a few days after dealing with Trixie We find our hero, Ash Ketchum, taking a stroll through the park.
"Ah, such a nice day for a walk." He said this before noticing Fluttershy standing on a nearby bridge with a look of concern on her face.
curious, he walks on over to her, wondering what was wrong.
"Hey Fluttershy, what's wrong?" He questioned.
"I'm trying to tell everyone about the cloud of smoke that's coming from the mountains," she explained while pointing to the sky.
Ash looks up to see the cloud of smoke Fluttershy was talking about.
"I see that can't be good news." Ash said worryingly.
This earns him a nod from her.
They suddenly heard Twilight's voice.
"Listen up! Smoke is spreading over all of Equestria." She said.
Everybody gasped in surprise.
"That's what I've been trying to do," Fluttershy started saying.
Twilight interrupted her.
"But don't worry, I've just received a letter from Princess Celestia informing me that it is not coming from a fire." She said.
"Oh, thank goodness." Fluttershy said in relief.
"It's coming from a dragon." Twilight said.
Everybody gasped again.
A look of fear appeared on Fluttershy's face.
"A... d-dragon?" She asked nervously.
At Twilight's library.
"What in the name of all things cinnamon swirled is a full-grown dragon doing here in Equestria?" Applejack questioned.
"Sleeping," Twilight answered.
This confuses her friends.
"Huh?" they questioned.
"According to Princess Celestia, he's taking a nap. His snoring is what's causing all this smoke." She explained.
"He should really see a doctor. That doesn't sound healthy at all." Pinkie Pie said.
"Well, at least he's not snoring fire. What are we meant to do about it?" Rarity questioned.
"I'll tell you what we're meant to do. Give him the boot. Take that. And that!" Rainbow Dash suggested doing a few punches and kicks, causing her to knock something off a nearby shelf, earning her a glare from Twilight.
"We need to encourage him to take a nap somewhere else. Princess Celestia has given us this mission, and we must not fail. If we do, Equestria will be covered in smoke for the next one hundred years." Twilight explained.
This earned her a gasp from Fluttershy.
"Hmph. Talk about getting your beauty sleep." Rarity remarked.
"All right, everyone, I need you to gather supplies quickly. We've got a long journey ahead of us. Let's meet back here in less than an hour." Twilight said.
Her friends nodded before they left to get ready.
An hour later, at the bottom of the mountain,.
"All right, girls, and Ash, listen up. I'm mapping out the fastest route, but we've all got to keep a good pace if we expect to make it up the mountain by nightfall." Twilight explained.
"M-m-mountain?" Fluttershy said it nervously.
Ash nods.
"That's right, Fluttershy, and from what we know, the dragon is sleeping in that cave at the very top," he said.
"It looks pretty cold up there," Applejack commented.
"You bet it is. The higher you go, the chillier it gets." Rainbow Dash said.
"Good thing I brought my scarf." Rarity said she pulled the garment from her bag before wrapping it around her neck.
"Ooo! Pretty!" Pinkie said she was admiring Rarity's scarf.
Rainbow scoffed.
"Heh, oh yeah. That'll keep you nice and cozy." She said it sarcastically.
Fluttershy walked up to Twilight, who was busy checking the map to the mountain.
"[gulp] Um, excuse me, Twilight? I know you're busy, but..." she said to Twilight, who wasn't paying attention to her.
"Uh-huh. Well, we could go this way." Twilight said to herself,.
"But if I could just have a second..." Fluttershy said she was trying to get Twilight's attention.
"Uh-huh. No, we want to avoid that." Twilight said she was still not paying attention to Fluttershy.
"So, um, I was thinking that, um, maybe I should just stay here in Ponyville." Fluttershy suggested.
"Uh-huh." Twilight said she was still focused on the map.
Misinterpreting Twilight's answer, Fluttershy smiled.
"Oh! Good. I'll stay here," she started saying before being interrupted by Twilight, who turned her attention away from the map.
"Wait! You have to come! Your way with wild animals will surely come in handy." She said.
Fluttershy looked uncertain.
"I don't think so," she said before Twilight interrupted her again.
"Oh, and don't worry about your little friends in the meadow. Spike's got it covered while you're gone." Twilight said.
They see the little dragon with Fluttershy's animal friends.
"You can count on me!" He said this before the animals ran from him.
"Oooh! Hey! Hey! Wait!" He said this before giving chase.
"I don't really think he's up to the task. Maybe... but... no!" Fluttershy said it with uncertainty.
Rainbow flew up to Twilight.
"Are you sure you want Fluttershy to come along? I mean, that pony's afraid of her own shadow. She's just going to slow us down." She said.
"Oh, she's just a little nervous. Once we get going, I'm sure she'll be fine." Twilight said she was not hearing Fluttershy squeal nervously.
"All right guys, move out!" Twilight shouted.
With that, they began their trek up the mountain.
