Equestrian Skies (closed)

[Blueblood]

If Blueblood had thought that the takeoff was blood-curdlingly terrifying, he was soon to realize just how smooth and considerate Yuri had been with him.  Because, the very moment that she caught sight of the airship docks, she immediately began flying excitedly towards them, as if she didn't have a passenger at all.  It was all the poor, terrified Prince could do to keep his grip on her horns as she turned and writhed through the air with sinuous speed.

"Whaaa-whoooaaa-yyiiii!"  The sudden dive to the landing was probably the worst, as his now stiffened muscles could no longer maintain their hold.  Instead, as Yuri rushed towards Java, Blueblood slipped around her body and fell off, limbs still locked in position and face still frozen in fright.  

 

"Eeh-eeeh-ehh..."  With something between a whimper and a whinny, he slowly began to unfold, testing uncertain hooves with the caution of an ordinance engineer.  "Ah... Java... these are my two... guests, from the.... ah, lands of the eastern dragons."  One hoof, two, three, four.  Now standing, he wiped the sweat off his brow, and took a deep breath.  "Rivulet, Yuri, this is Java, my friend who makes airships."

[moonshineTheleocat]

“Wait… is that a dragon?” The stallion wondered to himself as his head had practically gone completely back to look up to the purple one as she nose dived straight to the ground. If anything… it just looked like a really… really big sky eel. No… definitely a dragon. Just a really serpentine dragon.

The stallion scratched his chin as he watched it touch down with his friend on her back. His brain running a completely new process along with his current thoughts on how such a creature can fly. Truly a majestic thing…

 

Java was now positively beaming as he looked to the two large dragons! Why this was definitely an incredible opportunity! In all of his life, he had never had a chance to speak to a dragon! Why there are so many questions he’d like to ask! Like….

He’d pause as he feels two claws land on his shoulder. The stallion visibly twitched as a memory soon resurfaced, and was suppressed immediately. It took a few seconds for the stallion to regain his composure and smile up to the….

The stallion found himself tilting his head back more than expected. Java hadn’t even realized he had been engulfed in the serpants grasp till he finally looked down and around himself, then back up. “….big…” he commented thoughtfully to absolutely no one.

 

A few seconds later, the stallion was grinning once more. “So Rivulet and Yuri. What lovely nam-…” The stallions smile immediately disappeared as he stared up to Yuri. Then allowed his gaze to drop back to Blueblood. His expression was a dead pan ‘are you buckin serious?’

 

The buck studied the prince for a few seconds and then back to Yuri. His wonderful brain was busy creating happy mental images featuring two female dragons….. NO! Bad brain bad! Seriously!? Who names their child that!? Could…. No. could it possibly be it’s about as symbolic as pony names? NO! That’d be a terrible thing to name a child!

The stallions lips pursed… he swore he could see smoke coming out of his own ears and nose now as his brain finally ran face first into a segmentation fault… and just quit on the spot.

“Uh… Yuri… you know-“ The stallion once against stopped. “Uh………mmmph. What can I do for you two beautifully scaled creatures?”

[RainbowFoxxy]

“Uh………mmmph. What can I do for you two beautifully scaled creatures?”

 

Rivulet continued to twine around Java as the pony came to grips with having the dragons in such close proximity. He did appear a little less shocked than Blueblood had with a similar greeting. It was charming to now have two pony friends! Rivulet could hardly believe his luck! He had not only stumbled upon a wonderful traveling companion but now in the course of a couple hours he had made two pony friends!

 

"It is a pleasure to meet you Java..." Rivulet glanced towards Blueblood. They pony seemed shaken from the landing but had still managed to confer an exchange of formalities between his friends. "We have always wanted to know more of the air...ships that Blueblood says you make!" As he spoke he moved sinuously to swirl around Blueblood and draw him nearer to the group. 

 

"We would like to know how you make the ships fly. Magic perhaps?"

[Zeig]

 

Hmm.

...Hmm, yes. Hmm.

Yuri didn't...think, ponies were suppose to heat up so quickly, but this brown pony clearly was, from what the eastern dragon could tell from her claws resting near his neck. But it would probably be easier to tell if she tried doing the same thing her mother did, and that in turn prompted Yuri to bring her claws up to the brown pony's cheeks, cupping them as she leaned in even further to rest her forehead against his own, a slight frown on her face.

