Astalakio

Agreed with both above. I don't see it happening, and don't particularly want it to *shrug*

Especially considering she has, you know, a library.

I don't really know - I avoid anything with 'sad' as a tag or anything grimdark, but from the few things I have picked up, all of the ponies seem to get a little of that kind of thing. I don't know why they pick on Rainbow, if they do. Personally I wish I could sap all the negative stuff like that out of the community. I know it's an extreme thing to say, but I really don't see how it benefits anypony

The doctor paused pointedly in the drying of his mane to look at Winter Iris, apparently deciding whether or not to tell her the story as she desired. It really was the least he could do in exchange for the warmth and comfort she had so graciously supplied him with. "Well," He began, "I don't know how many years ago it was now... but I can remember where it all started, like it was yesterday. I was at the hospital here in Canterlot where I was doing my internship, and it was stormy, that day, I remember - much like today, in fact. Anyway, while the rain was pouring down the windows and the fireplace in the study room was only just flickering out enough light to keep the shivers at bay, I was reading up on one of my favourite medical journals. I had just gotten to the 'Particularly Peculiar Spells of the Month' section when my mentor, Professor Van Hoofclip, burst into the room... *** "Grab your coat, Betterbones. We're leaving." The old stallion barked as he stole into the room, the open door behind him letting in a vicious breeze that clipped at Betterbones' ears and made him shudder and pull the blanket that he had stolen from a vacant bed tighter around his shoulders. "I don't have a coat..." Betterbones reminded him. "Well then get my coat!" The professor retorted loudly. He never seemed to have any sense of volume control, "We're going to Stalliongrad." "Stalliongrad?" Betterbones echoed, "Why? Now? What's in Stalliongrad?" "You ask too many questions!" "I'm an intern!" "And why am I still not wearing my coat?!" The younger stallion grumbled, crossed the room and half-heartedly helped the professor into his lab coat. He could easily do it himself, he was just so darned lazy... "Follow!" The professor commanded grandly, and with that he whisked himself out of the room and slammed the door. Betterbones spared a moment to look forlornly back at the fireplace, before sinking his head dejectedly and following his mentor out into the rain. "A dragon?!" "That's what I said, wasn't it? A fully grown specimen, too, I believe. Why must you echo everything I say?" Betterbones stared at his mentor incredulously, though it was difficult enough to keep his eyes on one spot as the carriage they were in was bouncing and rocking about so violently. He could barely hear what Van Hoofclip was saying over the smattering of the rain on the thin roof just above their heads. "But... what in Equestria is a fully-grown dragon doing in the middle of Stalliongrad?!" The intern queried, ignoring the pained look that passed over his teacher's face at being asked yet another question. "There's an old hermit who lives in the wilderness beyond Stalliongrad. Nobody ever saw him-" "Well, he's a hermit..." "Don't be smart. Do you want me to explain, or not?!" "Sorry, Professor. Go on." "Nobody ever saw him," Van Hoofclip continued, glaring at his student intently, "But there were rumours that he collected strange creatures of all kinds. All shapes and sizes and species and breeds, the more dangerous, the better. Well, Celestia knows how, but some day of late he's managed to get his hooves on a fully-grown dragon." "I didn't think dragons could be domesticated." Betterbones frowned. "They can't." The professor replied shortly, "But this hermit seems to have found a way to control him. The problem is, this dragon is sick." "A sick dragon..." Betterbones muttered, becoming more and more sure by the moment that this whole tale was a ridiculous joke being played on him. It wouldn't be the first time Van Hoofclip did something like this for his own amusement. "This hermit is many things, as I gather, but he's no doctor. He had no idea what was wrong with his new pet, and so he did the logical thing: he brought it into Stalliongrad... *** Betterbones paused for a moment, either for dramatic effect or to observe Winter Iris' reaction to his tale so far. He was also, in fact, leaving room for questions, but it was possible she wouldn't have any, in which case he would go on. Using his horn to levitate his tea cup, he brought it to his mouth and sipped from it as politely as he could, looking wisely contemplative (he believed) as he did so.