Flying over Denmark…

Hugging a small trash can on a rumbling cargo plane for eight and a half hours was horrible. Though Rachel had taken the nausea meds before the flight began, it didn't stop her from puking each time they hit turbulence and each jerk the plane made.

Everyone was seated on benches, strapped down with belts, clinging onto the extra straps on the walls to make sure they didn't go all over the place. There were also large crates of unknown items strapped down in the center of the back of the plane.

With another jerk of the plane, Elizabeth yelped. "Why didn't we choose flying on safer means of transportation or on a boat?"

Cassandra held on to the strap with one hand, and had a death-like vice grip on Spike's collar so he wouldn't go flying all over the place. "This is an older military model. We're only a hundred feet in the air so we won't be spotted so easily and possibly be shot out from the sky, plus free airfare?"

"Boats are too slow~oh fuck!" Rachel groaned as she continued to throw up. She never had motion sickness when it came to flying, especially riding on Spike when he would take her out for flights.

"Well, your brother could have picked a better model that isn't being held together with duct tape and glue." Elizabeth whimpers. Staring at one piece of metal that had tape on it.

"I heard that, this is my baby, she needs some work but she hasn't failed me yet." Shaun called out from the front of the plane through the intercom.

"I thought Faith was your baby." Lucy asked. Not having any problems with the ride and just enjoying the ride.

"Who'd you think I named my plane after?"

Rainbow Dash was starting to look more green around the gills. She craned her neck to look over at Rachel who was more near the front of the plane near the cockpit. "Yo Rach, lemme have a turn with that can."

"Get your own, Dash." Rachel heaved, burying her face in the can. "Good God, are we almost there?!" She'd rather be sedated than be awake and endured this torture again. She'd been on many planes before but this ride was absolutely the worst!

"I'd like to be off of this too!" Spike shook in his paws, tail tucked between his legs.

Serenity gritted her teeth and had her eyes closed, Sunset Shimmer looked queasy as well but not as bad as the other two girls.

"Dash, you can fly, how are you airsick?" Sunset asked.

"I'm so fast, I don't notice. Rachel, you better hand over that can or I'm puking over here!" Dash growled. Covering her mouth with her hand to try and prevent her spewing her guts.

"Not on me!" Elizabeth squealed. She would be in the direct line of Dash's vomit if she does throw up, being in the back of the plane near the cargo doors. The other option would be Lucy who was also next to her.

"Do it." Rachel egged on while she moaned, clinging to the sacred trash can.

"Hold on guys, we're coming up for a landing." Shaun called out as he pressed some buttons. "We're here."

All of them in the back were excited to get off of this plane.

It took a moment for Shaun to land the plane in what looks to be a field with lights on the ground showing a clear track for him to land. Driving the plane down a hundred meters until he was able to come to a full stop.

After they landed and the cargo doors opened, the gang was hit by a cool breeze. It was summertime but yet it feels a bit like the end of winter here with some snow still on the ground. All of them were given some jackets and some gear provided by Shaun.

Some flashlights, helmets to protect their heads for whatever they'll come into contact with in the Temple. Knowingly the Temple was eons old, there was no telling how stable it was, some climbing gear with climbing axes for each girl.

Shaun did try to provide the girls with some sort of weapons like guns in case the U.N soldiers caught them and they needed to defend themselves but the Mane 7 declined.

"We have powers, I think we can defend ourselves, thanks bro either way." Cassandra assured him.

"I don't like guns so unless you got a bow and arrows in your arsenal there, no guns for me." Rachel said as she slipped the jacket on.

"You shoot?" AJ asked out of interest as she pulled her gear over her back.

"Yeah, and I'm pretty damn good at it, not to toot my own horn but." Rachel shrugged.

"Sweet, hey maybe once we get through with this mission of yours, you are up for a bit of shooting. I do archery from time to time." The farmer girl offered.

"We'll see," Rachel responded as she threw her gear on as well. As she did, she looked up at the distance.

She could barely see the tips of the snow capped mountains miles from them. However, near those mountains was the Temple itself. It was still a little ways away but just being out here made her feel strange things.

"How far is the Temple from here?" Sunset Shimmer asked Shaun.