...

Yes, there was no mistaking it. The brown pony was warm, perhaps even hot, and if Yuri knew anything about warm foreheads from her time studying herbs and their uses in Unyasi, she knew that a warm head was not good, pony or otherwise.

"Yes, please to tell us," Yuri echoed Rivulet's statement, but her tone of voice was...off. Not as chirpy as usual, but rather morose, downturned. Even her eyes mimicked her voice, blown wide and slanted in sorrow as she continued looking at the brown stallion, not even bothering to remove her forehead from his. "But such knowledge can wait until you are feeling better, pony friend," the white eastern dragon continued, worry filling her voice. "It seems you cannot show us the wonderful metal dragons if you are being sick, yes?"

Overcome, Yuri couldn't help but clutch the brown pony closer to her, as if a strong wind might suddenly carry off the sickly stallion into the great void. She was suddenly filled with gratitude at Rivulet's presence, and the shiny white pony as well, as she sadly contemplated the sick pony in her claws. Yes, she knew it could be something small and not all that serious - some papaya soup should make him better - but it could also be the opposite, and the white dragon couldn't help but feel...

Scared.

Her second pony friend could be gone in a few days, and she hardly knew him. How many other pony friends were out there now that she would never know, simply because of fate, or random chance, or a simple sickness that turned into something deadly? It was almost too much to bare thinking about.

 

[Blueblood]

It was an interesting and somewhat cathartic experience to watch the two dragons interact with somepony else.  Seeing Rivulet and Yuri interact with Java, Blueblood was beginning to understand a little more about why eastern dragons seemed to have no concept of personal space.  The sinuous bodies were almost constantly in motion, therefore holding a conversation involved a lot of walking or flying in place, winding around the one they were talking two.  If they didn't stay so close, they risked wandering away in the middle of a conversation!

 

*Fascinating.  Doesn't make it any less unsettling, though.*  And from the growing blush on Java's face, the Prince had a sort of feeling that the earth pony stallion felt the same.  Not being familiar with the same... "reading material" as his friend, the unicorn couldn't quite tell the real reason why the engineer was so embarrassed, but he did his best to reassure Yuri.

 

"Oh, no; he's not sick, just embarrassed.  He tends to get that way when a female is unexpectedly close- whoop!"  With a cry of surprise, he found himself suddenly drawn into the... well, best call it an "entanglement" by Rivulet.  All four of them were now in very close proximity, and one wrong move might literally tie them into a knot.
"Right, ah..."  Blueblood tried to keep his own even keel, and suppress irritation and embarrassment.  "Perhaps an open-air tour would be the best way to, um, show off how we do it?"

[moonshineTheleocat]

By Luna’s moon! Sweet sweet, Lunar object in the sky… what in the plutonian shore was happening at the labs docks! Java found himself now wrapped up tighter like some sort of dying character being embraced by a mourning lover. If anything, Java felt incredibly awkward in this situation. Especially with the sudden non-existence of personal space.

 

“Uh…..” the stallion began… liquid confusion dripping from his voice. “Not… sick?” He tried to struggle his way out of the hold, but with the coiling… and the addition of a new body… it was like he was a mouse in a snake’s grip.

And then Prince Blueblood spoke up in his defence. Wait… no he didn’t. OH DEAR LUNA WHY! Yes... it was an unfortunately true statement... and the stallion is open minded enough to be flustered by Griffons, Changelings, Dragons, Caribou, and possibly Diamond dogs. Even Nightmare Moon. BUT STILL!The stallion glared at him with his ears down. His blush returning for a moment, before he quickly cleared his throat.

“Er… I’m… perfectly fine. And no yes… these airships do fly by magic! Well… sort of. We do have a few ships ready to fly. We can show you those first, or would you like to see the ones being built? I also believe that the… er… Metal Dragon is also docked here as well.”

[RainbowFoxxy]

Rivulet showed concern for the brown pony. Was he truly sick as his dragon friend said? By his words he apparently was not. The blue dragon wondered with Yuri would believe the words. She certainly was the most kind and caring of creatures. A glimmer of friendship sparkled in his eye as he watched his friend console the brown pony. Rivulet certainly was fortunate to have found such a good traveling companion!

