//------------------------------//
// Frozen Custard 
// Story: Egg Scramble 
// by SilverNotes 
//------------------------------//

Traveling by train was still... odd.

As frustrated as she'd gotten over having a dragon showing up in her throne room proclaiming wheels as the next big thing, it was correct that most dragons had never needed any kind of any external transport in their lives, other than young drakes riding on their parents' back before their wings grew in. 

If you came across a treasure you weren't strong enough to carry while airborne, then too bad, someone stronger would get to have it, and if there was somewhere that was too hazardous to fly, then tough luck, either push through anyway or fly away in shame. The idea of applying brains to the problem, of creating some kind of technology, just hadn't been something that would've occurred to most dragons.

The majority of dragons had never taken a train, and talks to introduce them to Dragonlands had been slow. Ember, as much as she had embraced a number of pony things, still couldn't help but feel out of place moving under anything but her own power. It was necessary in this case, though. The Crystal Empire was remote, and the chilling flight would tax any dragon's inner flame well past its capabilities to keep them warm.

It resulted in a lot of strange looks. None of the creatures milling about seemed to have recognized either of them yet--small mercies, as Ember was looking forward to a calm trip without needing to worry about camera flashes going off in her face--but just being dragons on a train was worthy of a few stares. She made an effort to ignore it all, focusing on Spike instead, seated across from her on the train car.

Despite the trip having been his idea, he looked tense and worried. He hadn't looked this nervous since first introducing her to his brother and sister-in-law, and even then, this seemed like something more than just typical anxiety. It looked more like some kind of dread was hanging over him that just got worse the more he thought on it.

"Hey..." her voice was gentle, and she waited for him to look up. "You okay?"

He put on a smile that wasn't at all convincing. "Yeah, I'm fine, just thinking how I'm going to bring up the subject."

"You sure?" she pressed, voice still gentle. "You look really tied up in knots."

He averted his eyes, briefly wringing his claws. "I'm sure. I'll be okay."

Ember reluctantly dropped the subject. Chatter on the trip was minimal after that, topics sparking a bit of conversation and then sputtering out, but he had least seemed to be a little better when talking about anything but the visit or the advice they were hoping to get.

The sense of unease was infectious, however, and now she couldn't help but wonder about the couples' potential reaction. After all, Spike was clearly worried, and he knew those ponies a lot better than she did. Was there a chance they wouldn't approve of the relationship getting serious?

It seemed ridiculous, but the thought wouldn't leave her alone, the whole way there.





The stallion waiting for them at the train station should have looked older.

Ember wasn't very good at judging ages in mammals, but mentally comparing him to other ponies she'd seen that she was almost certain were as older as him or even younger, he had shockingly few signs of his age. His mane wasn't even fully grey, he still had the bulk on his frame that had helped him stand out in Ember's mind, and there was a minimal sign of wrinkles on his face. His pelt had a healthy gleam, his horn didn't have any signs of wear-and-tear that she'd learned to recognize...

Good genes, maybe. Or magic. Given that he was married to an alicorn, most likely magic. 

It surprised Ember some that he hadn't grown wings himself, honestly, though she was still a little fuzzy on the criteria for doing so, especially given that some ponies could apparently be born that way. Spike had described the events surrounding his sister's ascension, and Ember's takeaway was that she'd been blasted so hard by a set of magical artefacts that she'd grown extra limbs by the time she hit the ground again.

His face lit up in a smile when he saw them, and the two brothers shared a hug, Spike lifting him right off the ground in his enthusiasm. He old stallion gave a laugh. "Great to see you, little bro!" As soon as he was set down again, he trotted over to Ember and offered his hoof for her to bump with her knuckles. "You too! It's been a while since the last visit."

"Well, you know how it is." Ember rubbed the back of her neck. "It's hard to get away from my subjects, and I don't want to stress out my assistant by doing it too often."

"Yeah, I get you. Cadance's assistant gets more grey hair every time she wants to leave the Empire." He gave an agreeable bob of his head. "Speaking of, come on, let's get to the palace. Cadance has been looking forward to seeing you."

It may not have been Ember's first time in the Crystal Empire, but as they were led through the streets, she still couldn't help but look around. She'd never, before or since, been somewhere this sparkly. Light bounced from surface to surface to local, occasionally landing in eyes of passerby, and other non-crystal-pony residents seemed to either be very adept at averting their eyes at the right time or very attached to their pairs of sunglasses. Thankfully, dragon eyes were better at resisting glare, and so the occasional beam of light in her direction only caused mild annoyance.

Then they passed by the statue, and Ember couldn't help but give a small smile at the rendition of Spike, even younger than he was when the two of them had met. He'd been a hero even before the Gauntlet of Fire, and while she was sure he had embellished the story when he'd regaled her with it, she still felt some extra pride, in standing next to such a dragon.

It made his nerves all the more worrying. As happy as he'd been to see his older brother, he seemed to get more fidgety the longer the walk went on. Hopefully getting the advice they were looking for would soothe whatever was bothering him.





Ember still had no idea what to do when ponies got huggy.

Alicorns were tall enough that one rearing up like that was big enough to wrap forelegs around her shoulders. And that's what Cadance had done, immediately upon seeing them, first Spike and then Ember. Forelegs and wings wrapped around her, and all she could do is stand perfectly still as the pink pony princess was relentless in her friendly affection.

Just like every time Cadance had done this, Ember was struck by the strength behind the gesture. She didn't have the overt bulk of her husband, but Cadance's body was lined with muscle, and Ember had the distinct impression that if she ever decided to turn that hug into a grapple, even a dragon was going to be in trouble.

That's what tripped up so many creatures about ponies. They had the power to conquer, if they wanted. They could take whatever they desired from other creatures by force. It wasn't just about the sun, but the fact that individual ponies themselves could pack much more of a punch than their small size would suggest.

Spike had explained away her reaction before as Ember not being used to hugs. It wasn't untrue, but the whole truth was that she always spent those few moments locked in a hug being reminded that ponies were kind and friendly by choice, and that all other creatures should be grateful they'd made that choice.

Cadance let her go eventually, all smiles. "It's so good to see you again, Ember!"

"Likewise." The smile hopefully didn't look as forced as it felt.

"I was so excited when we got your letter. I feel like we've barely gotten to really talk on your previous visits." She pranced in place briefly. "You haven't even seen the palace gardens before, have you? We'll need to fix that!"

The thought of spending the next while looking at flowers made Ember wince. "That's nice of you, but you don't have to--"

"No no, I think you'll really like these gardens." Cadance lit her horn, and magic suddenly encircled one of Ember's claws. Unicorn magic always felt strange, like whatever the pony in question had grabbed was starting to fall asleep. "We can leave the boys to catch up while I give you the tour."

Ember look back, and saw Spike fighting to hold back his laughter. Traitor. "That sounds... great."

She supposed a garden would work as well as anywhere to broach the awkward questions, but she still didn't understand the pony preoccupation with showing her flowers.