Paladin trotted slowly across the wall again, aimlessly whistling 'Through the Fire and Flames'. As he turned, he watched in mild amusement as another guard sprinted towards him. He paused mid-note, and grinned. "What is it, Maxos?"

He stopped, panting. "Princess... Celestia... requests your presence..."

Paladin cocked his head. "The princess wants to see me? Why?"

"She...*huff* Didn't say. You just have to meet her in her chambers." Maxos said, as he slowly regained his breath.

Paladin shrugged. "Alright. Take my place, would you?" he walked off, as Maxos nodded.

~~~~

Paladin's hoof connected with the door, and for a moment, he could have sworn it echoed. Slowly, the door swung inwards, and he stepped inside.

The room was a mess. Scrolls covered the floor, and books covered every inch of the room. Staring out the sole window in the room, stood Celestia. "Uhmm.. You wanted to see me Your Majesty?"

The princess turned, and for a second, a smile was set upon her lips, though it was quickly replaced with a frown. "Ah, Paladin." She glanced around the room. "Sorry about the mess."

Paladin shrugged. "It's not as bad as my room after a long night of..*Ahem*... Anyway, you wanted to see me?"

She nodded. "Yes. You speak dragon, do you not?"

Paladin blinked. "Dragon is a separate language?"

"Yes, I thought you spoke it. I suppose it doesn't matter then..."

"Why did you need a pony that speaks dragon?" Paladin glanced around the room. "Is this what the mess is about?"

"Yes.. I went through the guard's records, and found that you are supposed to speak dragon."

Paladin shook his head. "I don't even know any... oh wait... I suppose... hmmm."

Celestia raised an eyebrow. "Hmm?"

"It's just, I knew this pony named Lightning, who generally spoke in hisses, and clicks..." Paladin paused. "She taught me a bit, but not enough to form too much of a conversation."

Celestia glanced out the window. "That will have to do." She turned. "Sergeant Paladin Amor, I have a quest for you. You must travel to Fillydelphia, via the secondary road. Around half the trip down, you will find a cave, and inside that cave you will find a dragon that is terrorising all who travel past. I want you to talk to him."

Paladin nodded. "Yes, Princess." Paladin went to turn, then stopped. "Did you say the secondary road?"

Celestia nodded. "Yes, why?"

"Uhh.. No..reason..." Paladin said, before leaving.

The Princess blinked, then returned to her work.

It wasn't long before the equine companions found Thunderbolt, lazing about on a cloud. Blue Mist shook her mane and flew up to where the orange mare was lounging.

"Hi Thunderbolt! You ready to set off to Fillydelphia?" She piped.

"Huh? Fillydelphi- Oh! Right, Lunar and that're havin' that one concert thingy.. Yeah, let's go!" With that, Thunderbolt and Blue flew down from the ground, and joined the other three.

Lunar winked at Thunder, who returned the gesture.

"Hey, Thunds!" Lunar Eclispe smirked at her completely orange friend.

"'Sup?" Thunderbolt nudged the blue Pegasus' shoulder.

The four companions stood outside the front gate of Canterlot. Lunar glanced at the sun, before back to the other three. "I best head off ahead. Gotta meet with Firecracker and Loud over in Filly',"

Blue nodded, and smiled. "Alright, we'll see you there." Lunar waved a hoof at the other three, "See ya'! Don't get eaten by anything, 'kay?" She said as she flew in the direction of Fillydelphia.. Backwards, although still pretty quickly.

'I shouldn't be surprised she can do that, she isn't the captain of the MS for nothing, after all!' Blue thought to herself as she waved back at Lunar.
The now three companions chuckled as Lunar flew off, before setting off themselves, albeit at a much slower pace.

The three ponies traveled down the road, eventually reaching a fork. A sign pointed in both directions. One pointed up, and indicated that this was the main road. The second however pointed down, stating that the road was faster, and more dangerous.

Blue stared at the signs, before pointing her snout downwards, and walking down the second road. Thunder watched, before shrugging and walking after Blue, Clock glancing nervously left and right as he followed.

Paladin raced down the front steps of the castle, already refreshing his memories of Lightning. His hoofbeats marked a fearsome passage across the finely sculpted stone, and sweat teemed on his brow. He swung round a corner, and shield blossomed under his hooves, lifting him above a shocked noble.

Chuckling at the noble's expression, he leapt back onto the ground, increasing speed as he reached the gates.

