Fall Out: Equestria By: Kkat

Chapter Twenty-One: The Heart of Twilight Sparkle

Chapter Twenty-One: The Heart of Twilight Sparkle

“Have you ever watched the moon rise over the Wasteland?  I wish I could have given you something as wonderful as that.”

Dragon!

Really big, gigantic, enormous purple dragon with green spines and with claws and spikes and very, very sharp teeth and a huge mouth that had just promised not to eat us.

Well, that was a start.

I could hear the voices of my companions around me, but I couldn’t turn my head.  My gaze remained locked on the dragon staring down at us.  I couldn’t move.  I could barely breathe.

“Calamity,” Velvet Remedy whispered urgently.  “Don’t shoot it!”

“Ah weren’t plannin’ to,” Calamity hissed back.  “Girl, ya gotta let that go.”

Pyrelight cried out and flew away, wings flapping with the sound of a crackling fireplace.

“Interesting,” mused a deep rumble from SteelHooves’ armor.

“Ah’d say he’s a damn sight more’n interestin’!”

“He said he was Spike,” SteelHooves said curiously.  “He didn’t say he was Watcher.”

The dragon’s gaze locked on me.  He raised a very sharp claw the length of my whole body.

Addressing me, Spike-the-fully-grown-dragon asked, “They do know I can hear them, right?”

***     ***     ***

"Littlepip, Velvet Remedy, Calamity... please don't be afraid."  Spike smiled, showing way too many sharp teeth.  Dragons shouldn't smile when they're trying to not be intimidating.  "You're welcome in my house.  On one condition."

Watcher was setting conditions; that would have irked me, but this was his home.  And Watcher was a dragon.  Dragons got to set whatever conditions they wanted.  

I was fully expecting something along the lines of Don't steal, hoof through or touch my treasure.  I was not prepared for the dragon to point at SteelHooves with one lethal claw and say, "That stays outside."

Watcher had a problem with ghouls?  That did irk me.  Perhaps not quite so much as it would have after meeting Ditzy Doo and before learning about Rottingtail, but it still bothered me.  "He's with us," I insisted, putting my hoof down.

"I breathe fire," Spike countered, winning the argument.

I turned to SteelHooves.  "You okay with this?"  After everything, part of me was ready to turn my back on Watcher and just walk away if SteelHooves said no.

"I'll be fine," SteelHooves answered.  I felt unexpectedly relieved.  "Besides, I won't be alone."  SteelHooves' armor-sheathed tail jabbed towards the Sky Bandit.  Pyrelight had taken shelter inside and was furtively peeking her head through one of the windows.  Apparently, flying into the home of Equestria's largest predator was a bit much to ask or our new, feathered companion.

I nodded to SteelHooves then turned back to the dragon.  "Okay."

Velvet Remedy was more gracious and diplomatic, giving Spike a courteous bow.  "Thank you, mighty Spike, for allowing us into your house!" she barely paused before choosing to use the word he had.

Do dragons blush?  Spike seemed to.  He glanced back into the darkness behind him.  "Well, it's really more of a cave.  But I've fixed it up enough that it feels like a house."