"Over three hundred clicks up south." Shaun responded as he helped Serenity with the straps of her gear.

"That's over a hundred and eighty-six miles." Cassandra mentioned.

Elizabeth looked around in the field. "So, where's our ride?" She asked as she grabbed her luggage.

"No ride." Shaun said.

Everyone turned to look at him. "No ride?" Lucy asked.

"No ride. Sorry, after my crew and I refused to participate in the invasion, we weren't allowed near the Temple. I could get court-martialed if I'm caught. I got you guys here as far as I could, but you're now on your own." He then looked at Cassandra and frowned. "I do think you should reconsider this. I understand the importance but this is way too dangerous, especially for my little sister. This isn't wild leaked Equestrian magic you girls are used to dealing with."

"We have to. We made a promise to help Rachel get what she needs." Cassandra fixed the ponytail of her hair. "Maybe while we're here, we can figure out how to shut down the portal for good. I do have some friends who are working as scientists."

"They were fired prior to the invasion. Like I said, you guys are going to be on your own." Shaun sighed before looking at Rachel. "Mind if I talk to you real quick?"

"So wait, we're just going to walk the rest of the way?" Elizabeth asked, surprised. "It's going to take us forever to get there."

"It's a two and a half day journey by foot. Easy peasy." Dash said, ready to get started. "Maybe three depending how much we stop."

Rachel approached Shaun. "What's up?" she asked, staring down at him. Having a couple inches taller than him.

"Just wanting to know a few things since you are taking my sister and her friends into this dangerous place. What do you have to gain by going?" Shaun asked, crossing his arms as he stared at her.

Rachel sighed, rubbing her forehead before responding to that. "It's a mission I have to get done from Equestria. What I need to get will help the other side and get what I want."

"And that is…?"

"My family." she muttered. "Your sister and her friends didn't have to assist me on this, I know this is going to be dangerous, especially since the last time I came here, a lot of the Temple is still unexplored, in addition to the U.N Soldiers guarding that portal. I'm doing this for my family and to save my home."

Shaun grunted, glancing over at Cassandra and Spike before back at Rachel. "If she or the others get hurt during this, it's on you."

"Understood, but like they also know by now to expect trouble. I'll try and make sure they all get back here in one piece but you of all people should know that I can't make that promise." She then glanced up at the sky. "It's going to be dark soon, we need to start the hike right now before it gets too late."

Shaun sighed. Knowing that there was no way she could make that promise, especially going into unknown territory. "Good luck to you then." He said. "Good luck to all of you."

"We'll be back soon. You gonna wait for us?" Cassandra asked.

Shaun smirked. "Cassy, I'm gonna wait here until you guys get back. But if you all aren't back within the week, I'm coming in myself."

Cassandra walked up to him and gave her brother a hug. Shaun hugged her and then petted Spike. "Watch out for her and the others?"

"Dude, you know me." Spike chuckled.

They all then turned and began walking.

Several hours later, the girls stopped for the night, surrounded by trees and foliage. Got a small fire going, Rachel tended to it as tents were being set up by the others.

"You know I can help you guys." Rachel called out to them, not having to turn around to see that they were having a bit of a problem putting a couple up.

"No, no, we got this. Can't have you exert any more energy than you need to, hon." Applejack said as she and Dash were untangling wires and fabric.

"I'm pregnant, not impaired. Or did you guys just forget what I did before we got here?"

"Oh darling we know. We just don't need you to exert yourself." Elizabeth said as she stepped back when Cassandra motioned her to back up.

"I got this." Cassandra said as she waved her right hand and levitated the tents, quickly putting them all together and settled it back down. "That'll do it."

Rachel turned her head to see Serenity was chatting with some squirrels and bunnies.

"Uh huh, uh huh, oh Mrs. Squirrel that's interesting." Serenity nodded as she listened to them speak to her.

Lucy came through the clearing with armfuls of sticks with Spike carrying sticks in his mouth.

"What's the word, Fluttershy?" Lucy asked as they joined Rachel and put the sticks down next to her to feed the fire..

"Oh, they're just telling me about Denmark. So many rich cultures and learning about things." Serenity said as she reached out and pet them on their heads.