Blue stared into the cave. "What is it?" Thunder asked, leaning over Blue's shoulder.

"I'm not sure. This cave just seems... Different."

"Different how?" Clock asked, fear entering his voice.

"I don't know..." She said as a deep roar emanated from the cave.

Paladin galloped down the road, skidding to a stop infront of the sign post. Barely regarding it, he started to pick up speed as he raced down the lower road.

Blue Mist watched in horror as a huge claw approached her. Suddenly, a white blur leapt into the path of the claw, and was batted aside. The dragon growled as he turned his gaze to the now motionless Paladin. Each step was like a bolt of lightning. Paladin dragged himself to his hooves, and settled into a semi-fighting stance. He felt his ribs shift in his chest, and subconsciously he counted the broken ones. The dragon opened his mouth, and drew in a huge breath. Paladin wrapped one foreleg around his chest, but stood his ground.

Blue-white flames leapt from the dragon's mouth, and engulfed Paladin. Mist screamed, Clock gaped, and Thunderbolt had the best poker face you've ever seen on. Slowly, the fires died, and revealed a blinking, if otherwise unhurt, Paladin. "Freaking dragons..."Paladin hobbled forward, his sword slowly slid from its sheath, held aloft by his magic.

The dragon chuckled, and raised a claw, intent on smashing Paladin into the dirt. As his claw descended, a series of low clicks, and hisses left Paladin's mouth. The claw came to a halt, as the dragon eyed Paladin suspiciously. [The following is translated from low Water Dragon for your convenience] "You speak Water Dragon?"

"A bit."

"How did you come to learn it?"

"A friend taught me."

"Why do you stand against me? I will kill who I want, whether you wish it or not."

"Don't you dare! That is my wife." The last word was spoken in Equestrian.

The dragon contemplated this, before a throaty chuckle escaped his lips. "Then you die together." [End of Water Dragon dialogue]

The dragon swiped, sending Paladin tumbling across the earth. He slammed into the embankment, and was still. The dragon turned his attention back to the three ponies in front of him. He picked his target, and drew back a great breath. Flames leapt from his maw, hungrily eating up the ground between the dragon, and Thunder. The orange Pegasus had begun flapping her wings the moment the great beast had set eyes on her. She just managed to escape the flames however, searing the tip of her tail in the progress. "By Luna's lovely mane, you'll pay, ya' great big oaf of a thing!" She hollered confidently as she pulled her bow, and some arrows, out of seemingly nowhere, and started shooting.

The arrows however, just bounced off of the scales. The dragon, was now just slightly angry. Not only had somepony interrupted his meal, now somepony was launching sticks at him.

Blue watched as Thunderbolt started launching a volley of arrows at the dragon. Suddenly, an idea popped into her head. Slowly, she walked up to the dragon and hugged it...

Paladin stirred, and watched she as she wrapped her hooves around the dragon's leg. Thunder still had her poker face on, though she did snigger a little. Clock blinked once, before he fainted.

The dragon stared at the pony wrapped around his foreleg. He couldn't understand what she was doing. He lifted the leg up to his face, and stared at the pony that was now hanging off his leg. "What are you doing?"

Blue looked the dragon in the eye and smiled. "I'm hugging you, silly."

"But... Why?"

"Because everypony-"

"BECAUSE FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC!" Shouted Thunder.

Blue glanced at Thunderbolt, who still had her amazing poker face, then looked back to the dragon. "Because even dragons need a little compassion."

Suddenly, Blue Mist's eyes went wide, then were engulfed in light blue, she then fainted.

Somewhere deep underground...

Six orbs rotated slowly on an axis, when suddenly, one began to glow with an inner light.

Blue slipped from the dragon's foreleg, then fell, only to be caught by a waiting shield. Paladin half-stumbled over to her waiting body, and stared long and hard at her, before turning his glare to the dragon. "What did you do?"

The dragon stared. "I didn't do anything."

Paladin went to reply, but his legs fell out from underneath him, and he collapsed into unconsciousness. Thunder, the now only remaining member of the group who was standing, glanced at the dragon. "I can't carry all of them to Fillydelphia. Mind helpin' me?"

The dragon stared, tapped his chin and nodded. "Alright."