Rainbow Dash lives an exciting life and is swiftly becoming the most daring, awesome pegasus in all of Equestria. She would gladly give it all up, though, just to confess her love to Applejack.
"You know, come to think of it," Lancie murmured from Rainbow's saddlebag. "Those were some rather chatty dragons."
"Shhhh!" Rainbow gnashed her teeth, struggling to climb her way up the western ramparts of the flying castle. Forests, ravines, and hilltops lingered far below. Every now and then, Rainbow's hooves would graze a loose brick and send it tumbling down—where a full minute and a half of falling would eventually bring it crashing to the earth's surface. "Animated statues could learn a thing or two about being quiet too, y'know."
"I'm just saying." Lancie shrugged. Rainbow had chosen a strategic place to climb in the crook of two adjoining walls angled inward. As a result, a looming shadow obscured most of her ascent from the draconian guards circling at a distance. "Back in my day, dragons were the silent, brooding sort. They spoke softly but carried huge balls..." He grinned, granite fangs glinting. "...of fire, that is."
"Uh huh."
"Show's how much several millennia can change things," Lancie muttered. "Rendering dragons to idiotic chatterboxes."
"Well, from what I can tell, these dudes aren't exactly the oldest dragons in the book."
"Hmmm?"
"You heard 'em, Lancie," Rainbow said. "They're all belonging to a single brood, so they're probably super young. In fact, sounds like most of them are brothers. Remember the two dragons who showed up outside the building we were squatting in?"
"Do I have to?" he moaned.
Rainbow continued: "They were all going on and on about how—like—the Big Boss Aatxe was given his title of authority. Like an inheritance, y'know? So, the way I figure it, there was a dragon or two who first nested the brood. Like... a Dragon King or Queen. And maybe they died or they skipped off or did whatever it is that dragon adults do, but—whatever the case—they left one broodling in charge of all the rest. Which seems kinda stupid in my book, but—from how angry some of the dragons sound—I'm probably not the only one who thinks that."
"So, in other words, Aatxe is in charge only because someone appointed him the dragon crown."
"Did they ever do that in your time?"
Lancie blinked. "What?"
"Grnnngh..." Rainbow climbed her way past a damaged patch of bricks. "...hand crowns and tiaras around like pony royalty?"
"Actually, dragon broodlings from my time typically feasted on the matriarch's flesh after her time had come and gone."
"Mmrmmff... lovely." Rainbow Dash came within close proximity of the top of the ramparts. "Well, something tells me that these guys skipped an important step somewhere, and now they're having to make do."
"With Aatxe as the boss."
"Right. And maybe... like... to prove his worth, he's desperate to gain a lotta power." Rainbow sweated, throwing her hooves over the top lip of the segmented wall. "So, for that reason... mmmffff... he's relying on the shards."
"Makes sense to me." Lancie blinked. "Ugh... I hate it when things make sense. Makes me want to vomit."
"Just hold it in for a bit." Rainbow took a deep breath, then pulled herself up. Silently, she peered over the ramparts, eyes darting left and right.
There was no sign of any presence atop the wall, draconian or otherwise.
The mare exhaled. With a flap of her wings, she pushed herself up and rolled safely onto the top of the wall. She heard the loud thwoooosh of leathery appendages, and she ducked low. Several dragon-shaped shadows cross over her body. Apprehensively, she crawled over to the inner lip of the wall and peered down. Her ruby eyes lit up with orange plumes of fiery light.
An enormous courtyard filled the majority of the floating island's surface area. Here, dragons gathered in tight groups. Some talked with one another. Others wrestled and sparred. Sparks and bursts of flame issued between dualing opponents, adding to the scorch marks blanketing the ancient walls of the place. Along the furthest edges, the larger and older broodlings reclined, looking lethargic and bored.
"You were right, Sparky," Lancie remarked. "They all do look on the younger end of the spectrum." He smiled. "Like a breakfast club of apocalyptic delinquents."
"Make that miserable apocalyptic delinquents," Rainbow muttered. "All things considered, these guys have a pretty killer lair here. You'd think they'd be more excited about it."
"Maybe there's a freckle-faced, apple-farming she-dragon somewhere that's gotten stuck in their craw."
"Meh..." Rainbow grumbled, looking down both ends of the wall. Towards the northwest, the ramparts connected with a cylindrical tower. An open doorframe loomed. "The only way to learn more is to go deeper."
"Lead the way, Dicaprioats."
Rainbow Dash galloped stealthily towards her destination. At the doorway, she paused, staring up and down.
"...there a problem?" Lancie murmured.
"Just... the way this place is built," Rainbow muttered. "It's too big for a pony... but also too small for dragons, really." She gulped, glancing behind her. "Why would Aatxe have chosen this place?"
"We're not here to interior decorate." The statue swatted her ears and pointed down with a granite talon. "My shard senses are tingling. Go down a few floors."
"Yeah, yeah..." And, with a shuddering breath, Rainbow proceeded into the castle interior.
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*gets ready to make inception joke*
derpicdn.net/img/view/2012/8/26/82944__safe_animated_lyra+heartstrings_reaction+image_computer_artist-colon-lamia_table+flip_oc-colon-skyra.gif
The kill is suspensing me.
6379870
6379901 ur not alone
waterjel.com/assets/images/products/large_265px/sprays/burn-spray.jpg
6379976 so are you all caught up now?
You know, did anyone ever actually confirm that Aatxe is a dragon? We've been assuming he is, just because he leads the dragons, but I'm getting the feeling he might not be one himself.
6380726 He could be Pokemon League Champion Lance, or maybe...
img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20150617205232/yugioh/images/1/12/LordofD-DPBC-EN-C-1E.png
Howl's Flying Castle Reference. Perchance a certain author is a Studio Ghibli fan?
Into the belly of the beast we go.
6380726
Well, they do keep calling him Big Boss, and this story has pulled crossovers with video games before...
static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/11114/111144184/4604229-5556422084-24434.jpg
6380884 What picture? The one of the story's cover?
6380531 Yeah I caught up about 10 chapters ago, but I just didn't say anything.
And yes, it sux to be waiting...but also im glad I have time for other stories now...so win-win
i think.
6381613 well, I'm just glad you caught up without driving yourself crazy.
Welcome to the Drama Dripfeed Club! We have t shirts made entirely of angst!
6380916 Well it'd probably be more of a Howl's Moving Castle reference. But, I was thinking it was a bit of a Laputa: Castle in the Sky reference. Perhaps both? In any case, it would still be Studio Ghibli.
Also, gallop stealthily? That's a bit of an oxymoron; something Discord would probably approve of to be honest.
6382261 oh. right. that's the title. I always mix those two up.
Yes, I see what you did.