As they walk up the mountain, they hear a loud noise, making Fluttershy gasp.
"Whoa. What was that?" Rainbow was questioned in surprise.
"That is what it sounds like when a dragon snores." Twilight answered knowing from experience from living with a dragon.
"It's so... high!" Fluttershy said nervously.
"Well, it is a mountain. I'm going to fly up there and check it out!" Rainbow said.
Before she could fly up, Applejack grabbed her tail, stopping her.
"Hold on, now. I think we should all go up together. Safety in numbers and all." Applejack said.
"Oh, all right," Rainbow said in a huff.
After a minute of walking, Rarity decides to speak up.
"I hear the only thing that sparkles more than a dragon's scales are the jewels they use to build their nests. Ooo, if I play my cards right, I might be able to convince him to part with a few." She said she was fantasizing about the various jewels in the dragon's nest.
"[imitating a dragon] Welcome to my cave, Rarity. Care for a diamond?" Pinkie joked.
Her friends laughed at her joke.
"Guys! This is no laughing matter! Fluttershy, you're the expert on wild creatures. What do you think the dragon will be like?" Twilight questioned.
Only to not get a response.
"Fluttershy?" She questioned before noticing Fluttershy still at the bottom of the mountain.
"Hey! What are you waiting for? An invitation?" Rainbow questioned.
"Ooo, I think I have one in my bag!" Pinkie said before rummaging through her bag for said item.
"It's so... so... steep," Fluttershy stuttered.
"Well, it is a cliff. You could just, oh, I don't know, fly up here?" Rainbow suggested it sarcastically.
"Come on, Fluttershy, you can do it. Flap those wings!" Pinkie said encouragingly.
Fluttershy whimpered nervously before trying to fly, only for the dragon's snore to scare her.
Rainbow groaned in annoyance.
"Uh, we don't have time for this." Twilight said this before noticing Ash walking down.
"Ash What are you doing?" She questioned.
Ash turns to her.
"I'm going to lend Fluttershy a hoof." Ash said before walking down to Fluttershy.
"Hey Fluttershy," Ash said.
She turned to him.
"Yes, Ash," she said.
"Are you doing okay?" He questioned.
"Well, I'm a little nervous about going against a dragon." She explained.
"I see. I'm sure that the others are just as nervous about facing a dragon as you." Ash said.
Fluttershy didn't offer a response and looked at the ground nervously.
Ash sighed.
"Well, if you're too nervous to move, then I guess I have no choice." He said.
A look of confusion appeared on her face before she let out a yelp of surprise when she was suddenly lifted off the ground via Ash's magic and placed on his back.
"I'll just have to carry you." He said that, causing her to blush as he walked back up the mountain.
After an hour of walking, crossing a cliffside, and getting past an avalanche zone, they make their way to the dragon cave.
"We're here. Rainbow Dash, you'll use your wings to clear the smoke." Twilight said.
Rainbow nods before flying towards the smoke cloud.
"Rarity and Pinkie Pie, you'll create a diversion to distract the dragon if things get a little hairy in there." She said.
Pinkie pulls out a rubber chicken, confusing Rarity.
"Applejack, you're ready with the apples in case he decides to attack." Twilight said.
Applejack bucked two apples at a tree.
"But it shouldn't come to that, because Fluttershy will do what she needs to do to wake him up, and between the three of us, we should be able to get him to understand why he needs to go. Is everyone ready?" She questioned.
Everyone except Fluttershy nods, which didn't go unnoticed by Ash.
"Okay then, we're goin' in." Twilight said.
but before she could take a step, Ash stopped her.
"wait Twilight." He said he was getting her attention.
"What is it, Ash? We're wasting time." Twilight said it impatiently.
Ash walked toward Fluttershy.
"hey Fluttershy." He said he was catching her attention.
"Y-yes Ash." She said it nervously.
"You don't want to go in there, do you?" Ash questioned.
She nods.
"Why don't you want to go in there?" He questioned.
"Well, it's because I'm scared of [mumble]." She mumbled.
"What's that, sugarcube?" Applejack questioned.
"I'm scared of [mumble]." Fluttershy mumbled again.
"What?" Twilight asked.
"I'm scared of dragons!" Fluttershy admitted surprising her friends.
"But Fluttershy. You have a wonderful talent for dealing with all kinds of animals." Twilight said.
"Yes, because they're not dragons." Fluttershy said.
"Oh, come on! We've seen you walk right up to a horrible manticore like it was nothing." Rainbow said it in disbelief.
"Yes, because he wasn't a dragon." Fluttershy said, emphasizing the word dragon again.
"Spike is a dragon. You're not scared of him." Pinkie said she was recalling Fluttershy's interactions with the little dragon.
"Yes, because he's not a huge, gigantic, terrifying, enormous, teeth-gnashing, sharp-scale having, horn-wearing, smoke-snoring, could eat a pony in one bite, totally all grown-up Dragon!" Fluttershy said before letting out a whimper as the dragon snored.