"Anything about Vikings? Those guys were badasses." Dash called out as she joined the firepit with the others.

"Badasses? They were raiders, murderers." Elizabeth mentioned.

"But they have a rich culture, language, arts, and music." Rachel commented. "Their ties to Valhalla and to the Norse gods. In fact, some of the VIking's ways are similar to how Dragons act. And since dragons used to live on this side and the Temple of Draconia has been stated it existed Pre-Viking era." She then paused and thought about it before continuing. "So if you think about it, the Dragons here influence them."

"You seem to know an awful lot about Dragons." Cassandra mentioned, looking at her.

"I have some knowledge of Dragons when I lived in Equestria, just know they did try to take over the pegasi but they lost." Sunset Shimmer mentioned.

"Actually it was Flash Magnus who challenged the dragons and Dragon Lord Torch took up that challenge." Rachel pointed out. "They only attacked Flash Magnus and his squad first because the pegasi flew over dragon territory and dragons are fiercely protective of their lands and didn't want anyone else pushing them out of their homes again like humans did long ago." Everyone, including Spike, looked at her with much interest.

Applejack adjusted her hat. "Uh… that's a lot."

"Are you with a dragon? Is that why you know all of this?" Cassandra asked.

Both Rachel and Spike looked at each other.

Sunset scratched the back of her head.

The silence spoke louder than words.

Cassandra watched how Rachel and Spike looked at each other and her jaw dropped. "You're with the Other Spike? That dragon?!"

The other girls started bombarding Rachel for information, asking various questions such as how they met, how they made it work with them being different species, how other dragons reacted Spike being with a human if humans drove them to Equestria. How she was able to get dragon magic and if it was from hers. Aren't dragons scary? How are they able to have sex and etc.

Spike saw that they were overwhelming her, some got a little too close to her belly and he snapped at the girls, growling and snapped his teeth at them. Stepping between the girls and Rachel. "Okay okay back up, all of you!" He barked at them.

Cassandra, Lucy, Elizabeth, Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Serenity jumped back from Spike's aggravation. Cassandra especially was surprised to have Spike snap at her like that.

"Yeah, I'm with him," Sunset Shimmer told them.

"Sorry, but we can't help but be curious about this." Lucy said.

Rachel reached over and began rubbing and scratching Spike's back, getting him to calm down before looking at the other girls. And like with her dragon, she was able to get the dog variant to cool it with the aggro. Him quickly melting in her hands and leaned against her and rolled to his stomach cutely. She shook her head before proceeding to give him belly rubs.

She then looked up to the girls as she messed with the dog. "Okay, let's get this shock value over with, yes, I'm mates with a literal fire breathing dragon. We work because we just do, and plus I knew some knowledge about dragons years before I even met my Spike. I used to work at a bar as a bartender, serving dragons their drinks when they occasionally come in after the Migration. When I started dating him, I learned more. And the Temple? My first week of being there, I wanted nothing more than to explore and learn more about the dragons that used to live in this world. Even more fascinating was the fact dragons existed at all. So yeah, I had a thing for dragons for years. And the artifact I'm here to retrieve is tied to the dragons."

"How is it tied to the dragons?" Serenity asked. "If you don't mind us asking, that is."

Rachel sighed, taking a moment to compose herself before continuing. "The artifact I'm looking for is called the Blue Celestial. It's a staff with magical proportions, it's also called the Queen Staff, belonging to only The Dragon Lord's Queen, their true equal, and it's still there in the Temple somewhere."

"Did the Dragon Lord send you here to get it because you're human? Or somewhat?" Elizabeth asked. "For his queen? Why does she need it?"

Rachel sucked in air through her teeth. "Uh you can say that." She then closed her eyes, sighing again. "Okay here comes more shocking news," she muttered before looking at the girls. "Okay, I'm just going to rip this bandaid off, no bullshitting around. With the war in Equestria going on, the Ponies need a lot of help. Their armies suck ass, weak dumbasses who haven't seen a battlefield in a hundred years, their ultimate weapon is destroyed and the guardian of the Bloodstaff is losing its ability to command the dragons. Without the Blue Celestial, the dragons won't fight. Spike's the True Dragon Lord, he's missing, and as his literal fucking Queen, I need to get my staff to not only get others in line, but mainly use it's power to find my mate."

