going to wake up? Is Mel going to be out of the team when it comes to the final battle? What of the Blood Claw, will they continue to target the team now that they've claimed a victim? All will be revealed in future chapters, and only I know the truth about what lies in store for our heroes.

I'm such a tease.

See you all next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

XVIII - The Road to Victory

Once again we sat poised to start the race, although I could feel the vacuum created by the open spot on our left where Mel and Lucky should have been. The flag began its slow accent of the starting pole, and a hush fell over the stands as everypony held their breath. Not that anypony could blame them. Last time the racers had been ambushed by Blood Claw, and I could see several riders with fresh bandages wrapped around their barrels or legs. No one wanted to relive the terror of that event, and as the starting flag reached its zenith, it was like the dragons were shot out of a cannon. This time Winx and Nilak were nearly forced off the track as all of the dragons tried to get in the air as fast as they possibly could, meaning that we had no choice but to hold back until we had more room to maneuver.

The ramp shook as fifteen dragons pounded up its length, and I wondered if it would actually hold under the force it was being subjected to. Luckily, it held without incident, and the thunder of pounding dragon paws was replaced by the whoosh of thirty wings as they fought to keep their bodies airborne.

I bent over Nilak’s saddle as he poured on the speed, speeding past the other racers while Ivy and Winx slipped between them like a specter. Before long we were far enough ahead of the others that our victory was guaranteed, so I had Nilak pull back on his speed so that he wouldn’t push himself too far.

“Let’s call it a day guys,” I yelled over the wind, “We’ve still got a long way to go before the Draconic Heaven, and we need every victory between now and then.”

You do understand that the only racers who can even touch us are Black Beauty and Thunder right? Nilak asked as we came in for a landing on the home stretch, why would we need to go all out for anyone else?

I shrugged, “Just making sure you understood the situation. We need to get to the Draconic Heaven no matter what. I don’t want you or anyone else to be put out of the running because of a pulled wing or something.”

Winx smirked at me as we crossed the finish line, the announcer calling out our names over the loudspeakers, give us some credit Silver. We’re not so dumb that we can’t come to that conclusion on our own.

Ivy laughed, “Well, maybe not Nilak or Mel, but I’m not so sure about you.”

I shook my head as they began bickering, glad that things had begun moving back towards the norm. I had been slightly worried that Lucky’s condition might have affected team moral, but it seemed that after my speech in the hospital, everyone was pushing twice as hard to reach our ultimate goal.

Three days later, Lucky and Mel were moved back to Firebrand so they could get the care they needed without taking up space in the hospital at Seaside. Races came and went, and we found that once Black Beauty and Thunder returned to the circuit, things seemed to go our way for once. We battled over the top spots in race after race, pushing each other to new heights with every new challenge and surprise. Mel’s wounds healed slowly, as did Lucky’s, although she still remained unconscious in her private room, despite our best efforts to wake her.

Weeks turned into months, and as we climbed the leaderboards, the vision of reaching the Draconic Heaven didn’t seem like such a far off dream anymore. Somehow, we had become the top racers in the circuit without even realizing it, and had acquired the media attention that came with it. More often than not we had to dodge reporters and adoring fans that wanted to see what the Freedom Fighters were like off the track. It got so bad at one point that Ivy and I had to wear disguises outside of the Racer Headquarters just to avoid getting mobbed.

We came crashing back into our room one evening, slamming the doors closed behind us and driving the bolt home just as the thundering hoofsteps of fans came to a halt outside. Winx and Nilak looked up from their place by the windows, their eyebrows raised in a sympathetic way.

They tracked you down again I see, Nilak mused as he placed his chin back on the windowsill, how far did you get this time before you had to make a break for home?

Ivy and I didn’t answer right away, too busy trying to get our lungs to work again. It was Ivy who finally got her breathing under control first and answered his question, “We…..got to…..the block…….just beyond the……bakery before they……spotted us.” She cast a murderous look over her shoulder, as if she could see the ponies on the other side, “I wish they’d….leave us alone so we can…..focus on the races.”

Winx giggled, good luck with that. We’re superstars now, so like it or not we’re stuck with the fans and paparazzi. She flared her frills as she pushed herself to her paws, ooh, maybe they want to rub my ears like those fillies did last time!

Ivy and I simultaneously shook our heads, “Oh no you don’t Winx,” Ivy said as she walked over to the door of her bedroom, “Last time you let ponies near you we had to almost save your behind because some dragon traffickers thought you’d be an easy catch.”

Her eyes narrowed as her frills began to quiver in anger, hey! I got myself out of that mess on my own didn’t I?

But not before you got yourself locked inside of a transport with only your wits to get yourself out of it, Nilak reminded her. Had it not been for that idiot’s lax grip on his keys, you’d be off in some hidden lab or something getting who knows what done to you. Face it Winx, you got lucky, and no amount of arguing is going to change that.

Her frills lowered as her head hung, alright. I get it. No more playing around with fans. She turned a pleading look towards Ivy as she opened the door to their room, Ivy? Can I sleep in your room tonight? I’ve been having nightmares about, well, that day.

Ivy turned to look at her partner with a sympathetic expression, “Sure thing sweetie. I can imagine seeing Mel get hurt might bring up bad memories.” She pushed the door open all the way and indicated the opening with one leg, “After you.”

The Pixie Glider nodded solemnly as she walked through the doorway, Ivy sending me a slightly worried look before closing the door behind them.

I walked over to the window next to the one Nilak occupied, “What are we going to do Nilak? We’ve nearly made it to the Draconic Heaven, but it seems like the closer we get to our goal, the more we’re reminded about who’s missing from our group.”

He nodded slowly, I can understand their pain. When Mel first went missing, I nearly lost my will to live until I came to terms with her loss. Now that she’s returned to me, I couldn’t imagine going through all that again. She’s my life now, just as I am hers, and I would do anything to protect her from harm. He huffed, his breath fogging up the glass before clearing again, unfortunately, there is nothing I can do to ease her pain concerning Lucky. Unless she wakes up, I’m afraid that Mel may never come to terms with what happened to them during that race.

I leaned against the wall and crossed my forelegs in contemplation, “You’ve been down to see her a lot lately haven’t you?”

He nodded, I make sure to visit her at least once a day, and I’ve even slept with her a couple of times when she contacted me about her nightmares. His gaze turned towards the door that Ivy and Winx had disappeared through, Winx isn’t the only one who is having trouble with fears hidden in the shadows.

We didn’t bother mentioning the third member of our party who was having troubled nights. I was still haunted by the image of my mother and the Blood Claw, although now instead of my mother acting as the star in my night terrors, it was Lucky. I shivered at the image that materialized in my mind, and I shook my head to clear it before turning to look at Nilak. My heart truly went out to my feathered friend. I hadn’t known him for all that long, and yet it seemed like I had known him all my life the way I could read his emotions and expressions. We were connected, and not just by the bond we all shared as Freedom Fighters. He was my friend, and I was his. We understood one another because of the hardships we’d endured together and the victories we had shared. We were linked on a far deeper level then by some magic spell. Our hearts beat as one, and it was through that link that I could feel his pain regarding Mel and Lucky. He liked to put on a strong front for the rest of us, saying that he could handle it on his own, but the reality of it was that he was scared. He was terrified of the thought of losing Mel, or any of us for that matter. We had all become integral parts of his life, and for one of us to be injured and another mentally shattered, it must have been tearing him apart from the inside out.

I stepped up to him and knelt down next to his head, “I understand buddy. We’re all in this together, and I know that somehow, we will find a way to wake Lucky up. She’ll be so proud of us that we’ve come so far in her name. We just need to be strong so that she can wake up to our victories, rather than our sadness.”

He sniffed thickly, his eyes shining with unshed tears, but it’s so hard to stay strong. I know that Mel’s alright, but the pain that she’s feeling for Lucky is making it nearly impossible for me to comfort her. He closed his eyes and a single tear ran down the scales of his face, I feel like I’m losing her all over again, except I have to watch as her world falls apart, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it. His body began to tremble as the first sobs shook his frame, I just want it all to end Silver. I want Lucky to wake up and I want Mel to be happy once again.

He moved his head off of the sill and placed it on my shoulder, my hooves automatically moving to wrap around his neck, “Hey, it’s alright. You don’t have to be strong for us all the time. We can all carry the burden together, as a team. Isn’t that what we promised to do, protect and support one another?”

He pulled back and wiped his face with the back of one paw, you’re right Silver. Crying won’t solve anything, even if I feel like my heart is shattered. I need to be strong for Mel and Lucky, but I need to let you and the others be strong for me now and again. He sniffed one last time as his gaze locked with mine, thank you Silver, for saying what you did.

I smiled as I stood up, “You’re welcome buddy. Let me know any time if you need someone to talk to or just need a helping hoof.”

He nodded as I turned to go, I will. And thanks again.

I opened the door to my room, “No problem. We’re a team. We have to stick together if we’re going to make it through this.”

I closed the door and climbed into bed, knowing the worst was yet to come. We still hadn’t told the others about our ultimate endgame, and I was starting to wonder if we could tell them and still keep our team together. Sure we needed to win the Draconic Heaven and stop Mythic Song from taking over the world, but only Nilak, Mel and I knew the truth behind that ultimate goal. The only way to stop Lord Song was to kill him, and I wasn’t sure any of our friends were ready for that kind of news. I lay in bed for what felt like hours, thinking about the Draconic Heaven and what we would have to do in order to not only win it, but to also somehow come up with a plan to defeat Song without tipping off Ivy and the others to what we really had to do.

I groaned to myself as I rubbed my eyes, “Come on brain. There has to be something you can do to prepare everyone without having to spill the beans.”

I stayed up until the moon had risen high in the sky, and still I didn’t have an answer. Finally, I couldn’t keep my eyes open anymore and rolled away from the window, curling up and folding my hooves under my pillow. Sleep came swiftly, and I fell into a thankfully dreamless sleep that held me tight until the soft light of dawn. Like it or not, there was only one race left until the Draconic Heaven, and if we didn’t have a plan before then our vision was going to fall flat before it could ever get off the ground.

Author's Notes:

Hello again all you faithful readers!!! Been crazy busy with school so I haven't been able to write all that much. Sorry for the short chapter, but I hope to get another up again later this week. In the mean time, enjoy the story and leave a comment in the towel section below about what you think of the book so far.

See you all next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

XIX - A Crazy Idea

Ivy and I were doing some practice laps behind Headquarters to keep our skills sharp when I was suddenly struck with a flash of brilliance. I immediately signaled Nilak to land and jumped from his saddle practically before his paws came in contact with the ground.

"Hey Silver,” Ivy called as she landed next to Nilak, “where are you going? I thought we had some training to do?!”

“Can’t talk now!” I called back over my shoulder, “I just had an idea and I think it could give us a secret weapon in our next race!”

I ignored her calls as I raced inside the main building, my heart pounding and my thoughts racing as fast as my hooves. If this worked, then it could give us the edge that we needed in order to win the Draconic Heaven.

I ran into Smit’s forge and nearly knocked the big stallion over in my haste. The smith almost dropped his latest project before we managed to right ourselves, his eyes wide with surprise as I leaned on his anvil to keep from falling over.

“Whoa boy ’oh, where the fire?” He yelled as he set the metallic shell on a nearby table, “You look like you’ve got a Whiptail on your heels the way you came tearing in here.”

I swallowed thickly as I got my breathing under control, “It’s alright Smit. I just have an idea and I wanted to tell you as soon as possible.” I coughed once as I straightened, “It could prove to be a game changer in the coming races.”

His beard curled into a smile as his eyes lit up, “Ah, so ya got me a project that ya think might give you better chances in a race, eh?” He clapped his massive hooves together and rubbed them with glee, “Well don’t leave me hanging boy ‘oh. Ya can’t just drop something like that on my anvil and not tell me what it is you’re thinking of.”

I nodded and sat down on the edge of one of his tables, “Well, you know how we all have armor for our dragons that can stop a ballista bolt?”

He nodded, “Aye, you young’uns had me make those back when you first arrived in the Circuit.” One eyebrow rose in a questioning manner, “They’re not giving you any trouble are they?”

I shook my head, “Oh no, they’re perfect. It’s just that in order for my idea to work, I thought you could make a set of armor that could be removed all at once.”

This time both eyebrows rose, “And why would ya need something like that? Not trying to make less work for yerself for lack of interest?”
I shook my head again, “It’s just that I figure that our dragons have to be a lot stronger to perform at top form with the armor on their bodies right?”

He nodded slowly, “And yer point is?”

I smirked, “What kind of speed and power would we get if we could race without the armor?”

His eyes narrowed in confusion, “What exactly are ya trying to say?”

My smirk turned into a full smile, “I’m saying that if we could remove the armor all at once, then it could give our dragons a last-second speed boost that might allow us to pass the dragons in front of us on the home stretch. And, because we save it for the very last, we won’t be risking getting attacked by the Blood Claw without our armor to protect us.”

He crossed his forelegs and rubbed a hoof along his beard, “I see yer point. That would be quite a surprise if you used it in a race. I don’t know if I can make such a suit of armor, but I’ll give it my best shot.”

I held out my hoof to him, “Thank you Smit. I can’t thank you enough for listening to my crazy idea. Also, money is no object, so give it everything you have to make it perfect.”

He smiled as he gripped my hoof within his own, “Well with an offer like that, how can I refuse?” He gave my leg a shake that nearly took my remaining hooves off the ground and then laughed richly, “You young’uns and your crazy ideas! What’ll be next?”

He spun around and raced into his forge, where the echoing clang of a hammer on steel began at a rapid pace. I smiled, knowing that Smit probably wouldn’t stop until he had the armor finished, and made a casual retreat as his mumbling added to the sounds already bouncing around the room. I walked out of the forge and nearly ran into Ivy, who was followed closely by Nilak and Winx.

“What in the world has got you so excited that you had to run off in the middle of practice?” Ivy asked as Winx and Nilak came to a halt behind her.

I smiled all over again, “I just figured out a way to give us a secret weapon during the races. You know how all of our dragons are stronger and faster because they have to be able to perform with their armor?” There were hesitant nods all around, “Well what would happen if during the home stretch, we could remove all of their armor at once? It would give us a huge speed boost at the very end of the race that would allow us to pull ahead of even Black Beauty and Thunder!”

My words were met with three sets of wide eyes. I paused for a moment, thinking that they thought my idea was crazy, until Ivy’s face broke out in a blinding smile.

“Silver that’s brilliant!” She yelled as she wrapped me in a hug and lifted me off the ground, “Why didn’t you say so in the first place?”

I chuckled as she spun me around, “Alright already, no need to get that excited. Smit said that he’d do his best to make an armor that could be removed all at once, but I have no idea when it might be complete or if it can even be done.”

She set me down on the ground again and bounced on her hooves, “I don’t care! Just the thought of having a secret turbo hidden away is making me giddy with excitement! I can just imagine it now,” her face instantly turned serious as her voice lowered in a mock impression of a race announcer, “and it’s Ivy Charm on her Pixie Glider holding on to first with a narrow lead. Thunder Ace is right on her tail and closing fast. They’re coming around the final corner and Thunder is making his move! He’s pulling ahead of Ivy as the finish line grows ever closer. But what’s this?! Ivy just removed her dragon’s armor and tossed it aside! I don’t believe what I’m seeing! Winx has just gained a new speed that makes Thunder look like he’s standing still! I can hardly believe my eyes! Winx is moving almost too fast to see! She crosses the finish line and wins the race by a landslide!”

She cupped her hooves around her mouth, making sounds like a crowd cheering like crazy. Meanwhile Nilak and Winx were glancing at me like I was the only sane pony in the room.

Is that really what’s going to happen when you take off our armor? Winx asked, are we really going to get a lot faster?

I shrugged, “I hope so, but we won’t know until we try it out, assuming Smit can finish the armor in time for the next race.”

We ignored Ivy as she took a bow for an imaginary audience. But even if it only partly works, Nilak added, it could close the gap enough that we can truly best Whiteout and Shield Fang in a real race.

I nodded, “That’s the general idea. I just hope we don’t have to worry about unexpected surprises.”

Ivy froze mid-bow, “Surprises? What kind of surprises?”

I shrugged again, “I don’t know. Maybe something that the other racers come up with to counter our little speed boost trick. I have no clue really, but that’s what makes me nervous. The other racers might come up with nasty tricks to counter our sprint tactic, and we won’t know what they are until they spring them on us during a race.”

Nilak rolled his eyes, I’d like to see them try something underhanded during a race. They might pull some sneaky tricks, but they’re no Blood Claw.

Ivy and Winx winced at the name of the murderous group, “Please don’t remind us. We’ve seen what they can do if provoked.”

Yeah, I don’t need to show you my scar to tell you how I feel about Blood Claw surprises. Winx shivered as I imagined the pain of her encounter with a ballista bolt made itself known in her memory.

“Hey, hey, don’t let the idea get you down,” I said with a bit of fire. “If there are surprises later then we’ll deal with them. If not then we’ll leave the competition in the dust.” I held out my hoof, “All for one?”

Ivy rolled her eyes but placed her hoof on top of mine anyway. After a moment Winx and Nilak added their paws to our little stack.

“And one for all,” they chorused.

“Good.” I nodded as we lowered our legs, “Then let’s get back to practicing. The new armor probably won’t be ready in time for the next race, but I hope that it’ll at least be done before the Draconic Heaven.”

“If we even get into the Draconic Heaven,” I heard Ivy mutter.

I slapped her between the shoulder blades with my hoof, “Hey, we’re ranked in the top five racers in the Circuit right now. How could we possibly not be a part of the Draconic Heaven?”

Her lips curled into a smile, “You’re right. I don’t know what I was talking about. We’ll get into the Draconic Heaven and then we’ll beat Black Beauty and Thunder to win our ticket straight to Mythic Song.”

Then we can free the other dragons! Winx added with a slight bounce in her step.

Nilak and I shared a knowing look over the girl’s shoulders. We knew that we had to tell Ivy and Winx about what we had to do in order to really free the dragons. I could see it in his eyes that he knew just as much as I did that they weren’t going to like the message when we finally did tell them.

The next three days were spent almost entirely on the practice track. We all knew that if our little speed trick had was going to work, that we had to be ready for anything the track or the other racers could throw at us. The next race was happening in Tailstream, and to top off our list of headaches it was going to be another Handicap Trial. The Tailstream track was notorious for having hidden surprises at the best of times, but with a Handicap Trial added on top of that, this was shaping up to be one of our most challenging races yet.

We flew into Tailstream like any other race, escorted on all sides by Circuit Guard members. They had already done a sweep of the track and the surrounding area, making sure that there weren’t any hidden Blood Claw lackeys lying in wait. The disaster at the Seaside Speedway wasn’t going to happen again.

The city of Tailstream took after its name in several ways. Not only did the city border one of the continent’s major rivers, but the open plains that surrounded the city on all sides meant that there was always wind blowing. The rolling hills rippled in the ever-present gusts, and the waters of the river were choppy near the shores. Unlike some of the other cities we had been to, this one lacked the dancing skyscrapers that most would associate with the big city. Instead the populous was spread out over miles and miles of grassland like a
massive silver lake.

We landed in the race center for the usual meeting that would decide the Handicap that would accompany us onto the track. Like before, the announcer stood in front of the racers with his pedestal securely placed before him. I noticed that some of his black mane had turned to white since the last Trial, and I couldn’t help but smirk as I realized it had been almost a year since we had first joined the Circuit.

“Now that we’re all here,” the announcer said with his usual flare, “we can select the handicap for the coming race.” He reached into the revolving glass ball that held dozens of pieces of paper, riffling around for a moment before pulling a slip.

“And the handicap for today’s race will be,” he unfolded the slip and broke into a grin, “Relay!”

Most of the single riders groaned in frustration, while I saw several teams slapping high-hooves. It didn’t take much brain power to figure out why. Single riders would have to run the entire course on their own, while teams could space out their members so that each pair would only have to complete part of the course. However, that also left open the possibility that a team could lose the race completely because a previous member got lost or had to pull out. Either way, it promised to make this already difficult race even harder.

“Now that the handicap has been decided,” the announcer yelled out as the racers began to quiet, “ready your dragons, and may the best racer win!”

With that said, everypony filed out of the building and headed for whatever place they needed to go. For Ivy and I, that was the pens to see Nilak and Winx.

Like before, Nilak and Winx were in the pens at the very end of the building, mostly to keep the other dragons from bothering them. Their heads lifted over the doors as we entered the hallway, and I saw with some surprise that Winx no longer had to place her front paws on the door to see. Apparently it wasn’t just us that had changed since our first race.

So what’s the verdict? Nilak asked as we came to a stop in front of the pens, what little trick do we have to deal with now?

“It’s actually something that will work in our favor,” I said as I leaned against the wall, “The handicap is that we have to do the race like a relay.”

“Meaning,” Ivy added, “that we have to choose a section of the course and complete it before handing it off to the next member of our team. For solo riders that means nothing because they still have to go the full distance.”

So we get to cut the course in half, Winx said slowly as she tapped the tip of her muzzle with one claw. That means we get to choose who goes first and who gets to finish the race, her frills flared as she glanced towards Nilak, I call the first half of the course!

Nilak smirked, as you wish. It makes no difference to me as long as we win.

“Alright then,” I said as I clapped my hooves, “Winx and Ivy will take the first half of the race, and she’ll pass it off to me and Nilak at the halfway point.” I glanced from face to face, “Any objections?”

There were none.

Because of the added time needed to get the armor secured to our dragons, we had the pens to ourselves while the other racers were out doing who knows what. I was just about to fit Nilak’s body with the first plate of armor, when a deep voice yelled out from the doorway.

“Hold up there youngster!” I spun around and saw old Smit racing towards us with something heavy in his saddlebags, “I got your
special armor done!”

