The Wine Drinks Itself
Dan's Comments
DISCLAIMER: My Little Pony is the property of Hasbro, Inc., Harry Dresden is the property of Jim Butcher, Carl Kolchak is the property of ABC/Universal Television, Ranma Saotome is the property of Rumiko Takahashi, Sailor Jupiter is the property of Naoko Takeuchi.

The setting sun and rising moon told Harry that Makoto was in control of things celestially. That did not change the fact that Harry's life was still going the way it always did.

"Harry! Pedal faster!" Ranko called as she watched the swarm of extremely angry Changelings pursuing their flying carpet.

"I'm going flat out," Harry replied, concentrating on keeping the speed high, the shield around them, and the locator spell for Bruce and Patrick going, "Sorry about flying through that cloud, I thought we could lose them." Ranma's transformation to Ranko would have been more interesting if it hadn't also sent up a flare of magic that the changelings homed in on.

Ranko shrugged. "Couldn't be helped. After all, we wanted to find them, we found them," Ranko said as she watched, "They don't seem to be giving up, which is good for everybody except us. If we flew out into the middle of the ocean would they get tired and fall into the drink?"

"Why not, we probably would," Harry replied. He could feel exhaustion screaming in his bones as he wrung more magic out of himself just to keep the spells going. Then he lost the traces to both Bruce and Patrick. He tried to keep his concentration, but there were limits.

"We're slowing down, we're slowing down," Ranko warned unnecessarily.

"Here I come to save the day!" Patrick sang as he passed them and accelerated. The sonic boom shook them, but the multiples scattered the changelings as he flew into the middle of them.

Bruce appeared next to their descending carpet. The outsider gestured and the trio was back in Ponyville. Harry nodded to the creature, who saluted back, then make a complicated gesture at Ranko, who burst out laughing. Then the Outsider vanished. Presumably to rejoin the fight against the Changeling army.

"What did he say?" Harry asked as he tried to stand and his legs went on strike.

Damned traitors, he thought as Ranko stifled her laughter.

"He said next time he wants to find trouble, he'll just follow us around," Ranko said and laughed, "I think he summed up my life pretty well."

Harry had to smile. "Mine too. Right now I think crawling into bed and getting some sleep sounds like a great idea."

"I'm not that kind of girl," Ranko said and sniffed, before picking Harry up easily.

"I can walk you know," Harry said, overflowing the smaller girl so much his boots and knuckles dragged on the ground.

"I've read your chi, standing would be a major effort right now," Ranko said, "And if you don't get rest and food, you could be out of the fight for days. And this was only the first skirmish. We'll need everybody tomorrow, and especially for the climax."
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Bruce was no high strategist, but he knew enough about animal behavior to recognize wary prey when he saw their conduct. "They aren't falling for it," he told Patrick in his own language, the pex-infused device Patrick carried allowing the translation from 'Elder Thing' easily.

The plan to retreat while drawing them into a trap seemed to have been sensed by the changelings. Of course, he thought, They probably sensed we weren't as genuinely fearful as the other two. Probably stood out like a swollen tentacle node.

Patrick tried to charge, but the swarm dissipated like mist on a sunny day, the rear ranks had already begun pulling away. Patrick glanced at the chronometer he carried strapped to his wrist. "Yeah, we shouldn't have sent Ranma and Harry to safety, they were the bait."

"Agreed," Bruce said, "Speaking of bait, there's someone you need to talk to, someone who might be of use in the coming battle."

"Actually, there are two someones, but it's getting past one of their bedtimes, so let's visit yours first."
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Makoto had retired for the evening as Blueblood walked out from Shiney's 'rebel meeting'. They'd each been given a private briefing, and details of what and whom to watch, and instructions to discuss it with no one, even each other. Blueblood understood why he'd been lumped in with the bootlickers and turncoats, but it still hurt that he could serve faithfully, he was lumped in with that bunch.

"Would you mind some company?" Stitch In Time, the leader of the seamstresses asked as she walked next to Blueblood. While not as powerful as the chefs, or as obscure as the lamplighters, she was part of the invisible hierarchy that kept the palace and the princess so radiantly perfect.

Blueblood nodded. "Troubling times. I remember a legal brief about the captain of a ship committing barratry against the crown, and the junior officers and crew mutinying against the captain and his supporters. The ship was subsequently lost, as the captain warned. While the legal wrangling made it perfect bedtime reading." He paused to let Stitch give a ladylike snort before he continued, "The fundamental problem fascinated me. Can you revolt against lawful authority and remain loyal, and how does that redound to you in later life? The hierarchy of loyalties and the idea of are you loyal to the letter or the spirit of the law?"

Stitch nodded. "So you think all that's happened is part of Celestia's plan?"

"No, she was as surprised as anyone. And that Patrick somehow found the Alicorn Amulet has changed things in further ways," Blueblood said, "But, with an army of Changelings, and these `elves` running around, what is a pony to do, be loyal to Celestia, loyal to Equestria and Celestia's ideals, some of one and a bit of the other? This is not meant as a critique, I think each of us must plan our course and decide."

Stitch nodded and departed.

I wonder how much of that will get back to Makoto, Blueblood wondered and decided to retire before the other `conspirators` approached him to set him up as the scapegoat for their failed palace revolution.
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Don looked at the pair. "It is an interesting conundrum," he said, "But you haven't mentioned why I should extend myself only to be revealed for my troubles?"

"Would you be revealed?" Pat asked, "The dragon has been revealed already, the Equestrians haven't made the connection. AS long as you are careful, they won't."

"That addresses the second point," Don pointed out.

"There is the fact that you can have a chance to terrorize both sides, and get a medal out of it," Pat said.

