Chapter 33

Odio was calmly removing his posters from the wall as they returned to their natural fog and rejoining Odio’s large mass. The door opened and Dave stepped in with a slight mix of anger and depression.

“Oh hey, I was just getting my things before I am destroyed” Odio sighed, “I was doing it for a good reason really”

“You aren’t getting destroyed” Dave shook his head, “Luna has let you off but that doesn’t mean you are getting away with what you did!” he pointed at the fog to add emphasis that he was serious

Odio whirled closer to Dave, “What did you say to let the princess of the night let me go?” he hummed as Dave shrugged

“I said that you could easily trick anypony because your… clone is based off my exact thoughts” Dave ignored Odio’s sly grin, “So, I want you to apologize at some point and I need you for taking down Flux and Battering Ram”

Odio smiled happily as he whizzed towards Dave, “You need me to do violent things?” he cheered as he picked his friend up in a strange hug

“Yeah but we have to keep this secret” Dave waved the fog away from him, he patted away the final few wisps before looking back up, “I will let you know when we are going and you can tag along”

Odio shook happily, “Ok Dave, I will be right here!” the fog became strangely still as his eerie smile continued to stare at Dave

“Alright… see you later I suppose” Dave left the room and allowed Odio to hold his happiness in as he continued to stay in midair

Dave walked along the corridors, back towards Celestia’s quarters. He refrained from looking around the dark hallways, as he did not want to see anything that could make his already strange night any weirder

He walked up the stairs until he was face to face with Celestia’s door before quietly creeping in and resuming his position of the sofa. Dave smiled at his sleeping partner and child that slept quietly in the bed before allowing himself to sleep

The next morning…

Nox’s head shot up at the sound of somepony knocking heavily on the door, his eyes still groggy from his long sleep. He crawled from Celestia’s grasp as he staggered over to the door, glancing at Dave who was hanging half off the sofa

“Who is it?” Nox groaned as he stood next to the door, rubbing his eyes as a yawn escaped him. He was replied with a short cough before the pony announced itself

“It is Captain Shining Armour, I am here for your mother” Shining called as he waited patiently by the door. Nox slowly opened the door as he looked up at the guard in his purple armour, the captain quickly saluted the prince

“Mum is still asleep” The colt yawned again, “And I think dad will be grumpy because he fell asleep on the sofa”. He rubbed his tongue along his gums as he tried to get the dry feeling from his mouth

Shining Armour chuckled, “well your father has seen worse” he looked into the room at the sleeping princess. He saw a hand dangling over the edge of the sofa and smirked, “We have visitors on the runway!”

Dave bolted awake at the noise and fell off the sofa, landing on his head. The human groaned as he stood up, causing the white alicorn to awaken with more grace.

“Shining?” Dave groaned as he rubbed his eyes at the morning sun, “Honey, can you turn down the sunshine for a few minutes?” he joked

Celestia climbed out of bed and walked over to Dave’s side, nuzzling his chin as she looked at Shining Armour. “Did I hear something about visitors?”

“Yes your majesty, five dragons” Shining Armour saluted the princess, “Ambassador Adamas, an equally large dragon and three small ones that are slightly taller than Dave”

“Small dragons pfft” Dave folded his arms, “There is only one ‘small dragon’ and it happens to live with your sister” he stretched as Shining reluctantly nodded

“Regardless, they want to see you” Shining Armour saluted again, “They say your majesty organised a project to help train new dragon ambassadors”

Celestia tapped her chin before her eyes popped open, “They are showing up today?” the princess of the sun gasped, “I thought that was still a few weeks away”

“What is going on?” The confused Dave asked as Celestia smiled at him

“Adamas asked me if I would allow a few young dragons to stay in Canterlot and learn to interact with ponies” Celestia shook her head before she started putting on her golden regalia, “Something about Adamas wanting the next generation of enlightened to have experience in communicating”

Dave rubbed the dull pain in the side of his head as it quickly faded, “So long as they behave themselves I suppose?” he let out a small sigh of relief as Shining gave him a reassuring nod

“Adamas assured me that they would behave or suffer dire consequences” Shining Armour shrugged as Celestia began placing Nox’s only piece of regalia over his head, “I also took the duty of informing the guests that they must report to me every other day”

“A wise precaution” Celestia nodded, she levitated a comb from the bathroom and began rubbing it through Nox’s mane. Dave chuckled at the colt’s protests until Celestia brushed his hair as well

Dave grabbed the brush from midair and gave Celestia a playful glare. “I am gonna say hi to Adamas and then I might go into the city”

“Alright, just make sure you show up for dinner today” Celestia smiled as Dave and Shining Armour left the royal chambers and began walking towards the runway at the bottom of the castle. Shining’s face wasn’t full of the normal happiness or duty he normally showed when he was on duty

“Hey are you alright?” Dave asked as Shining’s quiet behaviour made him feel uneasy. His armour-clad friend only grunted before he looked up at Dave

“I’ve been better” Shining Armour sighed, his eyes rolling slowly to look ahead again. “I have spent most of my free time making new training methods, but if I had your dads help then I could have guards that could stand hoof-to-claw with dragons”

As they reached the door that lead out onto the runway, Dave held his hand on the door and stopped Shining Armour from opening the door. “Listen, I know what happened to Barrier was hard on you but you have to take it easy”

“And how do you suppose I do that?” Shining glared at Dave. The captain turned to face Dave properly, “I suppose Dave the mighty has a plan to make all our troubles disappear, what are you going to do? Kill yourself again?” Shining spat

“WHOA!” Dave held his hands up, “I am just trying to help out because you look like crap, that’s what friends do, help”

Shining groaned as he rubbed his eyes, “Sorry, late nights have been making me agitated and I have been snapping at everyone”. The captain smirked at Dave, “So what did you have in mind?”