He slid to a stop and I gaped at him, “Where did you come from?”

He grinned like a mad colt, “I knew I’d miss you back at Firebrand, so I caught the fastest train here in hopes that I’d get to you in time.” He held out a smooth teardrop-shaped piece of metal, “Here it is, your finished armor.”

I took it carefully and inspected it from top to bottom, “Umm, no offence Smit, but how exactly can this protect all of Nilak if it’s so small?”

He smirked, “I’ll show you.” He took the metal from me and walked up to Nilak. “With your permission,” he said with a slight bow towards the dragon.

He held up the plate with the tip of the drop pointed towards the ground. He placed it over Nilak’s heart and then pushed a hidden button in the center of the plate. Metallic clicks could be heard as the teardrop began to fragment and expand. We all watched in amazement as the metal shifted and grew until the plates covered Nilak’s entire chest. He stood perfectly still as the plates shifted again, curling up and around his neck and down the sides of his body until all of his vulnerable points had been covered.

Smit turned to me and winked, “Like it? I added some new technology that can move things without needing to be pushed or pulled by a pony operator.”

I slowly walked up and ran my hooves over the smooth metal, “So how do you remove it?” I turned back to the smith with a questioning gaze, “If I have to press in the center of his chest then there’s no way I could take it off during a race.”

Smit waved off my comment like it mattered little, “Ya got a second activation switch on the plate just in front of yer saddle. It’ll collapse into whichever plate you activate the transformation from, so you don’t have to worry about not being able to reach it.”

I looked up at Nilak in his new armor, wondering what kind of things we could do with this new ability to remove and replace the armor almost at will.

Smit cleared his throat, and as I turned to him he held out his hoof to me, “That’ll be one and a half billion for the armor.”

Ivy’s eyes looked like they were going to pop right out of her head, “One and a half billion?! That’s nearly all of Silver’s winnings from the last four races put together!”

I waved her off as she opened her mouth to say something else, “It’s alright Ivy. I told Smit that I would pay whatever he needed to get this armor done. I’m a colt of my word. Besides, this armor is well worth the price if it can give us an edge on the home stretch.”

I pulled out a payment slip from my saddlebags and wrote down the money I needed to transfer, “Here you go Smit, and thank you for all your hard work.”

He accepted the slip with a brief nod, “It’s my job to make whatever you racers need. I just enjoy working with metal, getting to help you whelps is just a bonus.” He winked at me before turning away, “Let me know how well it works after your race,” he called over his shoulder, “I want to be sure you’re satisfied with my workmanship!”

“Will do Smit!” I yelled after him as the door closed in his wake. I turned to face Nilak again, “Well buddy, how does it feel?”

He moved his legs and wings around a bit, amazing. It fits my body almost like a second set of scales. I really must congratulate the smith on his work. It’s perfect.

Winx whined in jealousy, I want a magic set of armor too! No fair!

Nilak chuckled as he set his paw back on the ground, then you’ll have to ask your rider really nicely. I’m not sure she’d be willing to pay for something like this just because you want it.

Winx turned towards Ivy and set her chin on the edge of the door, giving the evergreen mare her best puppy eyes with her paws on either side of her chin, please Ivy. Can I get a special set of armor too?

Ivy rolled her eyes, “Oh brother.” She sent a playful glare my way, “You see what you’ve created? You’ve awoken the cute monster.”

I grinned as I shrugged, “I can’t help it if Smit does amazing work. Besides, you may want to get a set of armor like that too if my little speed trick actually works.”

She placed her hoof on her forehead and shook her head a few times, “True enough. Just don’t expect me to bail you out when Mel hears about all the cool stuff you’ve been getting for Nilak.”

I grimaced at the mental image, “Don’t remind me. I just hope Lucky wakes up before Mel decides to see how good I taste well done.”

The others laughed, only to freeze as the trumpets signaled the starting ceremony for the race.

I turned to the others with a grin, “Show time ladies.”

You know I’m not a female right Silver? Nilak asked as we walked out of the pens.

“Figure of speech Nilak,” I said while rolling my eyes, “figure of speech.”

Author's Notes:

Yay!! Two chapters in three days!! I'm on fire!! Anyway, hope you guys are enjoying the book so far. Got some great stuff in store for you once things get rolling towards the climax. Stay tuned for awesome and I'll see you there.

See you all next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

XX - Surpassing Limits

One thing that was new compared to our previous races was that the finish wasn’t on the ground. In fact, the entire second half of the race was going to be in the air. That meant that Ivy would have to tag us while in the midst of a takeoff. It was a tricky enough maneuver to pull off on its own, but with the complication of other riders getting in the way, it was going to be a trick and a half not crashing into somepony.

Nilak and I wouldn’t get airborne until just before Winx reached us. That way we could save energy for our part of the race. At least with the open plains on all sides we’d be able to keep track of the girls all the way through their half of the course. I didn’t know what we would have done if our vision was limited to the section of track directly before the ramp. We’d be forced to hover for most of the race until Winx could pass it over to us. That would have been far more difficult because then we’d have to finish our portion of the race having drained a large part of Nilak’s energy reserves just staying airborne.

We got into position on the far side of the ramp, our eyes trained on Winx and Ivy at the starting gates.

Don’t worry Silver, Nilak assured me with a slight shrug of his shoulders, Winx can handle moving around and between other dragons. She’ll be pushing for first or second without any trouble at all.

“It’s not the regular racers I’m worried about,” I said as my gaze fell on Whiteout and Shield Fang. “It’s the ones who can actually keep pace with them and even out-strip them.”

He chuckled, well with our little secret weapon, I imagine we can afford to let them have a slight lead over us during the second half of the race.

I rolled my eyes, “I hope you’re right big guy, because otherwise all of this would have been for nothing and a lot of wasted gold.”

He glanced over his shoulder at me, but his answer was interrupted by the starting horn. Our gazes locked onto Winx and Ivy as they raced out of the start, weaving through the other dragons like they weren’t even there. They gained a quick lead over the rest of the pack, but Whiteout and Shield Fang were hot on their tail. For the next several minutes we watched as they battled for the top three spots, each overtaking one another only to be slipped past on the next turn. I could feel a cold sweat running down my back as they slowly drew closer, and my grip on Nilak’s saddle tightened with each turn they made.

“Ready Nilak?” I asked as Winx and the others came around the second to last corner.

He pumped his wings in answer, lifting off the ground just as Winx sprinted around the final turn. She had a slight lead on Whiteout and Shield Fang as she pounded up the ramp, and that was all Nilak needed to flick his tail in so Winx could tap it with her nose.

Nilak took off like a shot as Whiteout and Shield Fang took to the air as well, while Winx dove out to the right to avoid getting hit. Whiteout fell in on our left as the dragon’s shoulders leveled off, and I caught the pearl dragon smirking at Nilak.

Nice armor Nilak, her voice held something akin to respect, did you just get it today?

I could hear the grin in his voice as we rounded the first turn, wouldn’t you like to know?

Her eye ridges rose slightly in surprise, ah, so it’s a secret then. Well, her neck straightened out as she pushed ahead a slight bit, I hope it was worth it.
We were neck and neck through most of the second half with Shield Fang close behind us. I could see the finish line coming up quickly, and I figured it was now or never to try our newest trick.

“Ready Nilak?” I yelled over the wind.

He nodded, too busy keeping pace with Whiteout to answer. I sent a quick smile towards Black Beauty, who raised one eyebrow in a
questioning way as I placed my hoof over the pressure switch.

“It’s been nice racing with you girls,” I yelled over to them, “but I think it’s time we won this thing.”

I activated the armor and saw both sets of eyes widen as the armor quickly folded itself back into its original teardrop form. I picked it up from Nilak’s body and made a quick check below us so it wouldn’t land on somepony’s head.

“Let’s kick this into overdrive!” I yelled as I tossed the armor over Nilak’s left shoulder.

The change was immediate.

I had to hold onto the saddle to keep from flying off as Nilak shot forward like a bullet, leaving a very shocked Whiteout and Black Beauty in our wake. All I could hear was the wind in my ears, but I could see the crowd going nuts as we screamed towards the finish line. All of a sudden, there was a buildup of pressure on my ears, and I winced as it continued to climb until it felt like my head had been put in a vice. I didn’t know what was going on, but just as we passed the finish line, I got my answer.

A ring of mist erupted from the tip of Nilak’s nose and spread out rapidly as a titanic boom shook the stadium. It must have shocked Nilak as much as it had me, because he immediately fanned his wings and nearly sent me tumbling over his shoulder at the sudden deceleration. He came in for a landing so fast that his paws left shallow channels in the dirt as his claws tore up the grass. It took us almost the entire length of the finish area to come to a stop, and even so, we only made it because Nilak had turned sideways as we skid along the ground. Had we still been pointing straight ahead, Nilak’s upper body would have been inside the grandstands with me staring directly into the faces of the spectators.

A hush fell over the stadium as Whiteout and Shield Fang crossed the finish, though the eyes of everypony present were locked onto Nilak and me. Even Ivy and Winx, who had known something like this could happen, were trying to pry their jaws off the ground as they slowly walked towards us. Ivy had Nilak’s armor resting on her back, but she seemed to have forgotten it was there after the spectacle we had just put on.

Finally, it was the announcer who overcame his shock first, “I, I can’t believe what we’ve just witnessed! Fillies and gentlecolts, we just saw the first rider and dragon to ever break the speed of sound! Let’s hear it for today’s winner, Silver Spirit and his dragon Nilak!!”

The resulting roar from the stands was enough to make my head spin, and I had to cover my ears as Thunder and Black Beauty walked up to us. Black Beauty’s eyes were wide with both shock and pride, and I could tell she was smiling behind her mask because the corners of her eyes were wrinkled.

She leaned in close and yelled in my ear, “That was amazing! I’ve never seen anything like it! You have to tell me how you did that!”

I nodded, given I couldn’t really do much more in the thunderous cheers of the crowd. Thunder slapped me on the back with one hoof, his grin reaching from ear to ear, and led us out of the stadium as the other racers trickled in one by one.

By the time we got back to Headquarters in Firebrand, Black Beauty and Thunder had managed to squeeze the whole story out of me, mostly because Ivy wouldn’t shut up about it. Needless to say they did some hard thinking once they got over their initial shock. I had no idea what it was they were thinking of, but I could feel it in my gut that Nilak and I wouldn’t be the only pair that could go supersonic for very long. Mostly because now that we could use this super speed in a race, Black Beauty and Thunder had to come up with something to make themselves faster, or they’d never stand a chance at the Draconic Heaven.

Black Beauty growled as she fell back on our couch, “I give up! I can’t come up with a single way that we could match your speed with the time we have left!” She punched the back cushion halfheartedly as she stared at the ceiling, “I know we need to figure out how to match your trick in order to even stand a chance at the Draconic Heaven, but my mind is coming up with blanks!”

Thunder tapped his chin with one hoof while he sat on the edge of the table, “Maybe we could,” he shook his head as he stared at the floor, “no, that would never work.” He started drawing things in the air with his free hoof, mumbling to himself as he worked over different ideas.

I glanced at Nilak with a smile, “Looks like we’ve made the pros a bit nervous.”

He nodded, his eyes locked onto Whiteout and Shield Fang, who were huddled in the far corner with their heads close together, I can understand how a new skill like ours could make them nervous, but seeing them so worked up is so out of character. I’m not really sure how to react to them being so serious like this.

Yeah, Winx added as she curled up at Ivy’s hooves, it makes me feel weird when they don’t act like their usual calm and collected selves. Her gaze moved over to Shield Fang and Whiteout, and I thought I saw a quick flash of jealousy as her eyes narrowed just a bit.

“I wish Smit could make me a set of armor like that,” Ivy whined as she reached down to rub Winx’s ears with one hoof, “But he said that he needed to get more of the automatic motion parts before he could make another.”

“Which is a problem for us as well,” Thunder said as he looked up from his air doodles, “given that we can’t use the same technique to increase our speed. Even if we could get a set of armor like that, it’d take weeks to strengthen our dragons enough that removing the armor would make any kind of difference. Frankly, you’ve put us in quite a bind Silver.”

I felt a flash of guilt run through me before I could get it under control, “I didn’t mean to throw you guys off your game this badly. I just thought having a secret weapon would be useful during the Draconic Heaven. I never imagined that it would blow up like this.”

Black Beauty scoffed, “You think this is bad? You should have seen what it was like when Blaze Longstreet came up with that crazy roll maneuver of his.” She tilted her head back to look at Thunder, “You remember that one, Thunder?”

His lips curled slightly as he leaned back and rested his hooves on the tabletop, “I sure do. It was back when I was still a rookie. Blaze was at the top of Circuit, but there was a stallion named McGregor or something like that who thought he could steal the top spot.”

“Ooh, I remember this story!” Ivy said as she sat up straight, “He tried to cut Blaze’s dragon with a hidden knife during a race. He managed to wound the dragon a bit but couldn’t put him out completely.”

Thunder nodded, “And so, in the heat of the moment, Blaze used a move that no one had ever seen before. He had his dragon roll over his opponent while in the air, using the momentum to slingshot past him as he came back down on the other side.” He smiled at Winx’s wide eyes, “You two pulled something similar during your entrance trial. All you need to do is the same thing while in the air and it probably won’t take much to learn the same trick.”

“In any case,” Black Beauty interjected, “that move had the entire circuit in a panic. Once he mastered it he could use it on any aerial portion of a track.” She huffed as she slumped further into the cushions, “It took most of us a few weeks to figure out our own versions or ways to counter that move, and that was with dragons that were little more than puppets. With you and Nilak being as you are, I’m not sure that there’s anything we can do with the time we have left.”

Thunder scratched the side of his head as he glanced around the room like it held some secret answer, “Well we’re not going to come up with an answer here. Might as well give you some peace while Beauty and I wrack our brains for a solution.” He waved to us as he dragged Black Beauty off of the couch, “See you later. Maybe we’ll have something next time we speak.”

Once they exited the room, Whiteout and Shield Fang were quick to follow, Whiteout using the tip of her tail to close the doors behind them. That left the rest of us in relative silence. However, the outward calm belied the turmoil that raged inside my heart and mind. I knew that we had to tell Winx and Ivy about what our true mission was, but I didn’t want to risk somepony eavesdropping on us without our knowing it.

“I think we should visit Mel and Lucky,” I said. “We haven’t all been to see them in a while and I think they could use the company.”

“Yeah,” Ivy agreed, “we need to tell Lucky about all the crazy stuff she’s been missing out on!”

You know she can’t hear you, right Ivy? Nilak asked.

She sent a glare his direction, “You don’t know that! And besides, Mel is awake and she needs to know just as much as Lucky does.”

Winx smiled up at him with a superior expression, so take that you big newt.

Nilak growled playfully as we walked out of the room and piled into the massive elevator at the end of the hall, you’ll pay for that comment later you little minx.

It’s not minx, it’s Winx you oaf, she growled back with her frills raised indignantly, get it right!

I stepped between them before all-out war could ensue, “Alright you two, can we hold the launch of World War Three until after we talk with Mel?” My lips turned down as my eyes narrowed, “This isn’t going to be a calm and easy visit.”

Apparently everyone picked up on the serious tone my voice had taken on, because a hush fell over us like a dark cloud as we stepped out of the elevator. No one spoke a word until we entered the room Lucky and Mel were staying in, and even then it was Mel’s greeting that first broke the silence.

She was curled up next to Lucky’s bed with her head resting next to her hind legs when we walked in. She lifted her gaze to look at us as we came in, though her brief hello was cut short as the solemn mood we carried became apparent.

Her eyes narrowed with worry as she glanced between us, did something happen? Are we out of the running for the Draconic Heaven?

I shook my head, “No, in fact the little experiment I came up with worked better than I had hoped.” I couldn’t help the smile that curled my lips at the memory of our shocking finish, “Let’s just say we just set a new dragon rider speed record.”

Her head tilted to one side in slight confusion, then why are you all acting so serious? What’s going on?

I glanced up at Nilak and sent him a private message, it’s time we told them. Going on from here, they need to understand what it is
that we must do in order to free the dragons.

His gaze locked with mine, are you sure Silver? Once we tell them, there’s no going back.

I nodded, if we don’t tell them now, then it will be too late for them to pull out once we get to the Draconic Heaven. I want to make sure that the girls are ready to do whatever it takes to beat Mythic, even if that means killing him.

“Hey boneheads,” Ivy said as she waved her hoof in front of my face, “we’re still here.”

I broke off from Nilak and shook my head to clear it, “Sorry Ivy, I just had to make sure that we agreed on what I’m about to do.” I walked over to Lucky’s bedside and sat down in one of the chairs, “You might want to sit down for this one. This isn’t going to be easy to hear.”

Her eyes flashed with uncertainty as she slowly sat on the other side of the bed, while Winx walked up to sit on her right with a matching glow in her gaze.

I sent a quick glance towards Nilak, who nodded, and then turned back to the girls, “You understand that we will have to defeat Mythic Song in order to free the dragons, right?”

They nodded as one, “Of course we understand that Silver.” Ivy said, “How else are we going to break the spell inside the collars?”

“But do you understand what defeating him really means?” I asked, keeping my gaze level as she frowned.

“What do you mean Silver?” She asked, “Aren’t we just going to use our dragon’s magic to break the spell?”

I shook my head slowly, and I saw them lean forward just the slightest bit, “You need to understand that the only way we can defeat Mythic and break the spell,” I paused, hoping I was making the right decision, “is to kill him.”

Both of them jerked back like I had struck them, “Kill him?!” Ivy seemed to have enough sense not to yell, but the force behind her shocked whisper could have toppled a building, “You never said anything about killing him!”

Yeah! Winx added as her frills snapped to attention, you only said that we had to defeat him in order to free the other dragons! When did killing him come into play?!

That was always the true mission, it was Mel’s calm words that seemed to suck the energy right out of the room. All eyes turned to her as she cast sad eyes on Winx and Ivy, and I could swear they deflated like balloons under her gaze, from the very beginning, the one and only way to free the other dragons has been to kill Lord Song. We decided not to tell you two and Lucky what our real objective was when we first started this adventure. Back then, we didn’t even know if reaching the Draconic Heaven was possible, let alone getting a crack at Mythic. Now that our ultimate goal is within reach, you must know the truth if you plan on moving forward with the rest of us.

She glanced down at the mostly healed wounds on her flanks, I am still too weak to battle, and with Lucky asleep, I could never hope to get near Mythic without drawing unwanted attention. Her gaze moved back to land on Winx and Ivy, that means it will be up to you two, along with Silver and Nilak, to win the Draconic Heaven and destroy Mythic Song. I am putting my faith in you to succeed where I cannot.

But I don’t know how to use magic! Winx cried, how am I supposed to fight a wizard like Mythic if I don’t know how to protect myself?!

I can teach you some of the necessary spells you will need in the final battle, Mel said calmly, but you must understand that this battle is about more than winning or losing. Just as we plan on killing Lord Song, so too will he do his best to kill you.

That is why we are telling you the truth, Nilak added, because if you choose to move forward with us, you must be willing to put your life on the line to complete our mission. That is the choice you must be willing to make. We will not force you to come with us. You have done more than enough to give us the chance to take Mythic Song down. If you wish to pull out now and return to a mostly normal life, then it is up to you if you stay or go.

Ivy and Winx exchanged wide-eyed looks, the shock plain on their faces as the true weight of what Mel and Nilak had said came crashing down around us. I could almost see their bodies shaking under the strain as they moved from one of us to the next, as if trying to find a clue that we were making it all up. When no such clues were found, I saw the twin flashes of determination ignite within their souls, and I felt my mouth curving upward ever-so-slightly. Those were the eyes of a warrior I saw looking back at me, and that could only mean one thing.

“We’re in,” Ivy said as her hooves bunched up the sheets before her, “Nopony can call me a coward when things get tough.”

Me neither! Wing added as she jumped to her paws, her eyes narrowed and her frills trembling with nervous energy, I’ll do whatever I can to free the other dragons!

I smiled as I met Mel and Nilak’s gazes, “Well, looks like we can stop worrying about their reaction.”

They nodded in agreement.

Indeed, Nilak mused as he turned to Mel, it would seem that Silver and I were underestimating the determination of our youngest members.

That just goes to show that you can’t judge a dragon by her size, Mel agreed as she turned to a beaming Winx, or by her youth.

I smiled as the others fell into more casual conversation. I just hoped that when this was all over, we’d all still be able to laugh and joke like we used to. Winning the Draconic Heaven was just the tip of the iceberg. Our battle with Mythic Song would be a completely different ballgame. In a race you fought for place prizes and fame with the masses. Against a wizard, you fought for your very lives. I knew that after the Draconic Heaven, our greatest challenge would have only just begun.

Author's Notes:

Well here we go again. What did you all think of our team's newest trick?! Keep in mind that in this universe Rainbow Dash doesn't exist, so no Sonic Rainboom here to compare to. This is the first recorded example of supersonic flight on dragonback.

Anyway, things are getting rolling up towards the climax. The Draconic Heaven is drawing ever closer, and so is the team's battle with the mysterious Mythic Song. Will they win the championship and earn their right to battle the wizard, or will the ever present Blood Claw have something to say about things? Only time will tell and only I know the truth.

Anyways, see you all next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

XXI - Confessions

For the next three weeks Mel trained with Winx in the hopes that the little dragon would be ready for our battle with Mythic, assuming we won the Draconic Heaven. We saw very little of Black Beauty or Thunder during that time, though when we did pass them in the hallways it seemed that they still hadn’t come up with a counter to Nilak’s speed boost ability.