 

Er… I’m… perfectly fine. And no yes… these airships do fly by magic! Well… sort of. We do have a few ships ready to fly. We can show you those first, or would you like to see the ones being built? I also believe that the… er… Metal Dragon is also docked here as well.

 

Perhaps an open-air tour would be the best way to, um, show off how we do it?

 

The blue dragon was filled with wonderment. So, the air ships did use magic to fly! How had they harnessed the power of flight magic into the airships? Was it the same sort of watery and windy flow that helped the eastern dragons to fly? No, that couldn't be. He had never seen any but the eastern dragon be blessed with the use of the wind that swirled about them and magically helped with flying. 

 

"Yes! An open air tour!"

 

Rivulet was so excited he left the group and vaulted into the air. There he swirled in loops, his eyes bugging with wonderment. They were going to learn so much!

 

"Please show us if you would..." He swooped down low, coming nose to nose with Java. His voice issued softly. "...how the Metal Dragon flies." 

 

The swirling flight magic of the dragon washed over Java as Rivulet hovered in front of him. Perhaps it would lift the pony into the air.

[Zeig]

 

Oh! Oh, joy!

Yuri was a bit embarrassment to learn that she had been so morose over something that wasn't even true, but her embarrassment was most overridden by the fact that it wasn't even true! The shiny Blueblood reassured her that his brown pony friend was not sick, simply...reacting? To a close female. Which was a big strange, but so long as he was not sick, that was utterly fine by her.

Although, he did still feel rather warm...and his fuzzy brown face was growing redder as he looked over to his shiny pony Prince friend.

The white dragon was still a bit doubtful, but she soon shook her head, a small smile on her face. She may have still had doubts, but Blueblood was a very knowledgeable and worldly pony...and a Prince! He surely knew more about the world - and especially about sick ponies - more than Yuri could claim to know herself, and she had no qualms pushing her own doubts aside to accept her shiny pony's words. If the princely Blueblood said the brown pony was not sick, then he was not sick, and she wouldn't need to go find some mushrooms to stuff down his throat.

She'd save those mushrooms for later.

Yuri only had a brief moment of contemplation over said mushrooms, however, before Rivulet's excitement made her catch up the conversation, eyes widening as the blue dragon himself came close to the brown pony still wrapped up in her coils. An open-air tour? A flight on the metal dragon, except on the metal dragon this time? Yuri almost couldn't believe her luck - as it stood, it was all she could do not to leap into the air in anticipation.

Oh wait, no - she was already doing that.

"Yes, let us tour the open air!" the white eastern dragon exclaimed, the brown pony - his name was Java, she remembered - still clutched in her grasp as she excitedly looped in a tight circle, before uncoiling to fly over towards the nearest metal dragon that was...'docked'. Docked, like the ships? Yuri wasn't sure if this was the airship the brown pony had been speaking of, one of the ones that could fly, but she hoped it was.

The white dragon carefully deposited her cargo onto the airship's flooring - at least as far as she could tell. It resembled a sea ship, but then didn't - and zipped back over to the side to wave for Rivulet and the shiny pony to join, before spinning back around towards the brown pony. "Please show us the magic!" she half-ask, half-demanded as he sinus form idly flowed about, forming a loose infinity sign. She knew that she should really make more of an effort to keep on the ground and not hover over the ponies, but...

Well. Sometimes a dragon simply needed to move...and a metal one, at that!

 

[Blueblood]

This day was proving to be a learning experience for all involved.  For instance, over the course of the past few minutes, Blueblood had learned that Yuri had a good-intentioned heart not backed up by much in the way of any kind of equine knowledge, that he could still needle his best friend when he wanted to, and that whatever magic enabled Eastern Dragons to fly was not so much intrinsic within themselves as much as an enchantment of the air around them.

 

The corollary of that being if a pony were in the middle of two entangled dragons, said enchanted wind would pick him up as well.  Unfortunately, the Prince had neither the shape nor skills to so easily glide through the air as his new companions, and so found himself helplessly tumbling in their wake.

 

"Whoa-yo-yo-YI-"

 

Bang!