"But, if you're so afraid of dragons, why didn't you say something before we came all the way up here?" Twilight questioned.
"I was afraid to," Fluttershy said.
Rainbow Dash groaned.
"All of us are scared of that dragon," Applejack said.
Rainbow scoffed.
"I'm not!" She said she was puffing up her chest.
"Almost all of us are scared of that dragon, but we've got a job to do. So, get in there with Twilight and show her what you're made of." Applejack said he was trying to be encouraging.
"I just... can't." Fluttershy said.
Ash sighed.
"Well, girls, we can't force her to go in, so we'll just have to do it ourselves." Ash said.
"Alright, then let's do this then." Twilight said it with a nervous tone.
Hours pass as the girls and Ash each try their best to get the dragon to leave with no success until Rainbow Dash decides she has enough.
"All right, that's it. We tried persuasion, charm, whatever it is Pinkie Pie does." She said she heard Pinkie blow a busted horn.
"It's time to stop wasting time! I'm going in!" Rainbow said.
"Rainbow, no!" Twilight shouted.
but it was too late as Rainbow went into the cave and located the dragon.
"Get! Out!" She demanded before kicking the dragon in the face.
This results in the dragon growling at her.
"Heh. Sorry." Rainbow said it nervously.
The dragon roared at her, sending her flying out of the cave before landing in front of her friends.
They look at her in shock before seeing the dragon walk out of the cave while letting out a roar.
Before they could defend themselves, the dragon shot smoke at them, causing them to be pushed into a rock that Fluttershy was hiding behind.
upon seeing her friends hurt something in her snaps.
"How dare you?" she started saying.
The dragon roared at her.
"How dare you!" Fluttershy shouted as she landed on the dragon's face.
"Listen here, mister. Just because you're big doesn't mean you get to be a bully! You may have huge teeth and sharp scales, snore smoke, and breathe fire. But you do not—I repeat, you do not! Hurt! My! Friends!" She lectured while looking him in the eye.
"You got that?" She questioned.
Her response was a whimper from the dragon.
"Well?" She questioned.
"But that rainbow one kicked me." The dragon said he was trying to defend himself.
Rainbow had a proud smile on her face.
"And I am very sorry about that." Fluttershy said.
Rainbow adopted a look of confusion on her face.
"But you're bigger than she is, and you should know better. You should also know better than to take a nap where your snoring can become a health hazard to other creatures." Fluttershy explained.
"But I," the dragon tried to defend, only for Fluttershy to interrupt him.
"Don't you 'but I' me, mister. Now what do you have to say for yourself?" Fluttershy was questioned, only to get no response from the dragon.
"I said, What do you have to say for yourself?" She asked again before the dragon started crying. "There, there. No need to cry. You're not a bad dragon; you just made a bad decision. Now go pack your things. You just need to find a new place to sleep. That's all." She said before the dragon did as she instructed as she cheered joyfully.
"You did it! I knew you could do it." Twilight said so happily before joining in a group hug.
Back at Twilight's house.
"[pant] I said come back here!" Spike shouted as he chased Fluttershy's animals.
"Ooh! How does Fluttershy put up with your furry little things?" He asked before hearing the front door open.
He notices Twilight and Ash walking inside.
"Spike, take a letter." Twilight said as she and Ash sat down.
"With pleasure." Spike said with a sigh of relief before pulling out a quill and paper.
Dear Princess Celestia,
I am happy to report that the dragon has departed our fair country and that it was my good friend, Fluttershy, who convinced him to go.
This adventure has taught me to never lose faith in your friends.
They can be an amazing source of strength and can help you overcome even your greatest fear. Always your faithful student,Twilight Sparkle.
"Twilight! Ash! You gotta come see this!" Applejack called out.
Ash and Twilight look out the window to see Rainbow bouncing the ball again.
"She's just five away from a new pony record!" Applejack said as Rainbow continued to bounce the ball.
"Three hundred forty-seven, three hundred forty-eight..." She counted.
Suddenly, a roar startled her, causing her to drop the ball.
"Dragon!" She shouted before hearing her friends laugh.
"[pants] Why are you laughing? That awful dragon is back!" She said.
Pinkie appeared next to her and roared in her face.
"Pinkie Pie, you scared me! I mean, uh, you broke my concentration." Rainbow said she was trying to sound like she wasn't scared.
Fluttershy walked up to comfort her.
"It's okay, Rainbow Dash. Not everyone can be as brave as me." She said this as she walked away.
Rainbow flew up to a tree and shook it, causing a leaf to fall until it landed on Fluttershy, causing her to scream before running away, causing her friends to laugh at her reaction.
What adventures await our heroes next?
Tune in next time to find out.
Disclaimer
Hey everyone, Chapter 8 is up. Sorry for taking so long. I had been sick for a while, but I'm back anyway. Let me know what you think, and I will see you later.