Lucky still showed no signs of waking up, even though both her and Mel’s injuries had fully healed. While Mel wished that she could join us, we all knew that her earlier words about drawing attention were true. There was no way she could get at Mythic without a rider to accompany her. The odd thing was that we saw very little of Winx outside of Mel’s magic training. She would disappear for hours on end with no contact with any of the rest of us. Ivy was worried out of her mind the first time she vanished, and it was even worse when the red dragonelle wouldn’t explain where she had gone.

Finally, the day was upon us. The Draconic Heaven was going to take place the very next morning, and a tense hush had fallen over all of us as the weight of our mission came crashing down on our shoulders. None of us spoke all that much, and even then it was only when necessary. Winx especially was absurdly quiet compared to her normally talkative self. Sometimes we forgot she was in the room until she moved or sighed.

The morning was spent with all of us trying to relax in our room together. We didn’t want to be harassed by fans or reporters because none of us were in the mood to deal with clueless civilians. Winx and Ivy went a few practice laps on the track behind headquarters, but even from our window I could see they couldn’t put their hearts into working hard. The pressure of what was coming seemed to suck the energy out of all of us like a sponge in the desert.

Finally, the sun began to set, and I felt it was time we took care of business. We walked in silence down to Mel and Lucky’s room, taking care not to disturb the other racers as we went. Soft snoring could be heard from behind some of the doors, and I had a feeling those of us that were light sleepers weren’t going to be getting much rest tonight.

I led our group into the girl’s room and shut the doors behind us as Winx, Ivy and Nilak filed in after me. Mel was curled up next to Lucky’s bed as always, not bothering to lift her head as we came in.

Good evening everyone, she said as she glanced out of the corner of her eyes at us, I’m glad you came. Lucky is still asleep, but I was hoping that she might wake up if you all came to visit. She let out a gusty sigh that riffled Lucky’s mane, I guess I got my hopes up for nothing.

Don’t say that Mel, Nilak said gently as he laid down next to her. The instant you give up hope is the day that Lucky is truly lost to us. We must believe that she will wake up. Even if it takes years, we must keep hope alive that she will return to us one day.

Assuming we survive long enough to see that, Winx muttered before covering her mouth with one paw, I didn’t mean that!

Ivy rubbed the small dragon behind her ears in a reassuring way, “We know you didn’t mean it Winx. It’s a possibility that we might not all live through our battle with Lord Song. We must be willing to sacrifice everything in order to stop him and free the dragons.”

I walked up to Lucky’s bedside, my eyes locked on her sleeping face. She seemed so peaceful like that, without the worry lines around her eyes and mouth that I had seen more often than not when serious topics came up. I sat down on the bed by her hip and gently took her hoof in mine, rubbing over her fur gently as I stared at her. The others fell silent as I continued to look at Lucky’s face, my thoughts jumbled and my heart rate climbing steadily.

Before I could talk myself out of it, I leaned down and pressed my lips to hers in a chaste kiss, her breath mingling with mine for a second before I pulled back. I had heard Ivy gasp at my actions, though it hindsight she must have seen it coming in some corner of her mind.

“I’m sorry all of this has happened Lucky,” I said as I sat up. “I’m to blame for your injuries, even if the Blood Claw were the ones who pulled the trigger. I upset you, which made you and Mel refuse to put on your armor. Had that not happened, I know that you wouldn’t be in that bed right now,” I took a shaky breath as my lip began to tremble, “a-and I’d be able to tell you that I love you. I know that I made you uncertain back at the baths, but I know for sure now. I love you Lucky Star, and if we all survive this, I’m going to ask you to marry me.”

This time I heard all four of them gasp, and I couldn’t help the smirk that crossed my lips as my eyes began to leak. I lifted my hoof to wipe away the tears but more only came to take their place. I sniffed as I closed my eyes and looked away from her, ashamed that I couldn’t keep my emotions in check.

“Must have the heat on too high in here,” I muttered as I wiped my eyes with the back of my leg, “my eyes are perspiring.”

Ivy walked up on the other side of the bed, her own eyes shining as she bent down and kissed Lucky’s forehead, “We’ll be back for you when this is all over. You’d better be awake when we come back or else I’m, I’m,” she couldn’t finish as she broke down in tears.

She fell to her knees as the waterworks began, her chest heaving as great sobs sputtered past her trembling lips. She rested her head on her forelegs as she leaned onto the bed, her mane hiding her face from view as her shoulders shook. Winx walked up and draped her wing over the evergreen mare’s back, her eyes alight with worry and even more unshed tears.

I forced myself to look away, thinking that Ivy deserved a bit of privacy in her grief. Instead my gaze landed on Nilak and Mel, who were taking alternating glances at each other when they weren’t looking at Lucky and me.

I smiled sadly as I caught them looking at each other out of the corners of their eyes, “Well, go on you two.”

They looked up at me with matching confusion on their faces, go were? Nilak asked.

I indicated the door that lead into the adjacent room with my eyes, “You two have some goodbyes to say as well. Don’t let us stop you.”

They glanced at each other before turning back to me with gratitude in their gazes, and as one they stood and walked into the next
room. It was empty at the moment, so they’d have some privacy in case there was anything kinky going on. While I didn’t know how dragon courtship went exactly, I had a feeling that Mel and Nilak would be expecting hatchlings pretty soon if they had anything to say about it. That is, assuming they both survived the coming storm.

The door closed behind them with a soft click, and I turned back to Ivy and Winx, the former of which had finally gotten herself under control.

She sniffed thickly as she wiped her bloodshot eyes, “Sorry about that Silver. It’s just what you said hit me pretty hard.”

I nodded, “I wasn’t that surprised. I’m actually more shocked that Winx didn’t break down in tears too. I was certain that you’d be sobbing your eyes out alongside her after what happened.”

She shrugged, someone had to keep calm, or else we’d be here all night. She sniffed once as she glanced at Lucky, doesn’t mean I don’t care or anything.

“I never said you didn’t,” I replied. “I just wasn’t expecting you to step up like that. It shows that you’re maturing faster than we realized.”

She nodded, though the barbed reply I was expecting never came which told me she probably didn’t hear a word I said. I reached over the bed and held onto Ivy’s hoof, her eyes locking with mine as she sent me a weak smile. We sat there in silence, collectively ignoring the soft sounds of rapture that leaked through the wall every once and a while. It was like we were trying to find some peace in this last moment before our mission turned our lives upside down, remembering a simpler time not so long ago when the fate of the world didn’t rest in the hooves and paws of four scared individuals.

We returned to our room once Mel and Nilak finished their little escapade, although it seemed the weight of the day had taken much of the joy out of it from their blank expressions. Nilak passed out in the living room while Winx climbed into bed with Ivy, leaving me to relax for a bit on the couch as I tried to get my head to stop spinning. A lot had been said during our trip to the girl’s room, and I had a feeling that things were going to get rather exciting once the sun rose in the morning. The full moon was just rising above the horizon as my eyes drifted closed, and I sighed as the thunderstorm in my head finally gave way.

“So nice to see you again little Silver.” It was the same voice that had haunted my sleep since my mother’s murder, “You’ve come a long way since that day I slit your mother’s throat.”

I turned around and faced the stallion who had tried to kill me, my own expression oddly calm as I looked up at his pitch black eyes.

“You never got to that point,” I said slowly, “you were dead long before my mother’s murder.”

His lips parted into a sadistic grin, “Yes, but my brothers got to her for me, and now I get to wait here for you, just itching to carve you up like a turkey and listen to your screams of agony.”

I clenched my teeth in rage, “You can’t hurt me, and I’ll make sure you never hurt my friends again.”

“Oh,” he replied in a sarcastic tone, “like you protected that little girlfriend of yours? Face it you little brat, you’re time is up, and sooner or later somepony is going to kill you. We might not even need to do it at the rate you’re going. You’ll serve yourself up to that upper crust
wizard and he’ll send you all to Hell for us.” He laughed as he threw his head back in mirth, “In the end we won’t have to do anything, you’ll send everypony you care about to their own deaths and it will have been all your fault!”

I clenched my jaw and threw a punch at his face. He caught it with his own hoof and I threw my other leg at him, only to get stopped a second time. “Shut up! My friends are going to come out of this alive, and then we’ll kick you Blood Claw idiots to the curb just like we’re going to kill Mythic Song! Mark my words you pile of ashes, we can and will survive anything we set our minds to, just wait and see.”

He chuckled as he let go of my hooves, stepping back and fading into the darkness around us, “You talk a big game little colt, but we both know the truth. Your friends will die battling Song, just as your mother died because of your actions against us. We never let a target go, and I’ll make sure to enjoy the terror and helplessness on your face as everypony and everything you care about is destroyed. Sleep well Silver Spirit, because it’s the last night of sleep you’ll ever have.”

I jerked as my mind snapped into wakefulness, the horror of the dream still clinging to my mind. I was about to sit up when I head a soft clicking sound coming from behind me. I stayed perfectly still as the clicking moved past me, and I kept my eyes open in narrow slits as a large shadow moved through my field of vision. It was only as the moonlight fell across the figure that I recognized it as Winx. I let out a silent sigh of relief, my mind having flashed to a Blood Claw member come to assassinate us. However, there was something odd about how Winx was acting. Instead of walking around like she owned the place, her head was lowered and she kept checking behind her as if she were being followed.

She stepped over Nilak’s tail with care, freezing in place when he snorted in his sleep and kicked reflexively. Only when he had settled did she continue, slowly moving over to the exit and silently slipping out of the room. I sat up slowly, in case she came back, but when it was clear she was gone, I stood up and walked over to Nilak.

“Hey,” I whispered, “wake up.” I tapped him on the tip of his muzzle and he shifted slightly before opening his eyes.

This had better be good Silver, he muttered in an irritated tone.

“Winx just snuck out,” I whispered back. “I don’t know where she’s going, but she was acting strange, almost like she’d get in trouble if she got caught.”

He stretched once before rolling to his feet, fine, but if this is just a wild goose chase then I’m going to flatten you for waking me up. He glanced at the bedroom door, which Winx had left slightly ajar, should we wake up Ivy as well?

I shook my head, “Probably not a good idea. Ivy’s matured a lot during all of this, but if we catch Winx in something embarrassing or unusual, then Ivy would probably blow our cover in the first second.”

He nodded agreement, true enough. Well, the night’s not getting any younger. I say we get moving so I can get back to sleep.

I smirked as I walked beside him over to the door, “You really are a lazy lizard.”

He rolled his eyes without looking at me, a warrior only uses excess energy when he absolutely has to. It’s not laziness, just smart thinking.

Now it was my turn to roll my eyes, “Sure, whatever you say Nilak.”

We peeked out of the door to make sure Winx was gone, then slowly made our way down to the lobby by way of the stairs. It was slower, but using the incredibly loud elevator would turn our chances of staying hidden to zero faster than we could say “Boo!”.

We came out into the main hall just as the front doors swung closed with a soft click. Normally the sound wouldn’t have been audible, but in the complete silence of the night it was like a firecracker detonating in a small room. I shared a glance with Nilak, who nodded, before walking out into the main hall and slipping in along the left wall. We paused several times as soft noises alerted us to smaller creatures about, but other than that we had the place completely to ourselves.

I pushed the door open and let Nilak move through before I closed it behind us, making sure to limit the noise it made in the process. Once the door was safely closed, I glanced over at Nilak, who had his head raised as high as it would go and tilted slightly to one side.

“Can you tell where she went?” I whispered as I came up on his left.

He tilted his head the other way and turned slightly to the right, I’m using the bond we share to try and locate her. If I accessed her
mind to find out her location it would alert her to our presence, so I have to use more unconventional methods. He paused for a moment before his head lowered and rotated right side up, she’s heading west at a decent pace. Whatever she was worried about inside, she doesn’t seem to care about it now.

“Probably because she didn’t want to get caught by us or another rider,” I said as we began walking, “I hope she’s not in trouble or anything like that. Secrets between team members now could get one of us killed.”

Let us hope you are wrong then, he muttered in return, for all our sakes.

We followed Winx’s trail for about a mile before the ground began to tilt slowly upward. Nilak slowed to a near crawl as we came near to the top of the hill, and as the trees thinned out I could see why. Winx and Shield Fang were standing at the top of the hill, where the trees gave way to short grass and the open sky. Nilak and I moved in to hide just short of the tree line, hoping to remain unseen as the two dragons moved closer together.

Can you hear what they’re saying? I asked, not trusting my voice to go unnoticed.

He paused for a minute before replying, they have an open connection, so if I patch us in they probably won’t notice us. However, once I connect us, we can’t say anything or else they’ll be able to hear us as well as we can hear them.

I nodded, do it.

There was a short span of silence, but once I could hear their voices, I nearly gave us away with a gasp of shock. Apparently this moonlit meeting was of a very romantic sort, as evident by the first thought that sauntered through my mind.

It’s been too long love, Shield Fang said with a far deeper tone then I was used to hearing. The last couple days have been far too slow without being able to see your radiant form.

Oh stop it you big goof, Winx said as I saw her duck her head in embarrassment, it’s only been two days since I saw you last and I would hope our lovemaking didn’t leave your memory that quickly.

I was floored at what I was hearing. I knew that Winx and Shield Fang had flirted off and on when they first met, but I had no idea they had taken it this far. I glanced up at Nilak and noted his completely slack jaw. Apparently he hadn’t seen it coming either. I focused back on the two before us, and I had to contain my groan at the sappy comments being said between them.

Far be it from me to forget such a momentous event, Shield Fang said as he moved a large step closer to Winx. Your love was like the purest bliss to my mind and soul. Your body was heaven on Equis like the Goddess herself had descended before me. He stepped closer once more, now at such a distance that he could touch noses with Winx, how could you ever doubt my love for you?

I could hear the raw emotion in Winx’s voice as she lifted her head to rub her face against Shield Fang’s, I would never doubt you my love, because through all of this, you have been my knight in shining armor, with supporting words and a tender touch to wash away my deepest fears. She pulled back and smiled up at him, their eyes alight with the purest flames of passion, you are everything to me Shield Fang, and I wish for nothing more than to be your mate once this is all over. She stepped up and fit her shoulder against his, resting her head on his back as he curled his neck down and around her own, promise me you’ll be here when I return.

I promise Little One. I could have sworn I could hear a tremor in the massive dragon’s voice, but you must promise to return to me so that I will not wait forever. Swear on our love that you will come back from what awaits you, and that you will still love me when your mission has been completed.

I promise, Winx whispered as she closed her eyes, purring into his flank as Shield Fang pulled her into his broad chest with one foreleg.

I tapped Nilak on the shoulder and jerked my head back in the direction of Headquarters. He nodded and I felt the connection break as we turned away from the two lovers. I cast a last glance over my shoulder at them, feeling a smile grace my lips for the first time in days. It seemed that even in our most critical hour, there was still room for tender moments with those we held close.

Nilak and I returned to the room, making a silent agreement not to tell Ivy about what we had just witnessed. She would find out in good time, and right now we needed to stay focused on the mission at hand. The Draconic Heaven was tomorrow, and we couldn’t afford to let anything stand in our way. Victory was absolutely essential, because only the victor of the Draconic Heaven was invited to speak with Lord Song. No team had ever won the Draconic Heaven before, but the rules were the same either way. Like it or not, the end was in sight. The only question was, who’s end would it be? Would Mythic Song finally fall, or would our great mission end in disaster? Would we even survive if we failed? My mind flashed back to my nightmare, and I felt my heart shudder for a moment before I could get it under control. We would be risking everything to fight Song, but we had come too far to turn back now. We were seeing this through to the end, and with our drive and spirit I couldn’t see any way we could possibly fail.

Author's Notes:

Short little chapter to tie up some loose ends. Anypony see the ship between Winx and Shield Fang coming, or did I blindside you all with that little moonlit meeting? Let me know in the towel section below and I hope to see you all in later chapters.

One more chapter and then it's time for the big race!!
Get set to get decked because this is going to be one for the history books. Buuut, you'll have to wait until I post the newest chapter before you get to see it.

Anyway, love and hugs for all my readers, and I'll see you next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

XXII - The Final Moments

The mood in the pens was somber at best.

The day had finally come, and yet for the four of us, it felt like we were still far from ready to face it.

The Draconic Heaven was starting in less than two hours, and right now all I could focus on was the rut I was walking into the dirt between Nilak and Winx’s pens.

Ivy watched me as I marched back and forth with my head bowed and my wings twitching, her gaze melancholy and worrisome as she rubbed Winx behind her ears. Normally Winx would be all over the attention and care, but even our most energetic member was falling victim to the atmosphere of tension.

Nilak huffed as I passed his pen door for the umpteenth time in the last hour, sit down and breathe Silver. You’ll only wear yourself out doing that.

I didn’t have the energy to even look up as I answered him, “And what good would that do me? I’d just end up biting my hooves or flying circles around the rafters until I drove you three even further insane.” I turned on one hoof and began walking back along the path I had been following, “Besides, at least this way I can keep my body from bursting from the pent-up energy that’s making my heart pound like a drum.”

“Then could you kick up the pace?” Ivy asked as she slumped against the door to Winx’s pen, “I’m getting sleepy just watching you. If I don’t get some excitement soon I’m going to pass out.”

I cast her a confused look as I spun around again, “How can you be falling asleep at a time like this? I’m so full of energy I feel like a bomb with only ten seconds on the timer.”

She shrugged, “Guess I just deal with stress differently than you do.”

I rolled my eyes as I passed by Nilak again, “Well either way, we need to do something soon or else we’re going to be so worn out that we’ll never make it off the starting line.”

It was like my words had gone straight from my mouth to the ears of Fate, because no sooner had I spun around to head back toward the wall did the doors at the end of the stables flew open. I was slightly shocked when they hit the walls with enough force to crack the wood paneling, yet it was overridden by the lumbering figure that marched in after.

As one our eyes locked onto the massive figure that stood panting in the doorway, not truly believing our eyes as Smit stumbled into the building. His mane was even messier than usual, his eyes bloodshot and his steps uneven as he made a beeline down the aisle towards us. Ivy leaped to her hooves and grabbed the stallion under one as he stumbled again, all traces of fatigue banished from her body as she helped him to sit down on an overturned bucket beside Nilak’s pen.

He nodded to her as she stepped back, “Thank ye kindly li’l miss.” He coughed thickly into his sleeve before clearing his throat, “I wasn’t sure I was goin’ to make it before yer big race.”

He slipped his work bags off of his back and fished around before pulling out a piece of metal that was about the size of a dinner plate and shaped like a rounded diamond.

He handed it over to Ivy with his usual oversized smile, “I just finished it last night. Caught the first train here so I could give it to ya.”

She turned it over in her hooves with narrowed eyes, “Is this what I think it is?” She lifted her gaze to meet his, her expression hopeful.

His smile seemed to grow only bigger as he nodded in return, “Ye bet your saddle it is! I used up every last part and motor I had at my disposal, but your extendable armor is complete as ordered!”

Ivy’s face lit up like a Hearth’s Warming tree, hugging the armor to her chest and squealing like a school filly before throwing her legs around the massive smith. He jumped slightly at her sudden movement, as did the rest of us, but only hesitated a moment before wrapping his own hooves around her.

“Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!” She exclaimed without coming up for air. “You never disappoint Smit!”

He chuckled deep in his chest, the vibrations making Ivy giggle as his beard tickled her face and neck, “Yer welcome li’l lady. I take pride in makin’ my customers happy, and makin’ sure whatever I give them is the best I can do.”

They pulled away from each other, Ivy’s cheeks flushed with joy and her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

“Oh now there be none of that!” Smit interjected as he pulled a greasy hoofkerchief from his saddlebags and handed it to her, “There be no cryin’ while I’m around. I don’t care if they be happy tears, ye should be focusin’ on getting ready for yer race instead of blubbering over what ye already paid for.”

Her lips curled into a watery smile as she wiped the cloth over her eyes, somehow without getting grease plastered all over her face.

“Thank you Smit,” she said as she handed it back to him, “I needed that.”

He waved it off as he walked past her towards the door, “Just do yer best today and I’ll be happy.” He paused as he entered the doorway, glancing over the cracks his entrance had made in the wall. “Hmph, somepony should really fix that, can’t have unstable walls in a dragon pen.”

He started grumbling to himself about ‘giving the local mason a piece of my mind’ as he disappeared around the bend, leaving us alone in the stables once more.

Ivy snickered, tried to hold it in, failed, and in the next second all four of us were holding out sides to try and make the stitches go away.

We took about ten minutes to finally get a hold of ourselves, and even then it was only by sheer force of will that we somehow got the laughter to stop.

Nilak shook his head as he glanced out the still wide open doors, now there is a pony who will be worth having around once this is all over.

Ivy and I nodded in agreement, “Yeah, his mannerisms might be a bit odd from time to time,” she ran her hooves over her new armor as she smiled again, “but he more than makes up for it with heart and dedication.”

Ooh! Ooh! I want to try my new armor on! Winx yelled as she bounced from paw to paw, I want to see what it’s like to have magic armor!

Ivy chuckled as she walked over and opened the small dragon’s pen, “You know it’s not magic right?”

Winx gave her a look that could have curdled milk, I know that, but it’s so cool I can’t help but feel like it should be magic to have all of those moving parts end up right where they’re supposed to.

Ivy pressed the plate against Winx’s chest and caught the young dragon’s eye, “Ready?” When Winx nodded she reached down and pressed the switch in the center of the plate.

Ivy stepped back as the plate rapidly expanded outward, first covering Winx’s shoulders and locking around the base of her neck before spreading upward to protect the back and sides of her neck and head. She spread her wings as the plates moved further down her body, curling her neck to watch as the metal clicked and slid until it covered every part of her body except her tail and the moving parts of her wings.

Ivy whistled while Nilak and I simply gazed at the now metal-coated Winx in awe. While Nilak looked relatively the same with his armor on, the contrast between Winx’s red scales and the silver plating made it seem like somepony had just pulled a slab of molten metal out of the forge. Our attention was not lost on Winx, who lifted her wings and extended her frills like a prize show dog.