 

Blueblood's head-over-hooves tumbling was halted by a head-on collision with the mast, dispersing the winds about and within him, dropping him up the deck in a winded heap.  "And this is diplomacy..."  He began to dazedly mutter, lying on the ground in no hurry to get up.  "Is this what my life is going to be from now on?" 

 

His inactivity was, perhaps, ill-advised, given what he'd earlier seen of Yuri's reaction to a mere blush on Java's part.  After all, she did still have those mushrooms...

[moonshineTheleocat]

If confusion was water leaking from a pony’s ears… Java would have completely drowned the entire earth with an ocean of confusion reaching the buckin stratosphere. Java stared at the two in disbelief. He remained mostly silent, till the one known as Rivult bumped his own nose against the Brown stallion. That much pulled out a meak grunt.

The gears in Java’s head were starting to grind to a hault as ponies scrambled around in his mind in search of some WD-40. Heck, he even remained fixed in a sitting position as he was lifted again, brought through the air, and plunked down on the wooden deck. Eventually though, those large cogs began to slowly turn once more… his thoughts returning to him in a weak treckle.

Java… glanced between the two for a moment. He was now completely unsure if what he was dealing with were children… or just really hyper active adults. Maybe dragons really do age very slowly? Maturity must be a thing that comes eons later then.

“Yes….” He began… as he now began to turn his head slowly. It seems he was now standing on an airship. “Must have locked up again…” the pony muttered softly to himself. Java soon lifted himself to all fours and then cleared his throat.

“Alrighty then! Seeing as you chose the first ship! I’d like to introduce you to one of Eclipse Aerospace’s finest crafts the…” The pony looked around once more. Then blinked once he recognized this particular ship. Oh this is going to get confusing pretty fast.

“Project Leviathan! Which got the nick name Dragon Fly. This particular ship just happened to be flight ready, but it’s not quite at full functionality~” The stallion hummed softly as he now lead the two to what looked like a locking hatch. “This ship flies by magically super heats the air and filling it’s internal ballast to give it lift.” He then gestured to two large and long propellers on the sides of the ship.

Both propellors looks a lot like a barrel style windmill, created with thirty bands that rotates individually around an axel. “This ship honestly isn’t that fast, but it is capable of holding large loads without loosing much speed or acceleration. And one neat feature of this ship when it becomes complete, is the ability to submerge under water! I suppose you’d understand why we originally named it after the queen of the seas at that point.”

If the dragons were to fly around to get a better look at the ship, they’d notice that the gondalier looks like a long slightly squashed pointed barrel. A portion of the top of course had been flattened. And it was clearly meant for the crew and whatever cargo to be inside of the ship, as seen by the reinforced glass on the nose of the ship.

 

“I wish I could show you how to fly this one… but this will need a bigger crew to effectively fly.)

[RainbowFoxxy]

Rivulet was in love...with the Leviathan! 

"Never have I seen...a dragon like this!" He exclaimed as Java went over the basics of the ship. He had tried to contain himself to the end of what the brown pony had to say but it was so difficult! He couldn't wait to fly around this wonderful contraption and take in all the wonders of pony building techniques. The fact that they had to build things to fly was still a new concept to him. What a magnificent ship this was!

"This could take a whole fleet of ponies into the air!" He swirled around the two ponies, taken by all that Java was introducing them to. "Super...heated air." He contemplated this for a moment. "Magic that heats the air and lifts the dragon into the air! Not how we fly, but quite a good idea."  His eyes sparkled as he looked over the Leviathan. "It is only too bad this one cannot be flown now. But we understand, don't we Yuri?"

The dragon looked around for his companion, wondering what her reaction to the ship would be.

[Zeig]

Yuri felt her eyes beginning to cross a little bit.

 

Not literally, physically, but...almost, literally. Super heat? Submerged underwater? It was all too much for the poor dragon to handle - so much so, that she only made one cursory circle around the end of the dragon-ship, around the 'rudders' the brown pony had pointed out, before moving to land on the surface of the ship itself. The white Eastern Dragon idly curled herself around the shiny Prince pony even as she stared wide-eyed at the brown one, taking in his words without really, truly taking them in.

 

Because, well. One could not take in what was not understood, could they? But one could still listen!