Don snickered. "Yes, that would be worth it." He smiled. "Too bad I can't achieve my true form with my own abilities, or are you and that item offering to help."

"No, I've got my own transformation and reinforcements to worry about," Pat said. He pointed to Bruce. "He'll take care of it."

The Elder Thing fainted.

"You didn't discuss this with him before you came here, did you?" Don asked.

"And have him refuse?" Pat asked, "Perish the thought."

They waited until Bruce woke up. "Trouble?" Don said of the human wizard glancing around.

"Just general paranoia, which too often becomes completely justified," Patrick said, "Ah, I think we have a winner in the question of who remains behind to guard your assets while you go a-dragoning."

"Is he up to facing an Elfqueen?" Don asked as Bruce finished rousing himself.

"Yes," Bruce said, "As long as she is no stronger than Celestia."

"Considerably weaker," Don replied, "But Celestia fights with both wings behind her back, I expect you will not be so limited."

"You expect her to attack, while we are otherwise occupied?" Bruce asked.

"Why wouldn't she when all this has been set up?" Patrick asked.

"You have to think like a cruel treacher, and decide what to move the pieces to do so you have the greatest advantage," Don added.

"So you leave me to guard the - your - real prize, while you rescue ours," Bruce said, "Interesting, gives me an honorable job, while maximizing our firepower against our obvious enemy."

Don nodded to Patrick. "He's learning."

"He's been watching our dreams together, mine, Ranma and Makoto's," Patrick said, "Considering how much Makoto has learned, I hoped he was learning."

"If you can enter dreams, then I have an additional price, something of an ice breaker with her highness," Don said.

Patrick shrugged. "I think I have exactly what is needed. But do you have the time to enact it?"

"It's for tomorrow, before the battle," Don said, "Just to remind dear Celestia what she's really fighting for."
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Bruce looked at his ally as they flew through the night. "You are insane," he said, "And why did you leave when he was going to open up?"

"Didn't want to blow his cover," Patrick said, "And this thing has a side-effect. Being trapped with those racks and racks of wheels, brr."

"Then why did you buy and eat one?" Bruce asked.

"Oh, to piss this thing off," Patrick said, "It may have been paranoid about wheels, but I'm not going to let that rule my life."

"I reiterate, you are insane," Bruce said.

"Considering some of the people I've met and work for, that's a given," Patrick replied, he turned and incinerated the elf riding a yarrow stalk in pursuit of them, then looked at Bruce, "Are you saying this is beyond your abilities?"

"Of course not," Bruce said, "But do you know who he is?"

"He's an ally," Patrick replied, "You're starting to sound like Harry, calling you an `outsider` and implying you're stringing us along until you can eat our minds and souls."

"I know tainted food when I see it," Bruce replied, "Fine, I make him back into a dragon, you can become a dragon with proper rituals, where are you getting the third?"

Despite not having smiling apparatus installed, Bruce knew a predator's smile when he saw one.
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Rarity knew she was asleep, was in fact dreaming, but the scenario seemed so real she was inclined to treat it as real. She'd faced dragons before, she'd even faced them alongside Twilight, but the pair of brutes facing them would have eaten that dragon alive without sauce.

A lady is as she must be, she thought, trying not to quail at the attention one the lighter-colored and oddly familiar one.

"Can I help you gentlemen?" she asked, and ignored Twilight's whispered warning.

The lighter dragon lunged at her.

"Stop!" the other, darker dragon ordered, freezing his fellow titan in midgrab, "What is most valuable?"

The lighter colored dragon seemed lost in thought. Then he turned his hand and set it before Rarity and Twilight like a royal carpet. Rarity stepped onto it, and when Twilight stood mouth agape, she levitated her friend beside her onto the dragon's hand. The huge dragon carefully lifted the pair so he was eye to eye with them.

"Look at them," the darker dragon commanded, "One is fearful, one accepting, do you want to lose either?"

The dragon seemed to be struggling with thinking. Rarity felt Twilight approach, and patted her on the leg.

"He won't hurt us," she said, "Will you Spike?" She felt proud of herself at the realization.

"No," the huge dragon brought them close enough for Rarity to nuzzle him. She glared at Twilight who reluctantly did the same.

"So they are - "

"Mine!" Spike-dragon interrupted the darker dragon.

"Of course, but to keep them, you have to let them go, if they come back, that's they think they're yours," the darker dragon said, "Remember the sand running through your fingers. Friendship is the water that holds the sand together."

Spike-dragon set them down, and once they were clear, roared his frustration at the other dragon. The darker dragon accepted the blows Spike rained down on him, blocking and absorbing them as an expert martial artist would, until Spike's anger and energy were diminished.

The dark dragon patted Spike's shoulder. "I know it hurts, but this is the way. The easy way is so much harder in the end."

Spike roared his fury, but sat down and extended his hand to Rarity and Twilight.

This time, Twilight accompanied Rarity. Spike lifted them to his cheeks and gently nuzzled them each.

Quite a feat for so huge a creature Rarity thought as Spike lowered them and let them leave.

"There will be more, but I think you've passed the first test," the dark dragon said, "We need to go."

"Mine!" Spike announced and pointed at Rarity and Twilight.

"Of course, but to make sure they are yours, you have to be theirs, that's what we have to work on next."

Spike's eyes crossed and he fell over.

The dark dragon sighed. "Is what I'm saying lately really so provocative?" he asked and faded from sight along with Spike.

"I think we need some tea while we wait," Rarity said, "I'm going to need that masseuse Fluttershy was raving about."

"Raving?" twilight said.

"Well, raving for Fluttershy," Rarity admitted.