Pretty cool huh? She asked with a smug expression as Nilak and I snapped out of our reveries. Ivy, on the other hoof, was still openly staring at her partner.

She seemed to come to as I waved my hoof in front of her face, “Who? What?” She blinked several times before glancing at me, “Thanks Silver. I kind of got caught up in the moment.”

I pat her on the back with my trademark smirk on full display, “No harm done. Honestly, I’d be more surprised if you hadn’t been staring at her. Winx looks amazing with that new armor, so it’s fine if you stare the first time around.”

Winx seemed to deflate at that, you mean she isn’t going to stare at me anymore now that she’s seen me like this? Her eyes resembled a puppy that had just been denied her treat, wide and pleading.

My eyes rolled in response to that, “No worries Winx. Once we get to the track you’ll have so many ponies fawning over you you won’t know what to do with yourself.”

Speaking of the race, Nilak interjected, we should be getting to the staging area. They’re probably going to start the opening ceremony before too long.

The rest of our group nodded in agreement and I held up my hoof between us, “One last time for luck?”

Ivy nodded, placing her hoof on top of mine, “One cannot stand,”

Nilak rested his left front paw on top of our hooves, but two can support each other,

Winx added her paw to our stack, and three will never be broken.

“United we stand,” I whispered.

“united we fall,” Ivy echoed.

“dragons and ponies, fighting for all,” we chorused.

As usual, a surge of magic sparked from our joining, though today it seemed to be weaker than normal. As the warmth spread up my leg and nestled in my heart, I realized that reciting our oath with two of our members missing greatly reduced the level of magic that was produced.

I flexed my hoof as we pulled our respective limbs back, “Well, guess this is it. The final hurdle to get at Mythic and put a stop to all of his evil plans.”

Ivy shivered like she had been hit by a cold draft, “I don’t even want to think about that right now. I just want to finish this race in one piece and then worry about killing an all-powerful wizard.”

Nilak chuckled as he bumped Ivy gently with his paw, if facing Mythic is anything like what we’ve faced already, then the four of us shouldn’t have any trouble taking him out. After all, I was trained with this exact result in mind. I know we haven’t done any combat or magic training up until now, but trust me when I say that you will know what to do when the time comes. You just have to trust in our bond and believe in yourself.

Ivy and Winx shared a sarcastic look before walking past the larger dragon, “Whatever you say big guy.”

Yeah, Winx added, I’m sure that it’ll all work out in the end.

I snickered as they waltzed out of the pens, leaving Nilak and I alone while I grabbed his armor off of the rack.

“You know that they’re just giving you a hard time right?” I asked as his armor expanded and locked into place.

He sent me a sidelong glance that told me exactly what he did and did not know, those two needed a bit of a moral boost before this all comes crashing down on our heads. I don’t know about you, but I have a feeling that Thunder and Black Beauty have come up with a counter for our super speed. This won’t be easy.

I nodded as I strapped on his saddle, “I know. I just hope that when push comes to shove, we’re strong enough to pull through. I know that those two won’t be holding anything back. This is the biggest race of the season after all, and I’m willing to be that even our mission falls to second over winning the title.”

He harrumphed as we walked out of the pens and followed the girls towards the starting line, stubborn pony pride. I’d call it reckless and foolhardy if dragons weren’t just as bad.

I slapped his shoulder and grinned up at him, “At least we have that in common. Come on Nilak, let’s get this party started.”

He grinned as I jumped up and into the saddle, ready when you are Silver. Let’s go win ourselves another race.

We caught up with the girls at the side entrance of the race stadium. Since we were in Canterlot, the capital of Equestria, the building had to be massive enough to hold the majority of the city’s population, resulting in one of the five largest structures in the country. The enormous masterpiece of engineering stood about half as tall as the surrounding skyscrapers, meaning it came to a stop at about the thirty-sixth floor on all sides. Even outside the roar of the crowd was already deafening, and I was beginning to wonder how any of the racers were going to be able to think with all of the noise.

We were ushered in by an official in a bright red uniform, and by some miracle the noise level actually dropped once we got inside.

From what I could see and what I knew about racing, the large atrium we were now huddled in was designed to hold all of the racers
prior to the start. I could see about thirty dragon/rider pairs milling about in the cavernous space, though it took me a moment to spot Whiteout and Shield Fang. They were off to one side with their heads lowered close together like they were coming up with a strategy.

However, when I spotted Black Beauty and Thunder, they were on the completely opposite side of the room. My eyes narrowed in confusion as I walked up to the couple, noticing that for the first time since I had met her, Black Beauty’s face wasn’t covered with her mask.

I was so shocked I almost stumbled over my own hooves, but managed to regain my balance before I made a fool out of myself. Ivy was going through a similar reaction, though if Winx hadn’t extended a wing to support her Ivy would have certainly fallen flat on her face. Black Beauty’s face was devoid of anything that might resemble a blemish, her cream colored fur practically glittering in the overhead lights. Her cheeks were flushed a slight pink and her normally muted eyes seemed to glow now that the rest of her face was visible. Her mane was also hanging loose around her shoulders, and I was once again surprised that it wasn’t black like I had originally thought. Instead it was a deep chocolate brown and had a wave aspect to it that made it seem to ripple as she moved. Her overall image wasn’t what most would call stunning, more along the lines of pleasantly cute. I almost fell over myself again at the thought. Black Beauty and cute were never a set of words I had ever dreamed of being in the same sentence until now.

The pair noticed our flabbergasted state and I saw Black Beauty’s lips curl into the barest hint of a smile, “What’s wrong you two, Whiptail got your tongue?”

I slapped myself in order to get my thoughts straight, “You’re not wearing your mask!”

She seemed to ponder this for a moment, “And your point is?”

By this point Ivy had pulled herself back to reality, “You never take off your mask! Why now of all times would you remove it? I thought you wanted to keep your identity secret or something like that.”

She shrugged, “I’m no longer the hot topic in the news anymore. If you two hadn’t noticed, the media has been going after a new story lately, you. So, I’ve decided to not cover my face and actually be able to breathe for once.”

Ivy rolled her eyes at the mention of the media, “Don’t remind us. I feel like they’re crawling out of the woodwork with how we have to sneak around to avoid getting mobbed.”

“So why are you and Thunder over here while Shield Fang and Whiteout are all the way over there?” I asked, indicating the conversing dragons with one wing.

Thunder let out an almost comedic sigh, “Alas my dear companion Shield Fang has forsaken me for the fairer sex.” He clutched his vest over his heart, “Why must the world be so cruel as to rip a duo such as us apart?”

Black Beauty rolled her eyes, elbowing him in the gut while turning to us, “What my moronic companion means to say is that Whiteout is sharing our secret with Shield Fang so that way we can stand a chance against you when you kick it into high gear.”

I glanced over my shoulder at the dragons, noticing that Whiteout was moving her paws like she was illustrating something to Shield Fang, “So I was right when I figured you two would find some way to counter our speed advantage.” I turned back to them with a cheeky grin, “I don’t suppose you’d be willing to share?”

She crossed her forelegs and raised her chin knowingly at me, “Oh wouldn’t that be nice? Why don’t I just tell you all of my racing secrets and drop out of the race while we’re at it?”

I lowered my head, “Point taken.”

Thunder slapped her over the back, making her stumble slightly before righting herself, “Oh cut the ‘I’m holier than thou’ attitude. It’s not like they can do anything to stop us now.”

She sent him a death glare before straightening her clothes, “Very well, wise guy, I’ll share.” She turned back to me and Ivy, “Basically Whiteout was experimenting with some of the magic stuff Nilak told us about back when we first met. She stumbled onto it completely by accident, but apparently she discovered a spell that will increase our speed until we can match yours.” She lifted her hooves in a defeated way when my mouth opened to question her, “Don’t ask me how she does it. I’m still trying to wrap my head around the whole magic routine.”

“So now we’ll all have the super speed boost coming in to the final stretch?” Ivy asked, her eyes wide in wonder, “I can’t imagine how the finish is going to look.”

Black Beauty surprised us again by smirking, “Oh I imagine the view of Whiteout’s tail would suit just nicely.”

At that Thunder rounded on her with a hurt look, “What am I, dragon fodder? Have I given you so little to like about me that I don’t even factor into your little fantasy?”

Thankfully Black Beauty was saved from having to answer him. The thundering trumpets that echoed into our little hideaway signaled that the starting ceremony had begun. All conversations came to an abrupt halt as riders and dragons were formed up single file around the edge of the room. Black Beauty and Thunder were given the first two spots, as was their right as the leading members of the Circuit. However, what I didn’t expect was to be given the spot directly behind them. I glanced over my shoulder and saw Ivy had slipped in behind Nilak, already strapped into Winx’s saddle. I pondered how we had managed to claim the third and fourth positions in the leaderboard while the rest of the racers lined up behind us and came to the only logical conclusion.

Apparently having dragons with free will was a good way to get into the top ranks of the Circuit. Who knew? It still shocked me that the only thing that made my team better than the rest of the racers in the circuit was the fact that Nilak, Winx and Mel could think and act of their own volition. Truth be told, I was almost positive that we’d be better than Black Beauty and Thunder if we hadn’t freed Whiteout and Shield Fang, though the jury was still out on the final result of that contest.

I could hear the announcer getting the crowd into an even higher state of frenzy, and as the crowd roared enough the shake the room, the official standing next to the exit motioned for Black Beauty and Whiteout to enter the stadium. After a long pause he motioned for Thunder and Shield Fang to exit as well, followed by Ivy, Nilak, Winx and I. As we broke into the open I realized why they had us entering by group. The announcer was just calling out the name of our team with some side comments directed at our absent members. I bristled a bit at how he was blowing Mel and Lucky aside like they didn’t matter, but after a second I realized that injuries were common enough that this probably wasn’t the first absent team member he had to announce during a race.

We filed into the starting gates next to Whiteout and Shield Fang as the other racers stepped in under the announcer’s roll call. The first six lined up in the gates with the rest of us, while the remaining racers grouped into rows of ten behind us according to their placement. In total, there were thirty-four of us within the starting area, the final four filling in the center spots on the track for symmetry.

Just as the noise was threatening to break my skull open, a thunderous trumpet blast caused a hush to fall over the entire stadium. You could hear a pin drop as all eyes turned toward the balcony that jutted out from the stands directly to our right about three stories up. A pause was felt before a stallion dressed in brown and gold robes stepped into the light, followed closely by Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. While Mythic Song moved to the edge of the balcony, the royal sisters took their seats upon the two thrones resting at the center of the balcony. Mythic let the crowd cheer for a moment before lifting his hooves for silence. Once the noise had lowered back to a modest level, he reached up and flipped his hood back, revealing a surprisingly youthful face. He looked no older than his early thirties, yet it was common knowledge that Mythic Song had appeared with his collars over a hundred years ago. Nopony questioned the fact that he was borderline immortal, but the difference between hearing and seeing was so massive it made me want to slap myself to check if I was dreaming.

Mythic’s ice blue eyes and auburn mane stood out in stark contrast to his coal black fur, his thin lips curled into a calm and seemingly warm smile as he lowered his legs. Had I not known any better, I would have been positive that this clear-cut pony could never possibly do harm to anypony. He seemed to lack the dark and foreboding feeling one would expect from somepony evil. Such was the mastery of his deception.

“My friends,” he called out, his voice magnified and projected as his horn glowed a deep red, “once again it is time for the most anticipated even of the year. Today we watch as our chosen champions compete against one another for the final time in the hope that one of them will earn the title of Dragon Champion! Many have tried and failed to attain such glory, but I have a feeling that this year will be special. Our current champion for the eighth year running, Black Beauty, has been holding herself far above the others of the Circuit. However, now we seem to have a list of challengers that can meet her skills mark for mark.”

He extended his leg to indicate our group, “First off, I would like to congratulate the Freedom Fighters for proving themselves over and over.” His face softened for a moment and I could have sworn there was genuine hurt in his gaze, “I regret the fact that the last members of your team could not be with us, it was truly a tragedy that befell you during the Seaside Sprint. And yet here you are, poised to claim the title for yourselves and to prove that trials and tragedy cannot and will not hold you back. I applaud your dedication and your determination in seeing this through to the very end.”

He paused for a moment before moving his gaze onto Thunder, “Thunder Ace, for years you have tried and failed to match Black Beauty on the track, and yet here you are, ready to take her place as Champion of Equestria by putting everything you have into today’s race. I commend you on your hard work and seemingly endless patience. May they serve you well in today’s contest.”

Mythic’s gaze lifted as he addressed the people, raising his hooves together before shooting them apart. Streams of multi-colored fire shot into the air over his spread legs, forming a dazzling display that lasted for almost a minute.

As he stood on all fours again the fire faded away, and his face was lit into a big smile as he yelled out, “Now that the formal ceremony is over, I have one final surprise before the race begins.” He settled the murmurs of the crowd with a wave of his hoof, “I will tell everypony here exactly what the final race will be, but it is how you choose to tackle these challenges that will decide your fate. Today the race is a very simple one. Once the signal horn sounds the racers will break onto the track and race straight ahead for exactly ten miles. You will face traps and other hazards like you did during the first Handicap Trial. However, once you reach the end, there is a ramp that will direct you back here for the second half of the race. It shall be held in the air and there will be no obstacles to bar your path. However, the challenge is that this race is a little combination I like to call an endurance sprint. There will be no laps, no alternate routes, and no other means of finishing the race except for flying back across the starting line. The challenge you must face is when to push your mounts and when to hold back. Push for the sprint too soon and you’ll burn out. If you push too late then the others may very well pass you. Both halves of the race take this into account, because they are both perfectly straight shots from here to the end and back again. Choose your moment wisely, because there won’t be any second chances.”

He nodded to the announcer before taking his seat in the center of the balcony. For a moment even the announcer seemed at a loss for words before he shook himself back into focus.

“Now that Lord Song has given his blessing and even shed some insight into the challenge before our riders, let’s get on with the race.” He placed his hoof on the starting mechanism lever and turned to face the Princesses, "With your permission Your Highnesses?"

Celestia smiled softly, "You may proceed whenever you are ready."

"Indeed," Luna added, sipping on a cup of coffee in her magic grip, "let us be entertained by this grand spectacle."

The announcer nodded, turning to face the racers, “Racers to your marks!”

He pulled the lever and the flag began its slow climb of the starting pole. We all fell into our starting crouches, our eyes locked on the flag as it drew ever closer to the peak.

“Well,” I whispered more to myself than anypony else, “here we go. It’s now or never.”

I heard Nilak chuckle through our link, relax Silver. This is going to be fun.

I rolled my eyes just as the flag reached the peak of the pole. The trumpets blared and the gates opened, releasing all of us in one sudden burst. I had a feeling that the spectators in the stands felt like they needed to get their eyes checked, because Nilak, Winx, Shield Fang and Whiteout came shooting out of the gate so fast I felt like we had been blasted out of a cannon. I didn’t bother looking back at the other racers. This was a battle for first, and there wasn’t going to be a prize for second place.

Author's Notes:

Well here we go. Next chapter hits the climax at a dead sprint. Should have it up tomorrow if I don't get sidetracked by homework. Again, thanks to all of you guys who read my junk and tell me how amazing it is. It really hits me right in the feels to know you all enjoy my work so much.

Anyway, enough with the fluff. I'll be in touch, and I'll see you all next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

XXIII - The New Champion?

Alright, so this little number needs some musical accompaniment. Otherwise I won't be able to live with myself for leaving it out. This chapter was inspired by this song, so please take a listen before you get reading. It also inspired some of the events that happened in the previous chapter that led up to this blood-pumping Championship.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_55XNzqG0M

Alright, with that out of the way, ON WITH THE BOOK!!!!

The wind thundered in my ears as we hurtled down the track and my heart beat a staccato rhythm in my chest. I could see that Whiteout was neck and neck with us and I could almost sense Ivy and Winx behind us doing the same to Thunder and Shield Fang. My eyes were locked forward, sparing no second thoughts towards anything other than what was surely lying in wait for us. Other than it being a perfectly straight run over the streets of Canterlot the track was as open as a highway, but I had a feeling that things were going to heat up sooner than later.

Relax Silver, Nilak said over our link. If you get too wound up now you’ll never last the whole race.

I was about to send him a barbed retort when my stomach suddenly dropped out through my feet. We sailed through the air for about five seconds from our raw momentum before we came back down, but by that time the trap had already begun to cascade after us. Just like the first Handicap Trial, the road seemed to come alive as the surface below us began to buck and roll like some kind of monster. I glanced behind us and saw that Whiteout was now struggling to catch up to Winx and Shield Fang, her eyes narrowed in concentration as the track continued to try and toss us into open air.

Did you dodge Whiteout when the track threw her at us? I asked, not quite sure if I had what happened correct.

Nilak nodded, his concentration too narrow to reply.

For about a minute we stumbled and slid over the shifting track, but as abruptly as it had begun, it suddenly stopped. We settled into a normal stride again, hoping that the next trap wouldn’t come as such a surprise.

It did.

This time we were treated to a combination of the metal pummeling trees and some kind of impact turrets. While we wove through and around the swinging arms and tried not to get our brains bashed in, the turrets would be firing large globs of what seemed to be glue. It would impact any surface and immediately harden into a solid mass, meaning that if we got hit by them too much we’d be so weighed down with the gunk that we wouldn’t be able to move. I ducked as another arm nearly took my head off, though I almost lost my balance as Nilak slid to a sudden stop. I glanced over his shoulder and saw a glob of hardening glue freezing the arms of a pummeling tree in front of us, blocking our forward movement.

I cursed under my breath as we made our way around the tangled mess, feeling a surge of irritation as Winx, Shield Fang and Whiteout passed us. I didn’t even have to tell Nilak to step on it. He was already kicking into the next gear as we came out of the swinging forest and goo cannons’ firing range. We were now in line with Whiteout for the second time, although now Winx and Shield Fang were leading our little group. I hoped and prayed that Winx could take the next trap, because she was going to be the first one to feel its wrath if it caught the girls unprepared.

It ended up be the worst trap yet.

We watched in horror as an entire section of the track rose up before us, revealing the familiar rock tumbling tunnel that blocked our path from the finish line the first time around. However, Winx didn’t slow down an inch as she leaped into the tumbler, dodging left and right as rocks half as big as she was rolled and bounced like tenpins.

I heard Shield Fang grunt as a larger rock hit him in the shoulder, causing him to stumble slightly as Whiteout and Nilak slipped past him. It didn’t stop the neigh-impregnable dragon, but it did make me worry about what would happen if one of those boulders hit Winx or Ivy. Given how big they were, it was a blessing that we made it through without any of us getting smashed.

Come on Silver! Ivy yelled over the link, one more trap and we should be nearing the turnabout!

You seem pretty sure about that! I sent back, how can you tell?

Because Mythic said that the track was ten miles long. I’ve been counting the blocks since we started, and we’ve already gone seven and a half miles. If they don’t have something fast we’re going to be at the ramp before they can hit us again!

Boy I wish she hadn’t thought that. No sooner had the thought passed through my head then the track seemed to have a mind of its own. This time it wasn’t like the living roller coaster from before. This time it shook like an earthquake before splitting down the middle. Winx yelped as the fissure separated them from Nilak and I, forcing Whiteout and Shield Fang to split as well. I watched in amazement as the road seemed to curl up on itself, growing thinner and thinner as it looped back towards the center. Rising up from the gap was the launch ramp that would propel us into the second half of the race. Once we launched into the air, we could forget about the traps and pour every ounce of energy we had into speed. However, the narrowing track meant that if we lost our focus for even an instant, we’d fall off the course and be disqualified for moving out of bounds.

Nilak and Winx split apart fully as the tracks began their counter-rotating loops around and behind the ramp. By the time we had reached the furthest point, Winx was small enough I could have covered her with my hoof if I lifted it between us. In truth, that was probably so riders could allow their dragons to fly if they fell off the track, but it also meant that if Winx got into trouble there was nothing we could do to help her.

Gradually, the track began to narrow until Nilak almost had to step over his own paws to keep them in line. We were both so engrossed in not falling off that the sudden chill that passed over us went unnoticed until Whiteout came crashing back down in front of us. Black Beauty smirked over her shoulder once her partner found her footing, knowing that unless we wanted to chance a similar jump, there was no way we could pass her until we got to the ramp.

Somehow we managed to make it all the way around the loop without falling off, and I breathed a silent sigh of relief when I saw Winx leading Shield Fang around and alongside us. The ramp rattled and rang as four sets of dragon paws pounded up its corrugated surface, Nilak falling in with Shield Fang as the wider space allowed for us to run abreast again.

There was a collective gust of air as the dragons took to the air, the first of the stragglers only now just beginning the right side loop. We shot over their heads as we poured on the speed, jockeying for position as we tried to outpace one another.

Finally, I had had enough of playing second fiddle. I pressed the release plate on Nilak’s armor and waved to Ivy to do the same. She nodded as she saw Nilak’s armor retracting and did the same for Winx, holding the plate to her chest as she watched me for the signal. I raised my free foreleg in the air and held it for a moment. Once I brought my leg down, we’d drop the armor onto the track below and kick into supersonic. However, movement caught the corner of my eyes and made me pause. Glancing from side to side revealed that Whiteout and Shield Fang were doing several rapid gestures with their front paws, their eyes narrowed in concentration as their bodies began to glow a soft blue and red respectively.

Silver! We need to start now before they finish that spell! Nilak yelled at me, jolting me out of my dazed state.