 

That was before the brown pony spoke up again however, and these words Yuri did understand - quite unfortunately, at that. "Yes, we are understanding," the white dragon conceded, even though her eyes took on a downward slant as she shared a morose look with her blue-scaled companion. She wished to fly on one of these metal dragons, oh, how she wished it...but it was clear that these metal dragons were nothing like real dragons, who could lift off from the ground as easily as thought. These dragon ships needed ponies to...run around their surfaces? Pull on chains and toggle the levers?...in order to fly, and according to the brown JavaSun, two ponies plus two dragons was simply not enough.

 

The white dragon bit on her lower lip, pink eyes glancing around as she unconsciously began stroking the shiny white pony she was twined around, one claw petting his fluffy hair as one might a stuffed plushie. "What," she began earnestly, eyes falling onto the area around her, "what of other metal dragons? Perhaps one of smaller stature to be ridden in, yes?"

 

[Blueblood]

To be perfectly honest, Blueblood didn't have a much better grasp on the technical aspects of airship flight than Yuri.  Certainly nowhere near so good a grip as she had on him.  *I'm glad Star Crusader isn't here at least.*  Not that the Prince had much evidence that his marefriend was the jealous sort, but that wasn't the sort of thing a stallion wished to take risks with.  Particularly when the pony of one's affections outweighed him by half as much again in solid muscle.  

In the meantime, he was looking for some way to politely disentangle himself from the sinuous eastern dragon, and saw an opportunity in her request.  "Um... good question!  Java, perhaps you could show her one of your... personal flight models?  You have one of those, right?  I remember Presteza talking about one..."  He couldn't remember if it was actually one of his friend's airships, or some other that she'd gotten a chance to ride in.  But whose else would she be in?

[RainbowFoxxy]

The blue dragon was surprised that Yuri was not more excited about the giant dragon ship. It appeared by her demeanor that she did not quite understand the working of the "Leviathan". He didn't understand it all that well either but he was a dragon of many years and as such a natural sense of understanding was common to him. He took one more quick lap around the beautiful creation before swooping back down to the group.

They were speaking of going to see a smaller version of the ship. Perhaps something that would be able to lift off the ground with only two ponies and two dragons? Yes, that would be splendid. His eyes wandered to his companion who had firmly entwined herself around the white stallion. Rivulet wondered absently if perhaps their journey around Equestria together would end upon leaving this Bluebloood. Perhaps Yuri was making a friend she would wish to stay with? The blue dragon was only momentarily saddened by this thought. He was very much enjoying this time of exploring unknown lands with a companion and friend.

"Yes, it would be quite interesting to see a smaller one of your dragons Java Sun." Rivulet flew close to the brown pony. As he did so he opened his traveling bag and pulled out a rolled up parchment. It was a map of the far eastern lands of dragons. This he passed to Java for inspection. "I am also wondering if perhaps you have an area of navigation I might see? I am a map maker by trade and would very much enjoy seeing how it is that ponies map their lands."

[moonshineTheleocat]

“Ah a smaller one! Sure~” The stallion hummed as he now looked towards the “hangar” which was really more like a dock set up in a grid like fashion along the side of the mountain. There were large cubbies carved into the mountains that securely contained each ship, and protected them from the storms and winds that might set them adrift… and possibly fall on some pony’s unlucky head.

 

“Ah! I know a perfect one,” The stallion hummed as he now climbed back onto the docks. “There’s one lower to the ground. It’s origionally built for researchers, so it’s fairly small. Just small enough that it can be flown. And…” The stallion hummed looking over the two dragons.

“I believe once we pull out of the docks and get high enough, the both of you will have an opportunity to fly it!”

[Zeig]

Yesyesgyesyesyesyes -

 

"Yes!" Yuri crowed in triumph, lithe body unwinding itself from around the shiny pony in the blink of an eye as the white dragon performed exited loops in the air, "to the perfect one lower upon the ground!" The white eastern dragon was unsure which metal dragon was "the perfect one lower upon the ground", but she was sure the brown Java pony would be able to lead them along. Oh, she was so glad to have asked! Like her okaasan always said, the only bad question was the one left unasked, for a dragon could never know when a simple question might yield a fruitful answer. 