“Well I was planning for a night out on the town, have some drinks and have fun” Dave smiled as Shining nodded. “I need to pop out into the city for a bit but then we can meet in this awesome nightclub I know”

The tired unicorn nodded, his eyes filled with a small spark of joy and eagerness. “Alright I am going to get these dragons settled in, go home and sleep, get in touch with a few friends and then we meet by the castle gates by nine o’clock tonight”

“Get the lad gang back together?” Dave’s smile grew as Shining slowly nodded. The human clapped excitedly as he wrapped an arm around Shining Armour’s neck, “And need to ask you a question”

Shining tilted his head to look at Dave, “What can I do for you?”

“Where did you get a certain gold ring that you needed to commence a certain event that commemorated the union of Princess Cadence and yourself?” Dave looked around nervously as Shining rose a confused eyebrow. Dave shook his head, “You know an engagement ring?”

“OH!” Shining suddenly beamed, “I got it from Rough Cut, he is an old family friend and he owns a jeweller on Trot Road”

Dave shook Shining playfully as he pushed open the doors to the runway. “Alright, let’s get these dragons out the way and then we can make tonight the best night ever!”

“Dude?”

“Garble?” Dave’s jaw dropped and his eye twitched as he saw the familiar red dragon, he had grown a few inches and the small bumps that looked like spots had finally faded

Garble punched Dave’s shoulder as he placed a claw around him. “Dude, why haven’t I seen you around? Gramps here talks about you all the time, as well as that dweeb Spike”

Adamas growled and Garble threw his arms over his head as the huge diamond dragon leaned down, his eyes full of anger. “I did not teach you to speak about Spike in that manner!”

“Jeez, sorry” Garble folded his arms as he looked back at Dave. “So what you been doing?” he sighed as Dave continued to process that one of the most immature dragons around was able to swindle a spot at Canterlot castle

“Hey, I remember you!” A sleek, jet-black dragon pushed Garble aside and ran a claw under Dave’s chin. “You are that frisky ape from the mud bath!”

Dave cringed as he looked up at the female drake, her scales reflected the light in a way that made her body look like flowing oil. The human took a few steps back and attempted to slowly hide behind Shining Armour

“Uh ok” Shining Armour shook his head as he looked up at Adamas. “Ambassador, if your three pupils would like to follow me then I will show them to their sleeping quarters”

The third dragon that was a burning orange hastily followed Shining Armour whilst Garble flicked Dave with a chuckle and the black female gave him a quick wink. Dave shuddered before standing to look at Adamas and the female companion that was only a meter or two shorter than the diamond dragon she stood next to

“Hey Adamas, how have you been?” Dave’s smile turned into a curious smirk as he noticed Adamas’ tail was intertwined with the purple female. “And how is your girlfriend?”

“I am well, and by girlfriend I assume you mean my mate?” Adamas lowered his head slightly and rubbed his snout against the females. “Her name is Sind by the way” he smiled as his companion giggled lightly

Dave nodded understandably, “Right, hello Sind” he waved as the purple dragon leaned down to speak. “I hope Adamas has been treating you properly” he chuckled

“Very much so” Sind smiled as she glanced back at Adamas, a small blush showing through his diamond scales. “Last week he brought me a cow for dinner, a live one!”

Dave’s cheeky smile slowly faded as Adamas leaned down as well. “We spent the entire day resting by each others side, not moving for any reason”

“Except for when we were mating” Sind reminded quickly her face seemed unembarrassed as Adamas slowly nodded in agreement. “Remember, we mated at least five times before midday”

“Does that include that one technique that was suggested by Princess Cadence?” Adamas hummed as he looked at Dave. “Did she tell you the technique? The one where the male goes for the entrance that is not normally used”

Dave rubbed his eyes as the two dragons began discussing the various positions and motions in great detail. He covered his ears as they both began to make small noises to help describe the situation

“Why do dragons have to be so blunt and straightforward?” Dave groaned as Adamas and Sind looked at him. “Seriously, can’t you both just say you had a wonderful day rather than describe exactly how you did it?”

Adamas bowed his head, “I understand, some cultures use metaphors to describe some actions” he looked at Sind as she slowly nodded and extended a claw to Dave

“Nice to meet you” she smiled as Dave shook one of her sharp claws. “Adamas used his boa constrictor to razzmatazz my dungeon, making sure to thoroughly paint my stairs with his syrup”

Dave’s hands went straight over his face as the mental image began to assault his mind. Sind looked to Adamas for judgement and smiled happily as he gave her a nod and a nuzzle