I nodded and quickly threw down my leg, tossing the armor over Nilak’s shoulder so it would land on the track below us. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Winx’s armor flash in the light once before disappearing from sight. I had to hold onto Nilak’s saddle with all of my grip as we suddenly shot forward again, the shockwave of our duel speed boost making a sonic boom as we left Whiteout and Shield Fang in the dust. Unfortunately, our victory was short-lived, because I almost immediately heard a secondary blast that wasn’t coming from us. I glanced over my shoulder, trying to see what was going on through my watering eyes. All I saw was a large white and silver blob rapidly growing larger behind us, and I cursed aloud this time as I urged Nilak to greater speeds.

Unbelievably, he kicked it up another level.

The second boom was enough to rattle my brain and make me almost lose my grip on the saddle. Thankfully, I didn’t fall off from the force, although it was a very close thing for several seconds. By now my eyes were watering so much I couldn’t even see anymore, and I let Nilak take full control as we blazed a path through the air. I could see the general shape of the stadium as we drew closer, but other than that I was so blind we could have been heading for a building-shaped cliff for all I knew. I glanced both directions in the hopes of seeing Winx somewhere close at hoof, but what I made out was enough to almost make me lose my grip again.

Not only was Winx keeping pace with us, but so were Whiteout and Shield Fang. It was hard to tell, but it looked like all four dragons were nose to nose and were pulling out all the stops. The dull echo that was the crowd cheering for us somehow made it into my ears, and I suddenly realized that there was no way we could stop in time if we kept going this fast. Unless we pulled an incredibly tight turn once we crossed the line, we’d end up crashing into the stands at Mach Two. I was about to yell my worry to Nilak, but one look at his fully extended neck and hard set eyes told me he wouldn’t care. This was now a matter of pride for him, and he wasn’t going to let up until he crossed the finish line or died trying.

I just prayed we all survived what was surely going to be a photo finish.

The stadium was now growing in my field of view until I was sure we were going to crash into the stands. I could hear the announcer’s voice echoing off of the seating as I locked my eyes onto the finish line. We were moving so fast that when we crossed the line, the starting stalls rattled like they were in an earthquake. I sucked in a deep breath in preparation for our imminent demise, but instead felt the air forced out of me as my entire front slammed into Nilak’s back. I grunted as I was plastered into the saddle and his shoulder feathers, feeling the force of the turn in my very bones.

For a few seconds I wondered if we had actually crashed and I was simply in limbo, before Nilak leveled out and brought us to a swift landing behind the finish line. I was so exhausted that I fell over his shoulder and landed flat on my back as I saw the others doing the same. Black Beauty was lying over Whiteout’s shoulders like a prize deer while Thunder and Ivy followed my lead and simply lay panting on the ground. Winx quickly followed her rider’s example and flopped onto her belly, her mouth agape but curled into a gleeful smile as her sides rapidly rose and fell.

Shield Fang was standing with his shoulder against the walls leading up to the stands, and I wondered with a flash of humor what would happen if his weight caused the wall to collapse. Whiteout was breathing heavily but was poised in a more dignified manner, her head held high and her legs neatly folded under her body while her wings lay open on the ground. Nilak, by contrast, was almost as bad as Winx. His body was completely pressed to the ground save for his head, which was resting on my hind legs as he smiled down at me. I smiled back and ran one hoof over his muzzle in an approving way. None of us could speak, but we all knew that we had done our best today.

“I can’t believe it!” The announcer’s voice had never been so high in pitch, “I saw it with my own eyes and I still don’t believe it! Fillies and gentlecolts, we are witnessing racing history being made.”

Everyone’s eyes moved up to one of the massive screens that the masses had used to watch the race. Now it was showing four colored blurs that could only have been us as they slowly moved closer to the finish line. Frame by frame the dragons moved closer to the line, until at long last, someone crossed it. Only, it wasn’t just one dragon.

“You have got to be kidding me,” Black Beauty said as she slid down Whiteout’s flank to stand amazed by her side. “Did we….?”

She never got the chance to finish, because the announcer said it for her, “Fillies and gentlecolts, for the first time in history, we have a four-way tie for first place!”

The crowd erupted to the point I was sure my ears were going to rupture, but at that moment I didn’t care. I was still staring at the image of us, the tips of our dragon’s muzzles all crossing the finish line at the exact same instant. Had I not already been on the ground, I’m sure I would have fallen over from the shock. I knew we needed as many of our members together to take on Mythic, but this was beyond perfect. Unless they made one of us the champion over the others, we’d all be meeting Mythic as the new co-champions. I felt my lips pulling into the biggest smile I had ever made. We’d done it. We won the Draconic Heaven. The mission that had started so long ago was now within our grasp. All we had to do now was take out Mythic during our meeting, and Nilak could go back to his people and tell them that he had done it. Dragon kind would be free from pony control once again.

Nilak lifted his head off of my legs as Thunder appeared in my line of sight, his grin easily as big as mine. He reached down and pulled me to my hooves, supporting me as I swayed for a moment. Once I’d gotten my balance, he slapped me on the back hard enough to almost send me sprawling again.

“You sly little bastard!” He yelled before laughing like a lunatic, “You actually went and did it. You won!”

Black Beauty walked up with Ivy’s leg over her shoulders, “Yes we know Thunder, you don’t have to shatter the poor colt’s spine to tell him that.”

Ivy lifted her head to smile at us, “We won? Did we win?” Her eyes were a bit glazed over, so I assumed she had missed the announcement.

I took Ivy off of Black Beauty’s shoulders and pulled her into a hug. She only took a moment before she returned it, her embrace reassuringly firm as I whispered in her ear what the announcer had said. She pulled back to stare at me with her mouth hanging open. I smiled again and nodded to say that it was the truth. Her gaze moved to Black Beauty and then to Thunder, before she suddenly burst out laughing. For a moment we all stared at her, but then realized the absurdity of what we had just done. Before long all four of us were laughing so hard we could barely breathe, though our mirth quickly died as we noticed the robed figure standing not ten feet away from us.

Mythic Song stood before us with a pleased expression on his face, although the dark knowledge that lurked behind his calm demeanor sent chills down my spine. From the shiver that shook Ivy, she felt the same. Princess Luna and Princess Celestia were standing off to one side, speaking with Black Beauty and Thunder while Mythic walked up to Ivy and I.

“I must say that was by far the most exciting race I have ever seen,” he said as shook my hoof. His grip was firm but not too hard as his eyes held my own. “Truly a masterful performance and a victory well deserved. You four are truly worthy of the title Dragon Champion.”

“T-Thank you L-Lord Song,” Ivy stuttered out as his gaze fell onto her.

“Ah, but I should be the one thanking you my dear,” he said as he pushed some of her flyaway mane out of her face. “You have given me the most excitement and enjoyment I have experienced since I created this race. You are all masters of your beasts, and worthy ponies to lead the next season to even greater heights. I have no doubt that next season there will be even greater surprises for us all.”
With that he turned on one hoof and walked out of the stadium, leaving us sitting in the center of the arena as the screens flashed back to the other racers.

Celestia walked up to Ivy and I, her eyes filled with wonder, "That was truly a race for the ages. Never in all my years have I seen such a display of skill and raw speed."

"Indeed, twas a masterful race," Luna said as she beamed, her coffee seemingly forgotten as it floated along in her magic, "one we shall remember for many years to come."

"Thank you very much Your Highnesses," I managed to force out while dipping into a bow, Ivy doing the same at my side, "we're glad you had fun."

Celestia nodded once, a smile curling her lips as she turned away, "Come Luna, we have work to do. We cannot afford to waste the entire day on fun and excitement."

"Much as I would rather do anything but sit listening to insufferable nobles prattle on like children." Luna muttered, seemingly too low for Celestia to hear. She seemed to realize we were still standing next to her, her cheeks flushing a soft purple as she cast a nervous look over her shoulder, "Please refrain from telling my sister that I just said that."

Ivy grinned, making a locking motion next to her lips, "You can count on us Your Highness, you're secret's safe with us."

She nodded once before hurrying after her sister, leaving us alone at the finish line save for Thunder and the other members of our group.

Ivy turned to face me as our eyes locked onto the doorway that Mythic and the Princesses had used to exit the stands, and I could almost feel the shiver that ran up Ivy's spine.

“Why do I feel like Mythic knows something we don’t?” I asked as we walked out of the stadium and into the open, leaving the chaos and thunderous noise behind as we exited onto the city proper.

We paused for only a moment as a race official handed me Nilak and Winx’s armor, although I felt slightly embarrassed that in all the excitement I had completely forgotten about them. Judging by Ivy’s slightly red cheeks, so had she.

“Could it be possible that he knows our dragons aren’t under the control of the collars?” Black Beauty asked as Ivy followed her out the door, Winx’s armor now securely stowed in her saddlebags.

“I don’t think so,” I replied, as I slipped Nilak’s armor into one of his saddle bags, “at least not to the extent that the dragons have free will and are plotting against him. I think he knows that we did something to make our dragons go that fast when nopony has ever done it before. He might not know what, but he knows that something about us is different.”

Then we must be on guard when we face him, Nilak said with a focused expression. If he is expecting more out of us then the normal racer then our attack might prove more difficult than we had planned.

It was never going to be easy, Winx countered. We knew he was going to be hard to kill, but we still need to do it. If he knows about us then so what? He still has to meet us and we still have to fight him. This way everypony is on the same page.

Nilak glanced down at the other dragon, but killing Mythic would be a lot easier if he didn’t suspect something was up. Now if he’s on guard, it will make our already difficult task even more dangerous.

Her frills lowered as her eyes widened in understanding, oh.

“Cheer up you two,” I said as we walked into the racer rest stop and flopped onto the couches, “We don’t have to meet with Mythic until the private audience is finalized. We should have a couple days at least before he calls us to Capital Hall.”

Nilak nodded as he and Whiteout lay down beside one another and closed their eyes. I assumed that they were going to take a nap, and I figured we should all do the same. One by one everyone passed out on a couch or chair, though just as I was about to close my eyes I noticed something. Winx was curled up against Shield Fang’s side, her lips curled into a smile as she slept. I smiled as Shield Fang leaned down and kissed her on the forehead, dropping one of his wings over her back like a blanket before curling his head around to rest his muzzle against the side of hers. She purred as she rubbed her face with his, his deeper rumble making her purr louder as the vibrations traveled through his body and into hers.

I closed my eyes with a warm feeling in my chest. Someday that might be me and Lucky or Nilak and Mel. A sudden spark of pain pierced my heart when I remembered that Lucky might never wake up from her coma. I shook my head to clear the negative thought from my mind. No, she would wake up, and when she did, I was going to confess my feelings to her, and pray that she would feel the same about me after the pain I put her through.

Author's Notes:

How about that?!! Did you guys see that little number coming or did I blow you out of the water? Anyways, thanks again for sticking with me through all this. We're nearing the climactic final battle, and it's going to be one Tartarus of a fight. Hold onto your horseshoes, because the next couple chapters are going to make this one look like a walk in the park.

See you all next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

XXIV - The Battle Begins

We stood in front of Capital Hall as planned, the eight of us lined up before the massive stone structure while the guards checked us over for weapons and such. Sure it was annoying, but when any of the ponies coming in or out of the building could be a Blood Claw member in disguise, there was no expense spared for the protection of the nation’s leaders. Of course with Mythic Song as the head stallion on deck, anypony who attacked the capital with anything less than an army was more foolhardy than brave. The good news for us was that our greatest weapon wasn’t something physical like a blade. We had dragon magic on our side, and hopefully that was the one thing Mythic would never see coming.

The guard that had patted me down nodded once to his companions, their reactions a mirror to his as they stepped aside. We walked as a group up the massive front steps and into the main hall through equally massive front doors. The mechanisms to open and close them were as big as Shield Fang and probably weighed ten times as much, their interlocking gears and levers so complex I could imagine Smit having a field day figuring out how they worked.

We were led by a steward up a spiral staircase on the right side of the hall, looping up and around enough to make me slightly dizzy by the time we reached the top.

He turned to us and held up his hoof for us to wait, “You must wait here until I have determined that Lord Song is not busy with other matters. Stand there and do not move until I send for you.”

He pushed open the door and walked in, closing it behind him as we sat like a sack of potatoes.

“What could possibly be more important than meeting with the new co-champions of Equestria?” Ivy asked, “He was the one who told us to be here by a certain time, not the other way around.”

I shrugged, “Who knows? Could be he got set back in a meeting or something. You never know what might come up out of the blue.”

Nilak ground his teeth in frustration, I wish they would hurry up already. I want to get this started before he catches wind of something that might clue him in to what we’re up to.

Patience my friend, Whiteout said with a calming tone, this battle will be a long one and most likely will involve some of us being injured in some form or other. Do not rush into a situation that you know could get you killed.

He huffed as he turned his gaze away from the older dragonelle, I spent years training for this. Now that the time has come I feel like I have to get it done before the chance slips through my claws. I don’t have time to be cautious when the fate of the world is at stake.

Then think of what would happen if you did rush in and got killed because of your recklessness, Shield Fang countered. You can’t save anyone if you die in the process. Even if it was to save the planet, what would Mel think if she lost you?

Mel? Nilak turned to look at the normally quiet dragon, what about her?

Oh come on Nilak, Winx huffed as her frills jumped to attention, do we really have to spell it out for you? Mel would be crushed if you died in order to save the world. Don’t try and tell me she would understand if you made the ultimate sacrifice. You’re her world and if you bit the dust without doing your best to get out of this alive, she’d be broken beyond hope because you are the only thing that matters to her on that level. She stepped up and pressed her muzzle against Nilak’s, locking her gaze with his, so don’t even think about sacrificing yourself when you have someone who is waiting for you to come home to her.

She surprised us all when she pushed onto her back legs and pressed her front paws against Nilak’s chest in order to get even further in his face, Mel is my best friend in the world, and if you break her heart by pulling some noble sacrifice bullshit I swear I’ll bring you back to life just so I can kill you myself. Is that clear?

Nilak nodded furiously, his body frozen in what I could only call fear. He wasn’t the only one. Everyone in the room had frozen in shock at the little dragon’s outburst, given it was so far out of character for her that we had never seen it coming. Winx nodded once and hopped off of Nilak’s chest, walking over to Ivy with her tail held straight and her head tilted up like she had every right to be mad at Nilak. She sat down next to Ivy and it was like the old Winx had never left. Her frills were down and her expression was one of excited impatience.

Meanwhile, the rest of our group was trying to figure out what in Tartarus just happened.

It was Black Beauty who broke from the spell first. Given she had elected to leave off her mask, it was much easier to read her emotions and thoughts. She shook her head a couple of times and cleared her throat, “Well, uh, that was a bit, well, dramatic.” She pushed her mane behind her ear before turning to the rest of us, “Regardless of how it was said, Winx is right. We all understand that this is going to be a difficult battle. But even at our most dire, we cannot give in and use our own lives for the common good.”

She turned to look at me and Ivy, “We all have ponies who are waiting for us, friends who care about what happens to us. We cannot give in until the very last. If we are to die here today, then we will do everything to make it as hard as possible to take. We will not give into fear and we must do whatever is necessary to make it out of this alive.” Her gaze traveled over all of us one by one, “Are we in agreement?”

We nodded, our spirits rising as our gazes grew hard and our backs straightened. I didn’t know for sure, but I felt that at least now, we could go into the next room with our minds clear and our hearts steadfast.

Not a second later the door cracked open and the steward stuck his head out, “Lord Song will see you now.” He pushed the door open all the way and stepped aside, “Mind your manners or I will be forced to remove you from the premises.”

Nilak snorted once, though he quickly clammed up when the steward sent him a penetrating look. We walked past the stuffy unicorn and into a large room. He closed the door behind us with a resounding crash, the echoes bouncing around the bare expanse while the sun shone in from the massive windows that made up most of the right wall. The roof was vaulted and rose almost forty feet above our heads, though the odd thing was that there seemed to be nothing else in the room save for a raised dais with a single throne in its center. Behind the dais was a wall of black curtains, but Mythic was nowhere to be found.

I was just opening my mouth to ask if we had the wrong room, when the lights suddenly went out. The dragons hissed in surprise while Ivy and Thunder yelped. Black Beauty and I spun towards the windows to see what had blocked the sunlight, but that thought came crashing down when we realized that the walls were no longer there. In fact, the only thing I could see beside the floor was the black curtains and throne.

Ivy screamed as cruel laughter echoed around the room, and I turned a full circle to try and find its source. The only problem was that the echoes and the pitch darkness surrounding us combined to make the location of the laughter impossible to pinpoint. Ivy grabbed ahold of me as the laughter came to a halt, though it was soon followed by something even more sinister.

“You thought you could fool me,” Mythic’s voice bounced around the room like a specter, “You honestly thought that I didn’t know your plan from the very beginning?”

“Show yourself coward!” Black Beauty yelled as she fell in behind Thunder. Nilak and the other dragons made a larger circle around us in the hope to stop any attacks before they could do harm.

Mythic’s cruel laughter echoed through the room again, “I can feel the magic in every collar in this city. I can tell simply by being around a dragon if it is under my control. Oh you may have thought you fooled me, but you were gravely mistaken.”

I spun around as his voice condensed into a single point behind me and Ivy, “I knew the moment you entered Canterlot that your partners were free of my spell. The only thing I couldn’t understand was why.” We spun around again as his voice emanated from a point on our right, “Now I know what you wanted. You were planning on coming here and slaying me in order to free the other beasts under my sway.”

Nilak roared as he flared his wings, his eyes flicking from left to right, you enslaved my kind! You took the fear ponies had of us and used it for your own selfish gain! We are not slaves for you to toy with as you please! And you can drop the ‘I’m completely shocked’ routine. We know you’re planning on using the dragons to take over the world. You do control the collar spell after all. How no one saw that coming is a mystery to me, but the end result is still the same. Once you control the planet, there will be no place left for my kin to hide, and nowhere to run to if you discover us. He took a single threatening step forward, his eyes locked straight ahead, your plan ends now Mythic Song. The dragons will be free by the end of this day!

“My, my,” Mythic’s voice held what almost sounded like genuine surprise, “I had expected your dragons to be capable of speaking, but this is truly news to me.”

I felt a sudden chill run up my spine, and I spun around as Mythic’s voice bounced from one corner of the room to the next, “I never expected your precious mount to be one of those free lizards that have eluded me for so long. I will have a grand time making you spill all of your secrets once you are under my control.”

Nilak kissed in rage as his eyes narrowed to slits, I’d sooner slit my own throat than betray my comrades.

Mythic’s laughter only made the darkness around us even more menacing, “That can be arranged if you so desire, although that would be a waste of such a noble specimen such as yourself. Pity your free will makes you such a thorn in my side.”

Winx bristled as she stepped up next to Nilak, her eyes smoldering with hatred, you never even gave me a chance you heartless monster! I never knew true love while under the control of these despicable devices. She raked her claws over the collar, leaving gashes in the metal as her frills trembled under her raw emotion, I never knew how much Ivy cared for me. I never knew what it was like to enjoy being alive and being with friends and ponies I love! I was no better than a doll that could be moved about and could be made to do simple things!

Her whole body was shaking now, and I heard Ivy gasp as twinkling tears dropped from Winx’s jaw to the stones below. She sniffed once, her gaze both glowing with hatred and shining with her tears of regret, I can never get back those years of being a mindless toy. I can never relive my childhood and growing up with Ivy and her family. I can never know how much they sacrificed and how much they gained from my life. I know you think dragons are your toys, that you can use us and abuse us however you see fit, but let me tell you something. We are not playthings, we are not going to stand by any longer, and we will do everything in our power to bring you down once and for all! DO YOU HEAR ME MYTHIC SONG?! YOUR OPRESSION ENDS TODAY!!!

Before any of us could react, Winx drew in a deep breath and roared as loud as she could, a burst of crimson flames with a white core shooting from her gaping maw as she roasted a wide arc in front of her. She quickly spun around and did the same behind her, forcing us ponies and Shield Fang to jump out of the way as she ignited the ground in another arc. Blast after blast she kept firing, until the only place left untouched was the wall that had the curtains and the throne. Winx panted as her legs trembled, and Nilak had to step in to support her as her strength gave out.

She looked up at him with lidded eyes, her expression one of self-pride, did I get him?

Nilak shook his head once, I doubt that Mythic would go down so easily, but I am so proud of you for saying what you did. You have proven your worth over and over again that you deserve to be a part of this team, and now you have taken that to the next step. You have done something that not even the majority of the free dragons could do.

Winx tilted her head slightly, what could I do that even free dragons can’t?

Nilak smiled as he rubbed his muzzle against hers, they could never earn my respect, at least not like you have.

Winx purred as she closed her eyes, although the moment was shattered as Mythic’s voice came from behind the curtains, “Oh, such a touching moment. A pity that all it did was bore me.”

The curtains rustled and parted as a black cloaked figure stepped around the center fold, our bodies going on high alert as he walked up and leaned against the left side of the throne. He took his time in flipping back his hood, revealing Mythic Song as we knew him, but now without the calm and caring façade he showed the public. In its place was a cruel and sadistic mind that showed no mercy, only death to the lucky and enslavement to the rest.

“Now that you have my attention,” he drawled as he pulled two curved swords from the folds of his robes, “let’s see if all that talk of killing me was genuine.”

Nilak pushed Winx behind him as he lowered his head with narrowed eyes, you want a fight, then you’ll have one Mythic. But not before I ask a question.

Mythic’s expression changed to one of mild interest, “Very well. What do you wish to know before we begin our little war?”

Why? Nilak asked, all I want to know is why you did all of this. Why enslave the dragons after we taught you our magic? Why go to war against your own kind?

“I believe that was actually three questions,” Mythic drawled, “but I understand the answer to all of them is likely one and the same. You want to know why I did all of this? Because I could. When you can live for hundreds of years and have the power to shape the world in your own image, who in their right mind would turn down that kind of future?”

Nilak and the others bristled in anger, so you did all of this, for sport? You enslaved millions and plotted to take over the planet, all because you could? What kind of twisted reasoning led you to believe that you would ever get away with it?