 

Also, any questions about whether or not there were any dumplings left were bad, because the answer was no. Always no. And that wasn't even her fault!

 

Mostly. 

 

So excited was Yuri about the prospect of seeing the large metal dragons fly, that she almost missed Rivulet's inquiry of navigational maps to peruse, only just managing to catch the end of her blue friend's statement thanks to spotting the rolled up parchment he was passing over to Java pony. "Yes yes, he is the mapmaker," the white eastern dragon parroted, nodding her head furiously, "that of the cartograf!" Yuri remembered learning that word from the blue dragon upon first meeting him...only, a few hours ago? Perhaps? It seemed as if they had been traveling together for so much longer than that.

 

Hmm. Probably because of all the fun ponies they had met together, and would meet together in the future.

 

But first. Metal dragon!

 

With another flurry of movement, Yuri whipped down towards the surface of the airship again, and seeing as Rivulet was busy showing the brown Java his maps, she made for the shiny Blue Blood, snatching him up in her claws to carry him back down onto the docks. "Which is it?" she asked excitedly, the white pony still clutched in her grasp as she swiveled back and forth, head twisting in every direction. "Lower to the ground" really meant nothing to her...there were just so many metal airships, all looking so sleek and pretty and ready to fly off into the sky upon the wave of one claw! 

 

[Blueblood]

Whenever he found himself caught in an unfamiliar situation, Prince Blueblood's first instinct was to furl sail and stand back in order to get the lay of the social currents and winds.  This usually served him well, enabling him to make his entrance onto center stage at such a time that showed him off in the best light, and kept him there.  On the other hand, it could also lead to him getting swept along by unexpected eventualities.

And the thing about being in proximity to dragons was that a pony was hardly ever going to take central stage from them.  Hence, the Prince had been dragged out of his house, dragged up to the ship, and then dragged off it to be held in mid-air.  "Yaaagghh!"  His dignity could be marked as today's first casualty, and now his pressing concern was to make sure his body wasn't the second.  "Please, could you put me down?  On secure hoofing!"

[RainbowFoxxy]

Yuri took off into the air, aiming for the ship Java had spoke of. He wondered for a moment how Yuri would find the right metal dragon without Java to show them. There were so many of them all in their little births. For a moment his thoughts drifted to his home country. He had seen a clutch of baby dragons secure in their den right before he left. These metal craft somehow reminded him of that. Some day he would return to the safety and security of his homeland. But, that time was far off. For now there were adventures to be had and sights to be seen!

The blue dragon hesitated for a moment. Yuri had swept the Blueblood prince off and he wondered if perhaps the Java pony would like to fly as the dragons do.

"I am wondering...Java pony...would you like to come with me?" The dragon lowered his head. There would be room right below the nape of his neck if Java wanted a lift. There was a shock of blue mane for him to hold onto and everything. Rivulet had never flown with another on board but he figured if Yuri could carry the prince with so little effort it wouldn't be a problem.

"You are allowing us to experience much of your ships..perhaps you would like to experience something of the dragon world?"

[moonshineTheleocat]

The stallion held a broad grin as he watched both the Prince and Blueblood soar up into the air. He then blinked as he heard the other approach him. His head snapped away from the sky to study the other. He initially held an inquisitive look, and then it quickly grew into something like a child seeing his fantasies come true! He was going to ride a dragon! A –DRAGON-! Not something that can happen in one’s lifespan all that often, so it was impressive none the less!

“A-“ He started as words seemingly failed to come to him. He closed his jaws, waited for a moment then opened them again. “Certainly my friend! Though, I’m afraid the only way to experience more of the dragon world, outside of straddling you of course, is by being a dragon myself! There’s been times when I’ve been curious about what a sapphire tasted like. Would it be blueberries, or earthy.”

He then approached the dragon, “Oh! And before we go! Sorry I forgot to address this earlier, but I’m no cartographer. Prince Blueblood is the one who’s born with a talent for navigation. He can guide you around the stars, and through the most vast oceans.”

“Now I don’t know how to make the maps, but I can certainly give you one of the oldest maps we have in our collection here. I believe during that time period, the earth pony way was to walk along the coast lines and chart it’s general shape, and then any landmarks or defining features.”