"WHAT?!" all of them in the group gasped out loud.

"Wait wait, the other me is The Dragon Lord?" Doggo Spike asked while looking up at her upside down surprised.

Rachel nodded in response. She then saw that all the girls were going to bombard her with questions again and she raised a hand to shut them up. "I didn't know I was Queen until days ago. I'm still coming to terms to this, don't treat me any more differently than you all already have so please…spare me any more questions because I don't know all the answers and I don't know what the fuck I'm doing. I have no plan, I figure shit out along the way."

"Just how you~"

"Please ask no questions." She cut them off.

"But~"

"Shizz!" Rachel shushed them.

After a minute of what was like pure bliss of silence to the mother-to-be, Dash broke the silence. "Hey Rachel?"

Rachel let out a deep sigh, bowed her head. "Yes?" she responded. "What is it, Dash?"

"It's not about dragons or this queen business, it's about when you turned before." She said.

"What about it?"

"In your dragon form, I noticed you had wings. Do you know how to fly with them?" Dash asked curiously.

Serenity and Cassandra stiffened. "Oh no, Dash, don't!" Cassandra desperately pleaded with her.

"Uuuuhumm, no." Rachel replied. "Back home, I grew a pair of wings as well, but with how things had gotten, I never got around to learning how to fly. Why?"

"Oh dear no." Serenity whimpered, burying her face in her hands.

Twenty minutes later…

"Angel, fucking, Rainbow Dash, you officially had lost it!" Rachel yelps as she and the others were standing at the edge of the cliff looking over the forest below.

Rainbow Dash, Serenity and Cassandra all had pony-upped, pony ears were on their heads, their hair grew to mimic a tail and their wings were out and exposed. Two of the girls were just as scared as Rachel.

"Dash, please don't do this to her!" Cassandra pleaded for her.

"Please, she's with child!" Serenity cried out.

"Dash, don't you fucking dare!" They could hear Spike in the background hollering but Applejack was holding him back.

"What! We all had to learn this way." Rainbow Dash shrugged. "Now Queenie, dragon-up so we can continue."

"Yeah, I don't think it works that way." Rachel gazed down. "I already did this a month ago and I didn't fly either."

"Yeah, you just gotta keep falling in order to use those wings." Dash assured.

"If you're teaching her how to fly, wouldn't you like to start her off with a smaller height?" Elizabeth asked with worry.

"Sorry Rares, you don't have wings, this isn't your business." Rainbow waves her off.

"I'm not doing this." Rachel begins laughing but it wasn't humorous. "Me and heights have a love/hate relationship so fuck this and fuck you."

"You're jumping." Dash crossed her arms.

"No I'm no~ YOU FUCKING CUNT!" Dash cuts her off by speed running up to Rachel and shoving her off the cliff!

"SHE'S PREGNANT, YOU IDIOT!" Serenity screamed as she and Cassandra jumped after her.

"Oh she's fine!" Dash called out. "We all did this with higher heights!"

Both girls flapped their wings as fast as they could, racing both to try and catch Rachel.

However, the closer they got to the ground, they noticed that they couldn't find her!

"Do you see her?" Serenity asked panting. Looking around the grounds and clouds but both unable to see her.

"No! I can't believe she fucking did that!" Cassandra gripped her head in disbelief that Rainbow did that. "Where is she?!"

Rainbow Dash waited a moment before jumping off of the cliff and flew up to them. "Okay where is she?" she asked nonchalantly.

Both of her friends gave her a deathglare.

"What? We all have been~" Rainbow Dash was suddenly cut off when a figure shot from the clouds. Rachel, being in her dragon form, flew up to her and socked the prism colored hair girl in the face so hard, it caused a shock wave and sent Dash flying and crashing back to the cliff. When landed, it formed a six foot crater.

"YOU EARNED THAT YOU BITCH!" Rachel growled, her yellow furred dragon wings beat as hard as they could to keep her up afloat, using new muscles she hasn't used before to keep her flying.

Rainbow Dash's face was bloody, her nose looked very crooked, right eye blackened and a tooth was knocked out.