Mythic indicated the room around us like it was the only explanation he needed, “It worked didn’t it? I own the world, at least in the background. I have enslaved the minds of nearly all dragons with only your meddlesome brethren unaccounted for. What more could I possibly want? I literally own everything. When the time comes, not even your precious Princesses will be able to stand against me. Even they cannot stand against he power of an entire planet's worth of dragons. Celestia and Luna may rule the day and night, but when I take over, there won't be a single pony or dragon on this world that won't tremble in terror at the mere mention of my name. And besides,” he stood up straight and flipped the swords around in his magic while smiling darkly at us, “Even if you planned to put an end to all of my schemes, you forgot one little fact.”

He waved a hoof through the air between us and vanished like he was an illusion. We spun in every direction, trying to locate where he had gotten to, until I heard Ivy scream behind me. I jerked around and gasped when I saw Mythic standing behind Ivy with one of his blades pressed against her throat.

He chuckled with a wicked gleam in his eyes as he leaned down to speak next to Ivy’s ear, “I’m a wizard, and that means unless you brought more than your paltry beasts and big speeches, you can never hope to defeat me.”

My anger flared to new heights, overshadowing my fear in my fury at the deplorable being that stood before me. I felt the familiar heat of our bond in the center of my chest, and before I could fathom why, I held my hooves together in front of my chest and concentrated. A warm glow emanated from my joined limbs, and as I pulled them apart a small sphere of white fire began to form in the space I had created. Mythic was busy teasing Ivy and talking garbage to the others, so his attention was elsewhere when I pulled back my hoof and threw the fireball at his head.

It hit him just above his right eye, his monologue cut off mid-sentence as he yelled in agony. In the moment his focus was shattered, Ivy slipped under the blade and raced to Winx, who embraced her with her forelegs and wings as Ivy wept into the base of her neck. Nilak took this moment to shoot a blast of his blue fire at Mythic, but by that time he had recovered enough to see it coming. The singed fur on the side of his head reformed to its normal state, the burns on his face and jaw vanishing as he faced down Nilak’s attack. I watched as a bubble of black power formed around his body, shielding him from the flames as they split and surged off into the darkness like water over a rock. Nilak cut off his flames and raced toward the bubble with his front paws enveloped in gold light, but when he slashed through the shield Mythic was nowhere to be seen.

The next several minutes seemed to pass by at a snail’s pace. It was like the world had gone into slow motion and all I could do was watch as Mythic appeared and then disappeared, leaving a dragon or pony crying out in pain as blood ran down a leg or wing. I could see my friends trying to hit him when he would materialize, but it was like trying to hit a cloud of smoke. Anything the dragons did seemed to be just too slow to make contact, or he would block the blow with one of his swords while attacking with the other. The ponies had it even worse. Ivy was bleeding from several cuts along her legs and across her barrel, while Winx tried desperately to protect her from harm. The small dragonelle was bleeding heavily from gashes along her right side and had several cuts through the webbing of her frills, dripping blood down her face and neck as she spun to try and fend off the unrelenting attacks.

Shield Fang and Whiteout weren’t doing much better. They had fallen in back to back like their pony counterparts, but it only seemed to make it easier for Mythic to get under their guard. One time I saw him snap into being between them, but just as Shield Fang was about to bash his skull in he had to pull his blow in order to avoid slashing Whiteout, who was too busy looking the other way to see the battle behind her.

Black Beauty’s clothes were hanging on by the thinnest of margins, her legs and flanks now completely bare save for some shredded remains. Her eyes were narrowed in concentration as she struck out with her own magic, her hooves gripping the hilts of two daggers while Thunder covered her back with a set of wing blades. I tried to forge a magic weapon of my own, but every time I got something going another line of burning pain would shatter my concentration. I knew Mythic could have killed us ten times over by now, but somehow I knew that he had something better in mind for us. The dragons would be useful if working collars could be placed around their necks, but the only thing I could imagine us being useful for was insurance in case the dragons ever broke free again. Mythic could keep us alive and imprisoned for as long as he needed just in case any of our partners freed themselves or were freed by another of the wild dragons.
Our future didn’t look very promising. Already the dragons were weakening, and Ivy looked like she had already passed out against Winx’s flank. Thunder and Black Beauty were still standing, but their weapons were starting to flicker in and out of existence. I knew it was going to be mere moments until they phased out altogether.

Just as Mythic reappeared in front of me, a twisted smile on his face and the tips of his swords pressed against my throat, the right wall exploded in a shower of glass and blinding light. Something large and purple came crashing into the room, knocking Mythic away from me with enough force to shatter the illusion that had imprisoned us. The stone walls and ceiling reappeared as the remaining glass from the window clattered to the floor. I looked up with disbelieving eyes as familiar sandstone scales and purple hide gave way to still-healing scars and a barely held together set of armor. I moved my gaze up until I met a set of bright green eyes, the beaming smile and black mane leaving no doubt as to who was looking down from Mel’s saddle. I knew who it was, but that didn’t make it any easier to believe.

“What’s the matter Silver,” Lucky asked as she glanced around, “are we too late for the party?”

Everyone seemed to inflate with hope and pride, and I couldn’t help the smile that split my face to match hers. “Welcome back Lucky. You showed up just in time.”

Author's Notes:

Hot Damn this chapter had some kiss-flank action!! And we're not even at the good part yet!! Oh boy I can see the comments for this chapter already, but I won't spoil any of the surprise.

Anyway, hold onto your horseshoes, 'cause things are about to get interesting around here!!!

See you next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

XXV - A Battle For All Time

Lucky glanced around at our sorry condition, her apparent full recovery making our beaten and bloody states seem even worse. Nilak managed to walk up and rub muzzles with Mel, but his strength was fading, and I didn’t know how long we could hold out. Mel and Lucky might have come to help us, but it might already be too late to stop our imminent destruction.

“It seems you needed our help more than I thought,” Lucky murmured as she took stock of our condition, “I hope we can do something to help. Hey, is Ivy alright?!”

She had just spotted the evergreen mare lying flat on top of Winx’s back, although at the sound of her voice Ivy stirred enough to wave a feeble greeting. Lucky’s shoulders slumped in relief, though it changed to fear when she looked back at me, “What happened to Mythic?”

I glanced over at the far wall, where said stallion lay in a crumpled heap on the floor. However, we couldn’t make a move to attack him because a wall of magic stood between us and his body. With Nilak so weak there was no way we were getting through that shield until Mythic lowered it, and by that time it would be too late to hurt him any more than we had already managed.

I glanced up at Lucky and Mel, pondering the chances of escaping, when all of a sudden my mind flashed with an idea. Maybe, just maybe, our bond would be strong enough now that we were all back together to give us the strength we needed to go on.

“Everyone come here! I have an idea!” I yelled, pulling Lucky to the ground almost before she could slip free of the saddle.

Winx walked over with Ivy still on her back, while Black Beauty helped Thunder move with a leg over her shoulders. Whiteout and Shield Fang followed their partners while Nilak fell in next to me and Lucky. We formed a rough circle with the ponies in the middle and the dragons behind their partners. Winx squeezed in next to Mel so that Ivy could hear what I was saying. All eyes were on me, and I hoped what I had in mind would work as well as I hoped.

“You guys know about our little bonding chant right?” My question was aimed at the ponies and dragons not already part of the Freedom Fighters. They nodded slowly, although I could see the confusion already swirling in their eyes.

“Well,” I continued, “I think if we all come together, right here, right now, and make a new pact with all of us as one, the resulting magic boost we receive might just be enough to even the odds.”

“You’re crazy Silver,” Lucky said as she turned towards me. “We don’t know what that kind of power would do.”

“And we won’t survive another five minutes once mister dark and terrible wakes up if we don’t,” I countered. I turned to face the others, my eyes pleading, “Please, I don’t have any other ideas. If we don’t do this, then we are most certainly going to get clobbered even worse once Mythic recovers.”

Black Beauty and Thunder shared a knowing look as their dragons did the same. They shared a small nod before four sets of determined eyes met mine, “What do we need to do?” Thunder asked.

I smiled as I held out my hoof, “Ponies first with the dragons after that. Doesn’t really matter what you say as long as it means something to you and has to do with us working as one for a common goal. I’ll start.”

I cleared my throat before beginning, “One cannot stand,”

Lucky smiled as she rested her hoof on mine, “but two can support each other,”

Ivy reached up from her spot on Winx’s back to add her hoof to our stack, “and three can never be broken.”

We turned to Black Beauty, who didn’t hesitate to add her limb to the pile, “Working as one,”

Thunder went next, “reaching for the stars,”

Nilak reached over my shoulder to place his paw over our hooves, never quitting the fight,

Mel gave Nilak a soft kiss on the cheek before adding her paw, because the future is ours.

We never surrender, Winx murmured.

We never give in, Shield Fang added somberly.

I felt a sudden compulsion to say the last part, like I somehow knew what was going to be said before it had been said. I glanced at the others, and they seemed to have gotten the same feeling.

Whiteout added her paw to complete the stack, and as one we yelled out the final line, “Together as one, united by the power within.”

Our joining flashed so bright I had to turn my head in order to clear the spots from my eyes. As the blinding light faded slowly, I felt a white-hot surge of power flash through my entire body. I lifted my hooves and watched in amazement as all of my wounds closed up and my body began glowing slightly with a pure white light. I looked around and saw that the same was happening to the rest of our group, although the dragons were glowing the same color as what I assumed was their inner fire. Nilak shone a brilliant blue, while Mel radiated a soft violet from her body. Whiteout and Shield Fang had colors that were just off of white, though Whiteout’s glow was bluer while Shield Fang had a more silver sheen. Winx looked like a small star because of the red aura that had enveloped her body, mixing with the white that was coming off of Ivy to make a brilliant orange as Ivy climbed down from her partner’s back.

I laughed as I formed several different shapes with the white power that seemed to come off my body in waves, “Oh I could get used to this.”

“Don’t look now Romeo,” Lucky said as she pointed towards the wall, “but it looks like Mythic decided to wake up just in time for the grand finale.”

All eyes turned to the magic wall that had been protecting the dark unicorn from us, and I saw with a slight sense of accomplishment that his eyes were wide in shock and his jaw was nearly dragging on the floor. He seemed to have stopped mid-motion when he was pushing himself off of the floor. His hooves were pressed into the ground and his upper body was at an angle, but it seemed that our little light show had frozen him before he could stand up.

I smirked as I formed another magic ball between my hooves, “Ready for round two Mythic?”

My question seemed to snap him out of his stupor, because the next thing his face did was twist in hate and malice, “You think some parlor trick will be enough to defeat me?” He pushed to his hooves and picked up his swords, igniting them with black flames as the magic wall dropped, “Then let’s put that to the test.”

We charged as one, the dragons staying just behind us as we raced towards Mythic. He shimmered for a moment like we were
watching him through water, before his body began to suddenly multiply. We slid to a stop as a ring of Mythics formed around us, their bodies all cloaked in a shadow mist that made telling them apart impossible. I glanced at the others, who nodded in turn before facing off against the nearest shadow clone.

I growled in frustration as I formed twin short swords out of my power, on top of the wing blades that flashed into existence over my primaries, “Hiding behind parlor tricks isn’t impressing us Mythic.”

“It’s not supposed to impress you,” the clones said in unison, “it’s supposed to make this battle as painful and tiring as possible.”
I slashed through one clone only to have to block another as it swung at my head, “Show yourself you coward! Hiding behind clones will only delay the inevitable.”

“Oh really?” I spun as a Mythic that wasn’t cloaked in shadows walked through the masses towards me, his swords crackling with red lightning on top of the black flames, “Then why don’t we settle this once and for all?”

I ground my teeth as I slashed another clone into mist, “Fine by me.”

I leapt at Mythic and slashed down with all four of my swords, his crossed blades taking the blow and bringing us face to face as my hooves found the ground again. I pressed into him with all of my strength, hoping to overpower him before he could pull some kind of trick. However, my plan fell apart as my back erupted in flashes of pain. I cried out as my swords shattered and I fell to my knees as a shadow clone lifted its blades over my head. I fought past the agony that had encompassed my shoulders, channeling my energy into my wings and concentrating my power into two condensed beams as I aimed my wing tips at the clone. It vaporized from the blast of magic as the real Mythic shielded his eyes, and in that instant I used my remaining power to shove a short dagger into the center of his chest.

He grunted in pain as my blade sank into his flesh, the rest of the shadow clones vanishing into thin air as the others looked around for what had happened. Mythic tried to push me away, but his strength was failing as his black blood began to pool on the ground. I dug the blade just a bit deeper, hoping to make his end as painful as possible. His face contorted in agony as his hooves clenched onto my shoulders, though as he looked into my eyes I hesitated. His eyes held a knowledge and cold certainty that made my heart chill in fear. What crazy spell did this monster have up his sleeve now?

“Very good young rider,” he coughed, spitting more black blood onto the front of his robes and my shirt, “but I’m afraid you have only just begun to fight. You see, my champion will take my place as the one controlling the collar spell, and I highly doubt you will be able to destroy her once I am gone.”

I pulled back, nervous to voice my question, “Who is your champion? Where is she?”

His laughter was watered down by the blood pooling in his lungs, “She has been here the whole time.” More ragged coughs shook his body as he smiled at me, “You never knew it, but from the very start you were doomed to fail. I may have been defeated, but my plans will still come to fruition once my champion kills you all.”

He laughed again, the laugh of a madman whose mind has been fully lost to reality. His body fell back from my blade as his laughter faded, his body making a sickening thud on the floor as his sightless eyes stared at nothing. The black fire and red lightening around his blades faded away, and we watched as his body slowly withered into ash.

For a moment we waited, expecting somepony to jump out from behind the curtain or to fall from the ceiling or some other crazy entrance. When nothing happened I turned towards Lucky and hugged her as tight as I could.

“We did it!” She screamed, making me wince at her volume right in my ear, but I was too excited to care. I winced as her hooves ran over the new gash in my back, and she pulled back just enough to feel the blood running over her fetlocks.

“Silver!” She cried, “You’re hurt!”

She spun me around and made me sit down, her hooves already glowing with magic as she pressed them into the wound. I hissed for a moment before the magic did its work, the slash closing slowly as I sighed in relief.

I glanced back at her and smiled, “Thanks Lucky.”

She smiled in return, “No problem. Happy to help.”

We sat there for a moment, enjoying each other’s company when our moment was shattered by a female’s crewel laughter echoing around the room. We slowly turned around, our eyes locking onto Black Beauty and Whiteout as something began to change. Shadows began to grow thicker around them as Black Beauty continued to laugh, her head thrown back and her eyes closed tight. Whiteout was rumbling deep in her chest in a threatening way, her gaze moving from one of us to the next as she bared her teeth in a snarl.

We’ve been fools! Nilak yelled as Black Beauty stopped laughing and opened her eyes, revealing they had become completely black as the same pitch color overtook Whiteout’s gaze, we knew Mythic was using the Draconic Heaven to recruit generals for his army, and we never once though about how Black Beauty has been the champion eight years in a row! Mythic must have pumped so much dark magic into her that she’s basically become his successor!

“Right you are my foolish companion,” Black Beauty hissed as she jumped onto Whiteout’s back, “and now you’re all going to burn in Tartarus for what you did to my master.”

I leapt out of the way as Whiteout swiped at me and Lucky, her claws ripping the front of my shirt as I pulled us out of range, “Nilak! Mel! We need you right now!”

Coming! They chorused as they raced to our sides, bunching their legs to give us room to climb aboard as Shield Fang and Thunder kept our new enemies at bay.

Winx and Ivy fell in on our other side, their eyes wide in mirrored expressions of shock, “What do we do Silver?” Ivy yelled in a higher than normal pitch, “We can’t kill Black Beauty and Whiteout!”

“That isn’t our Black Beauty and Whiteout,” I said slowly, “they’ve been taken over by the black magic Mythic placed inside them and are being forced to attack us.”

“So what do we do?” Lucky asked as Mel took a step back to avoid Shield Fang’s swinging tail, “We can’t let them kill each other.”

“We won’t,” I said with determination. “We just need to figure out how to expel the magic from their bodies.”

“Well you’d better think of something fast,” Ivy yelled before pointing at the battling dragon riders, “because it looks like Thunder and Shield Fang need our help.”

Indeed they did. Whiteout had knocked Thunder off of Shield Fang’s back, allowing her rider to take on Thunder while she fought with Shield Fang. Black Beauty was using her dark magic to swing a massive executioner’s sword at Thunder, who seemed to be fully on the defensive, only using his magic to block her attacks as he slowly backed up. For a moment I wondered what he was doing, until I realized that he was moving away from Shield Fang and Whiteout.

“I’ve got it!” I yelled as I flared my wings, “Nilak, Mel and Winx, you three help Shield Fang secure Whiteout. Lucky, Ivy, you’re with me.” I turned to face the battle again, my lips curled into a smile, “We’re going to split the rider from her dragon.”

The girls nodded as they slipped off of their partners’ backs. Nilak led Mel and Winx in a charge that bowled over Whiteout like an
avalanche. Meanwhile, I used my magic to stick Black Beauty’s hooves to the ground long enough for Ivy and Lucky to tackle her. Thunder nodded his thanks as he dove into the raging catfight, his hooves and wings connecting with Black Beauty’s face in what I assumed was an attempt at knocking her out. I glanced over at the dragons, and they were in a similar situation with Whiteout. Shield Fang was using his greater size to pin the majority of Whiteout’s body, while Mel and Winx secured her neck and muzzle so she couldn’t breathe her fire at anyone. Nilak’s front paws were glowing a bright green, and as he grabbed the side of Whiteout’s head she reared her head back and roared in pain.

I winced as she tried and failed to free herself from the other dragons’ grip, but after a moment it seemed that she had passed out. Nilak turned to me and nodded once, a thin black wisp of what I assumed was Mythic’s magic rose up from Whiteout’s body and dissipated into thin air. I turned around to see what I could do about Black Beauty, but at that moment everything went to Tartarus in a tea kettle.

She arched her back and blasted the girls off of her body with a surge of black magic, the force of it enough to launch Ivy and Lucky nearly as high as the ceiling. Mel grabbed Lucky with her front paws while Winx flew up and let Ivy grab onto her back before flying back to the ground. Satisfied that they were safe, I turned back to Black Beauty and Thunder, who were slowly circling one another with magic weapons in both hooves. Thunder had a small circular shield on his left leg and a short sword in the other while Black Beauty had two daggers held in a reverse grip. I stepped forward, hoping to help Thunder get her under control, but he waved me off with a shake of his
head.

“Let me handle this Silver,” he said as he locked his gaze with Black Beauty’s, “this is something I have to do alone.”

I fought with my wish to help and tried to keep myself contained, although that didn’t stop me from readying my short swords in case he needed me. The dragons walked over with Lucky and Ivy until they stood behind me, their gazes locked onto the dueling pair as the duo sized each other up.

“Why aren’t we helping him?” Ivy asked, “Shouldn’t we step in?”

I shook my head without turning to look at her, “Thunder said this was something he needed to do alone. I don’t know what it is, but I think there’s something going on we don’t know about.”

“Whatever it is,” Lucky said with a hint of nervousness, “he’d better get to it fast. I can see his magic starting to fade from here.”
And so it was. It was subtle, but I could see a hint of sweat on Thunder’s face, his eyes were hard in concentration, although his voice was clear as he spoke to Black Beauty.

“Why are you doing this Black Beauty?” He asked as he dove in and swung for her head.

She blocked with a cross guard and deflected his blade into the ground, swinging for his head and forcing him to retreat before she could slash his face.

“Why do you think?” She hissed, her eyes blazing with fury as she threw several rapid slashes at his barrel. “I serve my master and further his plans even though his is no longer here. There is nothing more to my existence than fulfilling my master’s dreams.”

Thunder used his shield to block the flurry of attacks and then swung wide with his sword. Black Beauty saw the move coming and blocked again, locking their weapons together as their faces came within inches of touching.

“I don’t believe that,” he strained as he fought for control of the lockup, “I believe there is still good in you, fighting to get free and to banish the darkness that monster put inside you.”

She chuckled darkly, “Well then I’m sorry to disappoint you, but the Black Beauty you know is gone. I am all there is left of her mind and I’m here to stay. But first I’m going to kill you, and all of your little friends. Once that’s complete I can blame master’s death on you and take my place as his successor. Then I can make master’s dreams a reality, where the world is under his control and all dragons are his slaves.”

“She gone mad,” Lucky whispered in shock. “How can Mythic rule anything if he’s dead? Her mission makes no sense!”

“It’s the magic warping her mind,” I reasoned. “Mythic just wanted her to kill us and be done with it. Anything beyond that was beyond his ability to care. If she stays like this and tries to further his vision as he directed, she’d only be thrown in the loony bin or worse. Given how violent she is, I imagine that the police or military would try and kill both her and Whiteout.” I glanced behind us at the comatose dragon, “At least we snapped Whiteout out of it before she could hurt anypony.”

Thunder and Black Beauty struck and countered one another for about ten minutes before Thunder’s magic began to run out. It started as a slight flicker, but before long he was having to put all of his willpower into keeping the magic forms together. Black Beauty, seeing her chance, rushed in and struck his sword and shield with a combined attack. The stress shattered the fragile constructs, and she used her momentum to knock Thunder off of his hooves and into the ground. He grunted as her weight forced the air from his lungs, and I made a move to step in. However, like before, he stopped me with a shake of his head.

I growled but obliged his wishes, although I was beginning to wonder if I had misplaced my sanity somewhere back in the battle and not realized it. Thunder looked up at Black Beauty as she straddled his stomach, her eyes gleaming in triumph and her dagger poised directly over his heart.

“Any last words before you meet your maker?” She asked, leaning over to smirk in his face as she pressed the dagger’s tip into his skin just enough to draw blood.