The stallion soon hopped up onto the dragons neck… then looked around for some place to hold onto. He wasn’t exactly sure what was safe to grab. He certainly didn’t want to be tugging on anything that would hurt.

[Zeig]

 

Hmm, secure hoofing? How does one secure hooves?

 

"Yes, of course," Yuri said graciously in response to the white pony's request to be let down, but was mostly distracted by the conversation Rivulet and the brown pony were having. It appeared that her blue-scaled companion wished to give something in return for the Java's willingness to let them travel by metal dragon, which, now that Yuri thought about it, was much more than fair. It was polite, after all, to give a gift in exchange for another gift...which was in itself a gift. Hum. 

 

The JavaSun was more than willing, to, to accept said gift, and seemed very enthusiastic about flying by dragon. "Quite excellent!" the white dragon conceded, and much as she had earlier, threw the shining white pony a few feet into the air so she could swivel underneath him, letting out a quiet oof! as he landed on the back of her neck, just behind her horns. The Prince was a navigator, then, he could direct them where to fly to. Over Canterlot, or perhaps to the mountains beyond! Mere moments, as the dragon flew! "Where do we fly, BlueBlood Prince?" Yuri questioned excitedly, once again swiveling this way and that before spiraling up towards her blue companion and the other pony, "which way? We will take to the sky so that you may fly like a dragon and then come back here to fly in the big metal dragons, yes?" 

[Blueblood]

Prince Blueblood was no stranger to peril.  You wouldn't necessarily think that just by looking at him; he seemed the very definition of 'prissy' at times.  But he had been on-site for both Changeling invasions, and been captured as a prisoner of war in the second one.  In addition to that, he'd even been involved in Sombra and the Caribou's attack on the Crystal Empire, facing down the fierce warriors of the North... or rather, running away in such a manner that the chasing caribou fell to their doom.

The point was, none of those experiences were quite so terrifying to the fair Prince as being at the mercy of a playful dragon's claws.  His body was visibly shaking as the dragon twirled in her flight, and when she actually tossed him up in the air, he lost whatever sense of control he'd managed to keep together until now.  "AAAAHHHH I'M TOO YOUNG TO- OOF!"

The stallion slammed down upon the dragon's back, the wind knocked thoroughly out of his sails.  Acting on instinct, he clung to Yuri's back with a vise-like grip for dear life, whimpering softly.  "It'll be over soon, it'll be over soon, please let it be over soon...."

[Zeig]

 

She was having such a good time, and if his cheerful yells were any indication, so was her shiny new pony friend. 

 

Today was a good day!

 

But that day was, Yuri realized quite abruptly, ending, causing the white dragon to twist to a complete stop mid-air, mouth agape as she stared at the sun. When had it gotten so low on the horizon? Hearthstone had made it very clear that she needed to see Yuri before the sun set that night, to impart important words of wisdom to her. For her first pony friend was heading on a journey and wouldn't be around for a while, and Yuri still had so much to learn...according to Hearthstone. Privately, Yuri felt she was learning so much just by making new pony friends, but Hearthstone had never been wrong before. 

 

Because ponies were just so smart. They made metal sky dragons to carry them across the seas, after all!

 

"Nooo," the white dragon moaned morosely, body twisting to deposit the white pony into her claws again as she clutched him to her, "it is too soon. I still have so many pony friends to make!" Yuri quailed a bit more, body unconsciously moving in an agitated fashion as he pet the white pony, before ultimately sighing and flying back down to the balcony where she had swept him up in the first place. "I must be going now, dear friends," the sinuous dragon said pitifully, pink eyes trailing from both of her new pony friends towards Rivulet, "to say goodbye to my other friend...but maybe," Yuri suddenly perked up, entire body spasming in sudden thought, "maybe I come back tomorrow to fly on the big metal dragon, yes? Yes!" 

 

Yes, so simple! Decided, Yuri flew in a happy circle around the three of them, before taking off into the sky, one claw rapidly waving her farewell as she made off towards the sunset. Yes, she would simply come back tomorrow, and then the three of them could ride on the big metal dragon while she stroked the shiny prince's soft fur.

 

Mmm...yes, that sounded like the beginning of another good day.

 

[[ Exit ]]