Elements Lost and Found

Chapter 10: Names

(A/N Now we're in the double digits! Can somebody get me a hollah?...No? Oh, okay then. Read on guys.)

Carrying on from where we left off, the dragon is showing off the surprise cutie mark under his wing.

The ponies (and Spike) are stood there in a mix of awe, confusion, and straight up WTF-ness.

To sum up the reactions of the heroes, this is how it goes:

Swift, Rainbow Dash, Spike and Soarin: "What..."

Bass, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Big Mac: "...the..."

Heart, Fluttershy and Cadance: "...hay?"

The dragon sighs. "Yeah, that was pretty much the reaction of the rest of the dragons. Except much more colourful language similar to that used by blue boy..." "Hey!" "...as soon as they saw that they kicked me out, claiming that I was a wimp and too much like the ponies. To be quite honest I wasn't as reckless as the other dragons tended to be. But that does NOT give them the right to call me a wimp."

Swift then speaks up. "What exactly were you doing when you saw your cutie mark appear?"

"I was breathing large amounts of fire, actually larger than most other dragons. But unlike most other dragons I don't like to show off. I'm not that kind of dragon. But I was mad when breathing that stream of fire. It's because of my modest attitude that I don't have any friends. When I saw Fluttershy I immediately saw something wrong with her. I wanted to help out. But that stare of hers. I let it control me! And...I'm a fool."

Swift shrugged his shoulders. "It is a really powerful stare. I mean she managed to stare the captain of the royal guard into submission for crying out loud!" This earns him a hoof slap upside the head from Rainbow Dash. "Ow. But anyway, you know what I think?"

"What."

"I think those other dragons are simply jealous."

"Jealous?"

"Dude, you have the potential to become something great and those other dragons just don't! They're picking on you because you have something they want. Their own special talent. Just remember that. You're something great. Don't let any dickhead tell you otherwise. I mean come on you managed to put the shits into me!"

This makes the dragon smirk and chuckle at the memory of Swift's earlier reaction to him. "Yeah that was actually hilarious."

"If your special talent is fire that means you aren't to be messed with."

Rainbow steps in. "How you got your cutie mark reminds me of how a friend of ours got her cutie mark."

The dragon raises his eye at this. "Really?"

"Yeah. She was trying to hatch Spike here..." "Hi." "...for her entrance exam."

"Entrance exam? To what?"

"To Princess Celestia's school for gifted unicorns. Anyway, she was struggling greatly even though she studied hard for this exam. But at the same time as that was happening, I was standing for Fluttershy because she getting some flack from these bullies. I decided to show them who's boss with a race. On descent I ended up going so fast I broke the sound barrier. When that happened, a rainbow wave similar to the one that threw you out of concentration ended up spreading throughout a lot of Equestria. It spread from Cloudsdale, to Ponyville, to Manehatten, hay even to Canterlot! The explosion from the sound barrier ended up causing Twilight's magic levels to go crazy (Swift: It's over 9000!) as well as guiding Applejack back home, giving Fluttershy a reason to be able to communicate with animals and showing Pinkie Pie a reason to keep smiling. It also broke this rock full of gems that Rarity's magic guided her to. And when she first saw it she thought rocks were her destiny! But then the explosion shook the rock, and there were her gems and her cutie mark!"

"So you helped your friends get their cutie marks without realising it? As well as your own?"

"Yep!"

Despite already seeing the Cutie Mark Chronicles episode of the show, Swift can't help but feel great respect for this rainbow maned pony. He decides to playfully ruffle her mane on the head while saying "Yep, because RD is just that awesome! Brining friends together before they even met! She loves her friends really. She's just too proud to admit it!"

(BGM: Transformers Cybertron – In the Mood for Mischief)

Rainbow blushes lightly then turns around to face Swift with an angry look on her face. Swift's face then turns to one of realisation then shoots off into the air with Rainbow Dash chasing after him.

"YOU COME BACK HERE AND TAKE THAT BACK!"

"NEVAAAARRR!"

This leaves everyone else (including the dragon) laughing hard at the banter between these two recent friends as Dash continues chasing after him and shouting unintelligible things at him.

Applejack, after managing to stop laughing, commented "Y'all would think that they'd known each other since they were foals!"

Everyone there (A/N I'm saying everyone now since there are dragons present and saying "everypony" would be very...you know...correct.) nods their heads in agreement.

(THUMP)

(CRASH)

(K.O!)

"Ooowww...I'm okay...I think. Agh...Rainbow Dash wins! Friendship!"

And with that, Swift is unconscious...

Dash grins sheepishly. "Oops. Heh. Sorry about that, Swift."

Bass grins at this. "Finally it isn't me that goes unconscious all the time."

Rainbow Dash turns to Bass with a light scowl. "From what I hear, you've only been unconscious once."

"Yeah, me nose still bloody hurts as well."

"This is the second time I've seen Swift unconscious. And both times I seem to have caused them. The first time I was racing him and I pushed him too far. Plus he got stung by like 100 of those weird bees that make you go unconscious for a few minutes. He managed to do that Azure Bolt thing right before he went unconscious. I mean seriously the blue and yellow trail followed him right down. And before you is the second time."

…

…

They hear something odd. Snoring. And it seems to be coming from the crater that Swift caused. Bass laughs at this and retorts "Or he's just really tired."

He jumps into the crater and slides down to where Swift lies. And stamps his back hooves down on a certain place...eeyup. That one. You can imagine the reaction.

"ARRRGH! RIGHT IN THE 'NADS! THE PUNISHMENT THEY ARE TAKING ON THIS TRIP IS...IS...ARRRRGH! BASS! YOU ARE A CRAFTY BASTARD!"

-5 minutes later-

Swift's excruciating pain has subsided so he decides to talk to the dragon, who quite enjoyed the "entertainment" as he called it.

"So what's your name?"

"I don't have one."

This causes a "WHAT?!" from everyone there.

"Yeah, I was either called "Wimpy" or "That One Dragon Who Thinks Like A Puny Pony"."

…

…

Bass breaks this silence. "Me back hurts as well."

Applejack shakes her head in amusement at Bass's commenting then turns to the dragon. "Well, y'all want us ta give ya a name?"

"Hmmm. I suppose. Hey, blue boy!"

Swift, while hanging upside down in the air, turns his head to the dragon. "Yus?"

"What was that name you called me when I scared you earlier?"

"Uhhhhhhh. Rayquaza?"

This floors Bass and Heart as they struggle to stop laughing their heads off.

Ignoring the both of them, the dragon nods at this name. "I like it! I don't know why but it sounds...awesome. Huh. I've never used that word before!"

Rainbow flies up to the newly christened Rayquaza and holds out her hoof. "Welcome to the team, Ray!"

Rayquaza chuckles and carefully shakes her hoof with his claw.

Everyone smiles at this display of friendship. And today they learn that friends come in all shapes and sizes.

Bass continues smiling. But then he glances up at the sky and his face immediately falls.

"Um, guys? I hate to be "That guy" but what the smeg is that?!"

Everybody looks up to the skies and sees about 10 darkly coloured pegasi staring down at them with not-so-friendly looks on their faces.

(BGM: Sonic The Hedgehog (2006) – Tension...Silver appears)

Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Applejack and Fluttershy immediately recognise them.

"Shadow Bolts!"

The leader speaks up. "I hope you enjoyed your little game of resistance. Unfortunately. That game is over. Come quietly or we'll have to resort to a game of ugliness."