Thunder winced at the wound but otherwise remained calm, “You can’t.”

Black Beauty sputtered before throwing her head back and cackling like a witch, “I can’t? I can’t?! What could possibly make you think, after all of that, that I wouldn’t rip your heart from your chest and drink your blood while you die beneath my hooves?”

Thunder smirked in return, “You can’t because I have a secret to tell you.”

Her head tilted slightly as a glow of interest showed on her face, “Oh, the big boy has a secret to tell, well then, you might as well say it before I get impatient.”

Thunder rolled his eyes, “Same old Black Beauty, never willing to wait when you want something.” He sighed, “Alright then, but you have to promise to listen to everything I have to say, no interrupting and no running away until I’m done. Understand?”

She waved her hoof like it mattered less than nothing to her, “Yes, yes I promise. Now start talking before I cut your throat out.”

He nodded, “Alright then, I guess the best place to start would be the beginning. You were already one of the top racers when I first joined the circuit, and even then I admired you for your skill and talent when it came to riding Whiteout. You were like a dancer on the track, moving with such grace that I found myself enraptured by you. At first it was just a fan going nuts over his idol, but as my skills improved it began to change into something else.”

“Something else?” She asked, “What kind of something else?”

Thunder lifted one eyebrow in a sarcastic expression, “If you would remember your promise and not interrupt I would get to that part sooner.”

Black Beauty had the decency to look chastised, although that reaction was completely different than what I had expected her to do. I wasn’t sure what Thunder had up his sleeve, but it seemed to already be having an effect on Black Beauty.

He cleared his throat, “Anyway, as I got better at racing my feelings changed from admiration to determination. I wanted to beat you. I wanted to prove that I was just as good as you. But no matter what I did, you always stayed just out of my reach, always one turn ahead on the track. It wasn’t until we met Silver and the others that we truly became equals.”

He glanced my way before turning back to her, “Once Whiteout and Shield Fang were freed from the collars, I finally felt as if I could now call myself your equal. However, there was one thing I never had the courage to say, never had the stomach to take the plunge and tell you. I,” he paused, as if what he wanted to say was so troubling that he couldn’t get it out.

Black Beauty growled and placed her dagger against the flesh of his throat, “Spit it out already. I’ve waited long enough and I’ve grown bored with your story. Either you say what it is you need to say, or else I’m going to gut you like a fish.”

Thunder swallowed thickly, taking a moment to prepare before speaking, “Alright then. I’ll tell you. I love you Radiant Tale. I have for a long time. I just, never had the courage to tell you to your face. I was sure you’d shoot me down because you wouldn’t acknowledge me as a worthy companion.”

Her determined façade shattered at his admission, “W-What did you call me?” Her daggers disintegrated as she stumbled back from him, “N-Nopony knows my real name. N-Nopony!”

Thunder chuckled as he sat up, dusting himself off, “Oh please Radiant. You really think I wouldn’t know the real name of the mare I love?” He rolled his eyes as he stood up, “Give me more credit than that.”

He stepped towards her and she back-peddled in fear, sliding backwards on the ground until her back connected with the wall.

“S-Stay away from me.” She stuttered, “I-I’m warning you.”

Thunder was in his groove now, his trademark smirk plastered over his face as he knelt down in front of her, “Now why would I do that? After all, now that I’ve stated my feelings, there’s one last thing I want to do.”

Her head tilted back slightly, her expression guarded, “And what is that?”

He smiled fully as he leaned in close to her, “This.”

Before any of us could react, he closed the gap between them and pressed his lips to hers in a kiss. I heard Ivy and Lucky gasp as the dragons snorted in surprise. Black Beauty, no, Radiant’s eyes were wide in shock and surprise, but slowly they closed as she leaned into the kiss, the same black mist rising from her body as she wrapped her legs around Thunder’s shoulders.

I rolled my eyes as I grabbed the girls by their hooves and spun them around to face the door, “Alright you two, let’s give the lovebirds a moment to get acquainted.”

Apparently they were so flabbergasted that they couldn’t even answer me, although Nilak, Mel and Winx needed no extra encouragement. They spun around and followed us out the door, leaving Shield Fang to look after Whiteout while Thunder and Radiant were lost in their own little world. I shook my head in wonder at it all, but smiled all the same. Like it or not, love seemed to be the driving force when it came to magic, although I did have a feeling that of all of our group’s matches, there was still one that had yet to fully form.

Once we got to the main hall I stopped and turned toward Lucky, letting Ivy’s leg go as I held onto Lucky’s hooves.

“I need to say something as well Lucky,” I said as my grip tightened slightly on her fetlocks. “Before you got hurt I said that I wasn’t sure if I cared for you the way you cared for me. I was an idiot and said some stupid things. I know you getting hurt was an attack from the Blood Claw but it was my stupid uncertainty that made you not care enough to have Mel wear her armor that day. No matter how you slice it, I’m the reason you ended up in that hospital bed, and it was at that point, when I nearly lost you, that I realized that I do care for you. A lot. I just never had the guts to admit it to myself or to tell you the truth because –”

She silenced me with a kiss, her lips tenderly moving over mine before she pulled away, “Apology accepted you big goof.” She smirked as she playfully pinched my cheek, “Took you damn long enough too.”

I flushed with shame, “Give a guy a break, you admitted your feelings right after you tried to seduce me! Can’t I get a little leeway here?”

She shared a glance with Ivy before looking back at me. “Nope,” they chorused.

I rolled my eyes, “Mares.”

She giggled before giving me another soft kiss, “But you love it.”

I groaned as we walked out the doors, “Yes,” I admitted, although I made sure to lock my thoughts down before the others could hear me, more than you could ever know.

Author's Notes:

Holy Celestia I'm on a roll!!!! Four chapters in so many days and I'm almost done with the book!! Hoo boy I need to sit down after all this. Anyways, hope you guys like the second half of the climax!! Was it everything you hoped for, was there something that surprised you? If so, leave me a comment in the towel section below.

Hope to see you all next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

XXVI - One Final Task

We waited on the steps outside Capital Hall for Radiant and Thunder to finish up whatever it was they were doing. Shield Fang had led a slightly woozy Whiteout out to join us a while back, and now I was starting to wonder what was taking their partners.

My reverie was interrupted by civilians running away and screamed in fear, and we looked skyward as ten large shadows came in for a landing. I groaned as the Whiptails and insignias revealed who it was we were facing, and I stood up as Lucky and Ivy fell in next to me.

“What do you want this time?” I yelled out to the Blood Claw members as they slid off of their mounts. “Haven’t we suffered enough after all the stuff you’ve done?”

The older mare in the middle laughed, her blond mane cut short and her magenta eyes cold with hate, “You think you can get off that easy after crossing the Blood Claw?” She shook her head and laughed some more, the other members joining in, “We only gave you time to stew in your pain after we put your little marefriend in the hospital. We had hoped to kill her, but seeing you fall apart after she hit the water was too sweet to pass up. However,” her eyes narrowed in a threatening way as she pulled a sword from her belt, “now that she’s awake, the higher-ups have made it very clear that you are not to leave this city alive.”

The other members growled their approval as they pulled out various other weapons, although their dragons seemed to be very confused. They kept looking from their riders to us and back again, like they weren’t sure they wanted to attack us.

Nilak stepped past me and winked once before walking up to the gathered Blood Claw. They stumbled back at his approach, although what happened next was completely unexpected. Instead of attacking the humans before him, Nilak lifted his head and addressed the dragons behind them.

Do you really wish to fight? He asked in a reasonable tone.

The Whiptails recoiled like they had been struck, and they shared uncertain looks with one another as the Blood Claw muttered in confusion.

Nilak smiled as one of the smaller females shook her head, I thought so. Tell you what, we don’t want to fight any more today, and you don’t want to get hurt either. If you disarm your riders and promise to be law-abiding dragons from now on, we’ll let you fly out of here without a scratch.

The same young female lowered her head and stepped forward, her eyes uncertain and her long tail flicking with nervous energy, you – you really mean it? You won’t attack us, even after all of the terrible things we’ve done?

Nilak smiled and nodded, lifting one paw to gently pat the dragonelle on the head, you were not the one to blame for your actions, as you had no free will of your own. He lifted her head with a paw under her chin until their gazes met, follow your heart now that you can be yourself, and prove that Whiptails are no different than any other dragons. Prove to the ponies who doubt you that your kind is just as trustworthy and caring as any of the other breeds. He paused as a thought seemed to come to him, what is your name little one?

She hesitated, her face twisted in disgust, Ripper, sir.

Nilak’s eyes narrowed and he shook his head, no that simply won’t do. If you are going to become a new dragonelle and follow your own heart, then you must have a name that shows you have changed.

I always liked the idea of being called Midnight, she whispered, her eyes thoughtful as her cheeks tinted slightly.

Nilak nodded, then Midnight shall be your new name. In fact, he lifted his head to address the other Whiptails, you should all choose a new name to reflect your new identity. No one will be able to forget your past if you continue to go by your old ones, so if you truly want to reform, choose a new name for yourselves and throw away the pain your old masters forced you to inflict.

They mumbled amongst themselves for a moment before the boss’s mount turned toward Nilak and the young female, we accept your offer and thank you for your kindness. Midnight, would you do the honors?

She glanced back at the elder dragon and nodded once, her eyes glistening with tears as she turned around. She cast one last grateful look over her shoulder at Nilak, who nodded in approval, before spreading her wings and flying away. On her way up, she used her tail to snatch her rider’s dagger and fling it over the roof of the next building, the blade shimmering in the afternoon light. As she flew over the rooftops and into the sky beyond, her saddle falling to the ground like dead weight, the other dragons followed her lead, ripping the weapons from their rider’s hooves and magic. They either broke them or threw them over the nearby buildings, leaving the ponies before us bare save for their clothes.

There was a rolling thunder of thuds as saddle after saddle came crashing to the ground, and the Blood Claw members cried out in despair as their mounts flew off into the cloudless sky.

The boss turned back to us, now weaponless and without a dragon, her expression one of faked innocence, “I don’t suppose you’d be willing to forget about that little misunderstanding from before, would you?”

I glanced at Lucky and Ivy, who lifted one eyebrow in unison before we turned as a group towards the now helpless Blood Claw. “Nope,” we chorused.

En mass, the Blood Claw began screaming as they fled for their lives, the comedic absurdity of it all as they scurried away like ants had our entire group in stitches. It was just our luck that Radiant and Thunder decided to pick that moment to make their entrance.

“What is going on here?” Radiant asked as she tilted her head to one side.

I managed to spit out a simple explanation before I collapsed into another fit of laughter, although it seemed that I had gotten the message across enough to make sense. Thunder covered his mouth as he sputtered and spit, trying to hold in his mirth while Radiant gave way to her humor completely and joined Lucky and Ivy in an uncontrollable fit of giggles. It took about ten minutes, but we finally got ourselves under control enough to stand up straight.

“Ouch,” Ivy winced as she held her side, “never thought laughing would hurt so much.”

“You and me both,” Lucky agreed as she leaned into me, her face scrunched up as she held her ribs, “Silver, remind me to take some pain pills when we get home.”

I nodded a couple times before her words sunk in, “Wait, what do you mean?”

She smirked up at me, “Well your house isn’t fit to live in anymore,” her eyes faded for a moment, “and your mom’s no longer there to take care of you.” She looked up and wrapped her forehooves around my body, resting her chin on my chest as she looked up at me, “Would you mind staying with me and Ivy from now on?”

I was floored, my wings flaring in both shock and something else as my face lit up in a raging blush. It didn’t help that Thunder’s wolf whistles and Ivy’s gleeful cheering were making it very hard to get my thoughts in line. I glanced over at the dragons, although as soon as I saw Mel resting her head against Nilak’s neck, I knew that it had to be this way, if not for me and Lucky, then for our partners.

I looked down into her hopeful eyes, and once again realized that I had no real reason to say no. I loved her, and our partners needed to be together as well. So, that only really left me one option. I bent down and met her lips with my own, Ivy’s fan filly scream nearly making my ears pop as I wrapped my hooves around Lucky’s barrel. I pulled away after a moment, both of our breaths ragged and heated. Her cheeks were as red as mine felt, but my mind was clear as I smiled.

“Yes, I will move in with you.” I shushed her with a hoof against her mouth, my lips curled into a smirk, “Just don’t expect me to share a room with you just yet.”

I expected and was not surprised by the slap that turned my head completely sideways, although I didn’t miss the furious blush and faint smile that teased her lips.

“You perverted, ungrateful, sick-minded jerk!” She screamed, her mortified expression doing nothing to cover up the smile that had
now taken center stage on her face, “You can forget about moving in! You’ll be lucky if I don’t have Mel roast you alive for that one!”

I crossed my forelegs, giving her my most innocent expression, “Well pardon me, I distinctly remember somepony coming on to me back in a certain bath house.” I paused for effect, knowing it would drive her crazy.

My efforts were rewarded as her playful fury gave way to a crimson blush that ran all the way down her neck as she covered her face with her hooves, “Must you bring that up all the time? I didn’t know what I was doing!”

“That’s not what Mel and Nilak said,” I countered, placing a thoughtful hoof on my chin as I rolled my eyes upward in fake thought, “I distinctly remember them saying that the mating bond didn’t make you do things you didn’t want to do, rather it simply removed your inhibitions about your deepest desires –”

“Okay, okay, I get it!” She yelled as she clamped her hoof over my mouth, her eyes threatening very naughty things as she leaned in close to me, “One more word and I’m going to strap you to a bed and then torture you until you beg me for mercy.”

I turned my head enough to free my mouth, “Is that an offer?”

She rolled her eyes as she pulled me close, her eyes glowing with laughter as she held me around my neck, “What am I going to do with you?”

I grinned as I placed my hooves on her flanks, “How about you let me and Nilak move in and we’ll work from there?”

“Deal.” She smiled and gave me a quick kiss before pulling away.

Our little moment was interrupted by one Ivy Charm, who chose that moment to add her two bits, “Oh hurry up and get a room you two.”

We turned to face her, my mouth open to send back a barbed retort, yet the absolutely beaming smile that met my gaze killed anything I could have said in reply. Radiant, I still couldn’t get used to calling her that, was looking at us with a smirk on her face and one hoof on her chest while Thunder was giving both of us a wing salute. His left leg found its way around Radiant’s shoulders, and she sent him a playful glare before leaning into his side. Ivy was jumping up and down in a circle with Winx like they had just won the lottery while Shield Fang stared at Winx with nothing less than absolute love. Whiteout gave him an elbow in the ribs, and I watched as he hesitated for a moment before walking up behind Winx. Ivy gasped as he spun Winx around with one paw and pressed his lips to hers in a surprise kiss. Winx’s frills instantly stood at attention as her whole body glowed an even brighter red than usual.

Shield Fang smiled as he pulled back from a very dazed-looking Winx, his tone teasing as he wrapped a wing over her back, guess I’ll have to see your house at some point huh?

Winx nodded as she looked up at him with Bambi eyes, any time you want big boy. I’ll gladly show you around, particularly the bedroom.

Ivy squealed and covered her ears as she blushed deeply, “Lalala, I’m not hearing any of this! Nope, not paying any attention.”

“You know,” I joked as Lucky and I walked up to her, “with Winx and Shield Fang being a couple and all, it probably won’t be long until little hatchlings are running around.”

“Yeah,” Lucky chimed in as Ivy started to look a bit faint, “they’ll be so cute running around, calling you and me Aunt while they drive Uncle Silver and Uncle Thunder up a wall.”

“I, uh,” she sputtered as she swayed slightly, “I don’t feel so hot. Maybe I should just,” she didn’t get any farther before she passed out cold, Winx stepping in behind her so that she fell over the small dragon’s back.

She sent us a playful glare, you didn’t have to put it like that you know!

Lucky raised one eyebrow at her, “Were we lying?”

Now it was Winx’s turn to blush as she hid her face behind a wing, n-no, it’s just, well, we didn’t exactly plan on having kids anytime soon. We’re both still young after all and we’ll have plenty of time for that later.

I heard Nilak and Mel chuckling as they walked up behind us. Ah young love, Nilak muttered in a reminisce tone, I remember when we were like that, all those years ago.

Mel elbowed him in the shoulder, smirking up at him with a knowing look, you’re still a hopeless romantic and you know it. Besides, she pressed her side up against his and fluttered her eyes at him, I happen to like the more mature and protective Nilak over the fawning and reckless goof I knew back home.

He smiled as he rubbed his muzzle against hers, and I love the understanding and strong dragonelle that you’ve grown up to be since we parted ways. I couldn’t imagine living without you, and I think you and I have a new home now.

All eyes turned to the duo as Mel looked up at him in confusion, what do you mean? What new home?

I meant that the caves and forests of our birth are no longer our home. He glanced around at all of us, our place is here, with our friends and loved ones and with those who have earned our unyielding loyalty. This is our home.

She smiled as she nodded, giving him a soft kiss on the cheek, you’re right. We can’t go back after all we’ve been through. This is where we belong, and I couldn’t be happier to share it with you.

I clapped my hooves together to get everyone’s attention, “Not to spoil the party, but I believe that we have overstayed our welcome. I’d rather get out of here before they notice that Mythic isn’t in attendance anymore.”

That sparked us into action, and we climbed into our respective saddles as we took off into the air. Radiant and Whiteout split off to head back to Firebrand and the Racer Headquarters, although Thunder and Shield Fang stayed with us as we headed home to Clawson City. Now that the season was over, we wouldn’t have to sign up for the next one for four months. However, I had a feeling that now that the dragons were free, we’d have a lot more competition fighting for the top spots on the leaderboard. I didn’t question Thunder’s choice to follow us, not after what Shield Fang had done with Winx, although I was beginning to wonder if the dragons should be kept in the pens anymore. They were sapient creatures after all. I shrugged, no point in worrying about it now. We’d deal with it once we had time to cool down and relax. I felt like I could sleep for a month after all of the stuff we’d been through the last couple days.

We touched down behind Lucky and Ivy’s house, although the pens were a great deal larger than I had first expected. I’d never been
inside the pens that Ivy and Lucky used to house Mel and Winx, but the two-story monster that stood before us was not what I had in mind.
Lucky pushed the doors open and led us in, revealing that the pens were actually quite nice. There was a stone section that had all the tools a pony could need to wash a dragon, while the pens themselves were large enough to hold three dragons with room to spare in each. The ground was covered with fresh hay and there was a water trough in the rear left corner in case the dragons got thirsty. The only thing that I didn’t immediately see, was where they kept the food.

Lucky seemed to read my mind, “We’ve got a walk-in freezer behind the pens that holds all the food. It’s a chore to cart the food around the building and into the pens, but it cuts down on power needs by keeping it in the shade most of the day.”

I nodded in understanding, stepping aside as Mel and Nilak walked into the pen closest to the wall, “I take it that you can modify the door so that the dragons can open it if they need to?”

She nodded, “I’ve already been thinking of things like that, although I imagine they could open it now if they were careful, they’d just need to be gentle or they could rip the handle off of the door.”

Winx giggled as she bounced into the pen behind us, Shield Fang looking slightly reluctant to follow her into what basically constituted as her ‘room’. He paused in the doorway, but slowly walked in and lay down as Winx curled up into his chest. Her snores quickly echoed around the pen, and Shield Fang looked up at us with a helpless expression on his face.

Thunder rolled his eyes, “After all of that stuff back at Capital Hall you’re still nervous about being around her?!”

We weren’t in her private space before, he muttered forcefully as he glanced around at Winx’s pen, I feel like I’m intruding somewhere I don’t belong.

I rolled my eyes, “Look at her Shield Fang. Do you really think she’d be fast asleep if she wasn’t comfortable with you in her pen, curled up against you no less?”

He glanced down at Winx with a slight nod, no, I guess not.

“Then stop being such a worry-wart and let her sleep with you,” Ivy said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “She’s already crazy about you enough to kiss you, what makes you think she wouldn’t like to sleep with you next to her at night?”

That seemed to convince the big dragon, because he simply nodded before curling his head around Winx and resting a wing over her back. He smiled as he rubbed his muzzle against hers gently, and closed his eyes as she purred softly instead of her gentle snores.

I glanced back at Mel and Nilak and found them curled up against each other as well, their heads resting next to one another while their tails had been intertwined between them. Nilak had his front paws holding hers, and I smiled when I saw they had somehow managed to lie down in the general shape of a heart. I held my hoof to my lips as I motioned for the door, the setting sun shining its golden glow into the building as we walked out. Lucky slid the door closed and nodded once to herself before leaded the rest of us inside.

Thunder flopped down on the couch while Ivy yawned widely, her eyes starting to droop as she shuffled off to her room. “I’ll see you guys next week. That should be about when I wake up.”

Lucky giggled softly but was cut off by her own yawn as she filled a glass of water from the sink, “Don’t wake me up before the Fall if you know what’s good for you.”

Ivy waved over her shoulder that she understood, her door opening and closing quietly as Thunder passed out on the couch. I groaned softly as I stretched, my back popping several times as Lucky placed the now empty glass in the sink. She gave me a soft smile before turning towards her room, indicating for me to follow with a hoof before covering up another yawn. I hesitated, not quite sure what she had in mind, but then my body started to move of its own will as she held the door open for me, her eyes tired but inviting as she stepped aside to let me pass.

I stepped into her room, once again being reminded of all the past adventures we had made up in this room. The posters of Thunder and Radiant were still up on the wall, although now that we’d met them the pictures looked overblown and stupid. Her birch wood desk was still a complete disaster area, and her closet wasn’t much better. The only thing that was different from my last visit was the bed. I didn’t know how they had gotten it in here, but her twin-sized bed had been swapped out for a queen-sized mattress, which once again made me question my presence in the room.

I glanced behind me at Lucky, but froze in shock at what I was seeing. While I had been appraising the room and reliving memories, Lucky had been changing into her pajamas. The only problem was that she was turned away from me as she slid the clothing onto her upper body, inadvertently presenting the hidden treasure under her tail in all its glory. I flushed beet red as I averted my gaze, although Lucky’s pout made me turn back slowly.

“Really Silver,” she chastised me as she walked around and sat down on the bed, “did you expect me to sleep without something to keep warm?”

I sputtered as I tried to answer, “W-Well n-no I didn’t think you’d wear nothing to bed, it’s just I wasn’t expecting to see something so,” I searched for a politically correct word so I wouldn’t offend her, “private.”

She smiled as she lay down, placing her body in a suggesting position, “What, am I making you uncomfortable with my body being on display?”

I groaned as I rubbed a hoof over my face, “That’s not what I meant and you know it.”

Her smile turned into a concerned line as she sat up, “Silver, I know that mess back at the bath was distressing for you. I’m not trying to seduce you again, I just don’t normally sleep without something to keep out the chill. If you aren’t comfortable being with me than I guess you could sleep in the living room with Thunder……”

“Oh no,” I interjected, “it wasn’t your body that was making me uncomfortable.” I took a moment to appraise her now that I had gotten my shock under control, “Far from it actually.” I shook my head to clear it, “I just wasn’t sure what your intentions were. Now that we’ve gotten the confusion out of the way, I don’t have a problem with it.”

To show my conviction, I climbed onto the bed, taking note of Alice’s blush as my legs and wings flexed to keep my balance. I smirked as I strutted up to her, climbing up next to her but leaving a pillow between us. I would rather sleep with at least something between our bodies, at least to avoid us waking up in an awkward position.

She smiled as she rested her head on the pillow, her face inches from mine as she rested a hoof on top of the pillow between us. I grabbed her hoof with my own and gave it a gentle squeeze, although I regretted it as soon as she smiled and tossed the pillow to the other side of the room. Before I could react, she grabbed me around my barrel and pulled her stomach against mine, resting her head against my chest fluff as she extended her back legs towards the end of the bed.

She smirked as she slid a hoof between my wing bases, “Guess you weren’t lying when you said you liked what you saw.”

I blushed and averted my gaze as I tried to get my overactive lower half to behave, “I, I didn’t want to give you any of the wrong ideas about what I was doing here. I didn’t come in here to seduce you either, I just have natural reactions to things like any stallion would.” I slipped my hooves off of her flank but she stopped me with her own.

“I don’t mind being close to you Silver,” she whispered as she pushed my hooves back over her cutie marks, “I love you after all. If we can’t show that love to each other than what are we doing here?”

I smiled, giving in as I pulled her flush with me again, kissing her forehead gently as I rested my head next to hers on the pillow, “I love you too Lucky. More than you could ever know. I just didn’t want to ruin it after I made such a huge mistake last time we talked about our feelings.”

She returned my kiss with a soft peck on my lips, her own curled into a smile as she hugged me around my barrel, “Goodnight Silver.”

I smiled as she closed her eyes and rested her forehead against my chest, “Goodnight Lucky.”

I closed my eyes as I felt her soft breathing against my fur, and a soft pulse of magic sparked between our bodies as my own breathing settled. I didn’t know what that spark had been, but at that moment, I could care less. Lucky and I were together now, and that was what mattered. I made a silent vow as I slipped into sleep, that from this point onward, Lucky’s happiness was the one thing that would never leave the top of my priorities list. I had nearly lost her once because of my foolishness, I would not lose her again.

For the first time in a long time, the nightmares left my slumber be. I didn’t know if they would go away forever, probably not, but at least I had a feeling I could start to move on. The Blood Claw were no more, and while the pain of my mother’s death would never completely fade, I had so much to look forward to that it could at least become bearable.

Author's Notes:

Woo Hoo!! Finally done with another chapter!! Anyways, the final chapter will be up very soon, so keep an eye out for the oh-so-important Epilogue!!

Yeah it sucks the story is almost over, but every good thing must come to an end at some point. I hope you all have enjoyed this wild ride and I look forward to seeing you in my other books.

I'll see you all next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

XXVII - Epilogue

The transition between enslaved dragons and free dragons was surprisingly smooth. Most ponies didn’t even notice the difference until they realized that they were talking with their dragons in their head, and that it wasn’t just some figment of their imagination. Of course the public reacted strongly, although once they realized that the dragons had been free for weeks and hadn’t done anything to hurt anypony most of them calmed down. There were a few who protested the freedom of the dragons, but given Mythic had never shared his secrets with anypony about how the collars worked, those dissenting voices quickly fell silent as everypony else realized what they had been missing out on. Speaking of Mythic, nopony had any idea as to what had happened to him. News reports told any number of speculative tales, ranging from extended vacation to outright murder. While the latter was technically true, there hadn’t been any evidence left in the audience chamber after we defeated him, so there was no way to link us to Mythic’s disappearance.

In any case, the public eventually lost interest, Celestia chose a new noble to oversee the administration and management of the Dragon Circuit, and over time ponies forgot all about the charismatic stallion that had once seemed to hold a center point in many pony's lives. Eventually, we managed to put the near-death battle with Mythic Song behind us, and we moved on with our lives. Now that the dragons had free will and could communicate with the more open-minded individuals, they could do so much more than they had once been able. For instance, a dragon could now act on its own without the need for constant input by a handler or owner. They could also understand much more complex commands and instructions without becoming confused or unresponsive. Now, the flip side of that coin was that you couldn’t simply order a dragon to do something, but most were reasonable enough that if you asked politely they would do it without any complaints.

There were also professional dragons beginning to pop up like weeds. Free to use their minds as well as to follow their own dreams, some dragons had chosen to start small businesses that catered to both races. Just down the street a russet-colored Flametail had opened up a small restaurant next to her owner’s house. It was open from ten in the morning until ten at night, and little Kindle was more than happy to serve ponies or dragons. She usually gave her own species raw meat, although they were mannered enough to eat at a table instead of off the ground. For her pony customers she used her own fire to cook the food, and she had yet to receive anything but praise for her culinary skills. She was working on some cooked desserts last time we had visited, but the fine line between cooked and burnt seemed to be giving her trouble with the most sugary items. Never the less, business was booming, and it wasn’t long before she had competition.

There were other jobs being taken up by dragons, artist, mason, musician (you should have seen the instrument the dragon was playing) and many more. For the most part, dragons were integrating into pony society well, and other than a few problems here and there, things were going pretty smoothly. Ponies had even moved on from the title of owner in favor of host. After all, the dragons weren’t pets or slaves anymore, and the only reason most didn’t try and live on their own was because of their connections to their pony families. The only things that freeing the dragons had destroyed were things that had no place being in business with sapient beings anyway. Those trades, mainly the breeding centers and the hard labor camps, were discontinued as they were deemed too degrading and repulsive for the dragons to participate in. The dragons agreed completely, and now asked for payment for their services just like any pony would. Their wages were still not equal to pony employees, but they were slowly rising as more and more dragons joined the workforce of their own choice.

Lastly, we get to the Blood Claw. Oh boy, where to start with the Blood Claw.

Basically, they fell apart after the dragons realized that they didn’t need to follow orders anymore. Whiptails from across the globe banded into flights that moved from city to city, doing what they could to help in any way possible to try and patch up their bloody pasts. Most ponies understood at least in part why they were sorry, and gave them hesitant second chances to prove themselves now that they could be who they wanted to be. It was slow in coming, but the dark past of the Whiptail breed was slowly being changed for the better, and no one was happier about that than our newest friend, Midnight.

Midnight had moved in after her flight moved on to a new city, her reasoning being that Clawson was her home, even if it had never liked her while she was collared. Many dragons still wore their collars, more out of familiarity than need, though a few felt the need to rid themselves of the reminder of their past. Midnight was one such dragon. The scales that had been covered for years by her collar were slightly lighter in tone then the rest of her body, but she often chose to wear a scarf to cover it up so no one could really tell. She lived in the pen with the rest of our group, although she had yet to open up to us more than asking for a place to stay and promising to work for her keep. I couldn’t be sure, but I thought that the reason she came to us might have been Nilak’s speech when we had first met. She cast discreet looks at Nilak when she thought he wasn’t looking, although it seemed to be reverence more than real attraction. To put it another way, I think Midnight kind of saw Nilak as her hero, someone to look up to and to live by their example. It was endearing, though it annoyed the Tartarus out of Mel when she caught Midnight looking Nilak’s way.

I was jerked out of my memory as something zipped over my head, followed in quick succession by three more speeding masses. I sighed as the youngsters flew around the room, the drakes trying and failing to catch their sister and the toy she had stolen from them.

Give it back Maryl! Marinos, the eldest, cried as he chased his sister with his two brothers, Gorman and Sovann.

Not until you apologize for breaking my doll! She replied as she dove through Lucky’s legs and nearly caused her to fall on her flank.

“Watch it you crazy kids!” She yelled as she dusted herself off, sending me a pleading glance as she walked towards the wash room with a basket of dirty clothes, “Wasn’t it your idea to watch the kids while Mel and Nilak were out looking for a job?”

I nodded, leaning back in my chair and watching the hatchlings chase each other around the room. Mel and Nilak had decided fairly quickly that they wanted kids, though when Mel laid four eggs they got a bit more than any of us had bargained for. Marinos, the oldest, was the most mature of the group, although there was something to be said for the maturity level of anything that was only ten months old. His body was most like his mother’s in general form, with the bare hide being a deep blue in color while the scale patches were a lighter aqua. The second oldest, Gorman, was an almost perfect copy of Nilak, except his eyes were a brilliant yellow instead of his father’s emerald green. Sovann, the second youngest and the most shy of the bunch, was very much like his brother Marinos except instead of light and dark blue, his coloration was more like the sun. The hide on his body was a deep rose gold while the scales matched his mother’s sandstone hue to a tee. And finally, the youngest and the only female of the group, was Maryl. Her body took after Nilak in build, with feathers covering the front half of her body and scales of the same color protecting her lower half. The part that made her outstandingly beautiful was that instead of blue like Nilak, her feathers and scales were a deep ebony that turned iridescent when under direct sunlight. Her blazing amber eyes lit up like magma when she was excited or mad, although they would dull to a muddy brown when she got upset.

Winx and Shield Fang were still mulling over the idea of hatchlings, and if Nilak and Mel were anything to go by, they’d be waiting for quite a long time before they were ready for kids of their own. I smirked as I glanced down at the gold band I had on my right fetlock, remembering the moment I proposed to Lucky and then how on our wedding night she had asked me if I wanted kids. My reply had been a resounding ‘No!’, which resulted in my first time sleeping on the couch without falling asleep there on purpose. I had seen the pain and suffering Nilak and Mel were going through with their children, then only two months old and no bigger than the average cat, and I didn’t want any part of that mess until I was good and ready. Lucky probably was glad I chosen not to have kids right now, because the Fearsome Foursome, as we like to call them, were bad enough without pony foals running around to add to the chaos.

The front door opened and Mel entered with a smile on her face as Nilak followed her in. Nilak ducked without missing a beat as the kids flew over his head, ruffling his feathers with their passing.

“So how was the job hunt?” I asked as I jumped off the chair to land on my hooves.

Not too bad, Mel answered as she pulled some paperwork out of her saddlebags and set them on the coffee table. We got offers from three different places to work as trainers for new racers during the off-season.

Yeah, Nilak smirked as he snatched Maryl out of the air with one paw and secured her to his side with one wing, they were practically falling over themselves when we told them who we were. He plucked the remaining kids from the air with practiced ease and tucked them under his wings without breaking eye contact with me, apparently being the first free dragons and being the co-champions of the Circuit carries a lot of pull.

Mel nodded as Nilak walked into the kitchen and began having a talk with the kids, the pay is decent enough, although it’s not nearly what we made during the racing season.

“That’s ‘cause it’s not nearly as difficult,” Ivy muttered as she walked down the stairs and arched her back like an oversized cat. “Compared to risking your life to win a race you would think training youngsters would be a piece of cake.”

Mel rolled her eyes in response, if only. Between the awed looks and the fans going nuts over actually getting to meet us, I was about to rip my own scales off out of frustration. It’s like dealing with children, and I know how bad that gets.

Would you like some cheese with that whine dear? Nilak called from the kitchen, the kids snickering under their breath as Mel sent their father a deadly glare.

He held up his paws in a defensive motion, don’t look at me, you’re the one who wanted to have them in the first place.

And yet you somehow managed to make me eat my words the minute they came into the picture, she muttered, walking over and giving the hatchlings each a kiss on the head. Now, what is the matter and why are you chasing each other around the house like bats hunting flies?

They started it! Maryl yelled as she pointed towards her brothers, they broke my doll and laughed and called it stupid!

Mel turned her gaze towards the boys, is that true? Did you make fun of your sister and break her toy?

They had the decency to look chastised, although Gorman seemed to think now was a good time to play the blame game, but she stole our action figures and wouldn’t give them back!

Mel turned toward Maryl, noting the set of dragon action figures that were poorly hidden under one of her wings, Maryl, just because your brothers broke something of yours does not make it alright to take something of theirs. Now, do you have something to say to your
siblings?

She turned towards her brothers and muttered, sorry for taking you toys.

And you three, Mel continued as she rounded on the boys, what did I tell you about taking your sister’s things without permission?

Don’t do it, they chorused.

Mel nodded, now apologize and go to your room. You’re grounded for three days as punishment for stealing and breaking your sister’s toy and for flying inside the house.

But, they tried to say.

No buts, Mel interrupted them, pointing down the hall towards the nursery, now get moving before I have to count to three. One, two,

They were gone so fast it was like they hadn’t even been there. Maryl lifted her head in triumph just before she noticed her mother’s disapproving look, you know better than to fall into the same bad habits that your brothers do. I expect better from you with their mistakes to learn from. You’re also grounded for three days. No friends over and no playing outside until I say you can.

Maryl knew better than to argue, walking slowly after her brothers with her head bowed and her tail dragging on the floor.

Nilak smiled as Maryl disappeared into her bedroom, you handled that pretty well.

Mel sighed in response, sometimes I wonder how they’ll survive once they move out on their own. They just don’t seem to learn what I’m trying to teach them.

We were just as bad at that age, Nilak reasoned as he rested a wing over her back. They’ll learn in time. After all, we turned out pretty good, and we were probably the worst pranksters back with the wild dragons.

She smirked at what I assumed we fond memories, true enough, although you still pull a trick or two when no one expects it.

Hey, I’ve got to be fun even though I’m a dad now, he defended. At least I can keep them under control when they won’t listen to you.

She smiled and rubbed her muzzle against the side of his neck, what would I do without you?

Make quilts and complain about how your life is miserable as the kids turn the house upside down? He offered, earning him an elbow to the ribs for his efforts.

I turned to Lucky as she came out of the laundry room, the washer machine humming as she sat down on the couch next to me, “Well, that takes care of the chores today. Anything that I’m forgetting?”

I shook my head as Mel and Nilak moved into the kitchen to start cooking dinner, “Nope, I think that covers everything.”

Lucky yawned as she covered her mouth with one hoof, “Well I’m going to take a nap until dinner’s ready. Wake me up when it’s time to eat?”

I nodded as she climbed the steps, passing Ivy as she walked in from the back yard with a small basket of carrots. Ivy turned to watch as Lucky nearly stumbled on the steps, glancing at me with a raised eyebrow as she carried the carrots into the kitchen to help Mel and Nilak. I leaned back in the recliner, my hooves behind my head as I stared up at the ceiling.

“Yup,” I muttered to myself. “Life is perfect just the way it is.”

I closed my eyes and was about to fall asleep when I heard Lucky’s voice yell down the steps, “Um, Silver?”

I jumped to attention as I registered the fear in her voice, the sounds of cooking coming to an abrupt halt as Mel, Ivy and Nilak glanced around the corner at me.

I ran up the steps, skipping two at a time before flying the rest of the way up. I ignored the other doors as I pounded down the hallway and slid to a stop in front of our bedroom, looking around for any sign of a threat or danger. I had only heard Lucky sound like that once before, and it was only when the situation had absolutely no hope. Lucky was off to the side, sitting at the opening to the bathroom with a hoof covering her mouth, her other holding some kind of measuring tool in a shaky grip. She turned towards me with wide eyes, her whole body shivering as she walked up to me, the tool held gently in her mouth by one end.

“What’s wrong Lucky?” I asked, pulling her into a hug as she shook from head to toe, “What happened?”

She took the item from her mouth and held it out between us with one hoof, her leg shaking so badly she was having difficulty not dropping what looked like a thermometer. “I was wondering why my heat was running later than usual, so out of curiosity I grabbed this pregnancy test meter and tried it out.” I felt her swallow thickly as she lifted her gaze from the now recognizable item to look me in the eyes, “Silver, I’m pregnant.”

My eyes widened in shock as she turned the meter around in her hoof to show me the little plus sign in the middle of the screen. For a moment I didn’t know what to say, but once I got over my shock I grabbed her around the barrel as spun her above my head.

She laughed as I smiled like a mad colt, “Silver, what are you doing?!”

“I’m celebrating!” I yelled as I pulled her into another hug, “I know we didn’t plan on this, but even though the hatchlings drive us mad, I was honestly getting a little jealous of Nilak and Mel.”

She rolled her eyes as she pulled back from my hug, “You stallions and your crazy ability to change your minds never ceases to amaze me. Just a few minutes ago you said that you were happy we had chosen to wait.”

I smirked as I leaned in to whisper in her ear, “Says the mare who gives the kids envious looks every time they do something cute or
make Mel and Nilak proud. Face it Lucky, you wanted this as much as I did, probably more.”

She gave me an odd look before laughing, “I can’t believe it. My husband somehow figured out what I was thinking before I did.” She glanced towards the ceiling, “There must be pigs flying somewhere around up there right now.”

I chuckled as I pulled her into a hug, kissing her softly on the lips before pulling back, “Would you like to share the big news, or shall I?”

She smiled as she walked past me and down the steps. “Well I guess that’s my answer,” I followed just as she stepped into the kitchen and nervously ran a hoof through her mane.

Are you alright? Mel asked as she looked Lucky up and down, You sounded worried about something a moment ago.

You’re not sick are you? Nilak added as he poked his head out of the oven, the last bits of his flame fizzling slightly around his teeth as he turned to look at us.

I placed a leg around Lucky’s shoulder, a movement that Ivy noticed and immediately questioned, “What’s going on you two? You’ve got something to tell us so spill it already.”

I shared a look with Lucky before she turned towards the others, “I just found out we’re expecting a child.”

Nilak, who had placed his head back in the oven to keep it at the right temperature, yelped as he slammed his head against the top of the machine. Mel wasn’t much better, her tail cracking against the refrigerator as she jumped in surprise. Ivy nearly fell over as she caught herself on the counter, her expression of shock matched by the two dragons.

“You’re what?!” She yelled about two octaves higher than normal.

Lucky smiled as she sat down, rubbing her belly with a hoof as I wrapped my hooves around her barrel, “I said that we’re expecting a child. I just found out when I went upstairs.”

Ivy couldn’t seem to process what she was being told, her face practically falling off as I saw the gears spinning like crazy in her head. I could imagine smoke coming out her ears as she swayed, “I need to sit down.”

And so she did, right onto Nilak’s tail. He yelped again as he pulled his head out of the oven, giving Ivy a cold glare before turning to stare at us with an identical look to Mel’s.

I smirked, knowing that like it or not, our lives had just taken a new and exciting twist. And to be honest, I couldn’t be happier. Because even after all the crazy stuff we did to save the world and the challenges we were facing now in our new lives, I had always enjoyed the thrill of the surprises that life will throw your way when you least expect it. And so, Lucky and I became the loving parents to a bouncing pegasus filly we named Shooting Star. Mel and Nilak did their best to raise their hatchlings as best as they could, while the kids discovered the joys of playing with their new cousin. Radiant and Thunder got married the summer of the following year, and Winx finally agreed to have kids of her own. She had it a bit easier with her daughter and son, but between the two of them, they were more than enough to keep their parents on their claws.

Life moved on, and the world changed for the better as dragons and ponies once again learned to work together and to live peacefully alongside each other. We may have saved the world, but the adventure that started when I met Nilak was only just beginning, and it was anyone’s guess as to what the future had in store for us. Regardless, I wouldn’t change a thing even if I could, because I loved my life as it had become, and I wouldn’t give it up for anything this world or any other could offer me. I suspected the others would agree with me, but I couldn’t say for sure. All I knew was that our lives were still changing, and that I couldn’t wait to see what fate had waiting for us around the next corner.

Author's Notes:

Holy mother of Celestia I never though I would see the day!! This book is finally done!! I know, I didn't think it would ever get completed, yet here we are!! Also, I broke 100K words!! Hazzah!!!

So, just in case you guys are curious, I'm including the meanings of the hatchling's names, given dragons name their children based on their appearance. So, here are the names and meanings of each of Nilak and Mel's hatchlings.

Marinos - eldest hatchling with blue hide and scales- name means "of the sea"
Gorman - second eldest with navy feathers and sapphire scales - name means "dark blue" and "noble"
Sovann - second youngest with golden hide and sandstone scales - name means "gold"
Maryl - youngest with iridescent black feathers and scales - name means "blackbird"

Anyways, thanks for all of the support and likes you guys have been giving me over these last few months, it's been more than I had ever hoped it would be. I plan on getting a new book started within the next week or so, so keep an eye out for that. You might like what you see when it comes out.

And so, we come to this, the last little thing that always signals the end of a chapter, now brings this book to one final closing. It has been an honor to ride this story from start to finish with you, but now it is time to bring it on home.

One final time, see you all next chapter, hopefully in one of my other books, and I'll be waiting for you on the other side.
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.