Chapter 53 - Fire
"So that's why you kept following Diamond?" Apple Bloom asked as the girls all walked together.
After Scootaloo had convinced her friends to give Silver a Chance, Sil offered to take them all to a movie as a way to at least begin to make up for listening to Diamond. On the way there, she pretty much explained the same things she told Micro.
"Yeah," she looked down sadly. "I know it's a poor excuse, but it's the truth."
"We get it," Sweetie Belle said. "She was the first person to ever appear to be your friend. Of course you would look past her flaws."
Silver blushed a bit at that but smiled. She had friends...friends who felt genuine. And, while she wasn't sure if they would end up together, she was closer to Micro now to. This was the best day ever!
They passed by an alley, not seeing a figure hidden in shadow. He sniffed the air and turned to face the quartet of teens. Taking out his phone he snapped a picture and sent it off to his boss. A few seconds later, he got the response.
Wait for the chance and grab them
The figure grinned, showing sharpened canines.
Today was going to be a good score.
Junkyard
"Why are they set up here?" Chara asked. She had joined up with Spike, Micro, and Sugar after school to go the lessons with Ember. She decided to wear her green and yellow sweater and brown shorts.
Sugar was their ride (his ice cream truck uniform was a fun way to get around the IDs and earn experience mowing down Zombies) and had nothing better to do that day so he figured he'd stay and watch.
It took a bit for him to get used to Chara's presence, but after seeing her act normal and not genocidal, he grew calmer.
"Dracokin like to roughhouse," Spike responded. "A junkyard is the best place for that since most people don't care what happens to the stuff in it if they forget to hop into an ID. Plus nobody really goes to them for fun."
Micro just nodded as he read a notification he and Chara got after the memory dungeon. They had been too distracted (Sombra chimed in making out) that they failed to see they went up two levels and their combined DEX was now past 100.
New Perk!
Monkey's Nimbleness
Like a monkey through a forest you move with great speed and agility.
-Greater Increase of success in DEX based skills
He was disappointed it hadn't been more than that, but he was already growing so fast he wasn't too bothered.
"Good, you're here." The group looked up to see Ember in her Dracokin form sitting on top of washer in a pile of scrap. She jumped down and with a flap of her wings landed in front of them, giving a nod to Chara and a hug to Spike. She turned toward Micro and Sugar with raised eyebrows. "And who are you two?"
Micro was caught off guard for a second before face palming.
"Sorry. I forgot you never saw me transform back into my normal form. I was Neon, though in this form I am Micro." As proof, he brought out the red heart gem that used to be Garble.
Ember looked at him in surprise, not having expected the well endowed goddess to actually be this boy! Shaking her head, she turned toward Sugar who was looking at his friend confused.
"And you?" She asked. Sugar jumped a bit as and blushed when he saw looking him up and down.
"Oh...I'm Sugar Rush. Their friend."
"He has nothing else to do today so we figured he could watch. He would see everything we learn anyway since he comes with us to train so…"
Micro was hoping they hadn't overstep their bounds by inviting Sugar to join without checking with Ember first. Thankfully, she just smiled.
"Fair enough. Now you three," she turned toward her three new students. "I'm sure Spike already knows some of the basics and probably told you, but let's refresh on them shall we?"
After making sure Sombra knew to take notes, Micro paid close attention to what was being said. It really was just the basics. Dracokin have highly durable scales, sharp claws and fangs, and fire breath. Once they reach maturity, they all gain wings and some even grow long tails which would be useful in combat.
"Now," Ember said. "I don't know if you two will be able to grow them since your power comes from the gems, but I digress. It's time to teach you how to use your fire breath. Spike can help out since he already knows this."
"But I already used it before," Chara said. Ember raised a clawed finger.
"That always happens the first time one transforms. It does not mean you mastered it. A baby who wets its diaper still needs to be potty trained after all."
Chara grumbled about being compared to an infant but nodded. Chara and Spike took their Dracokin forms while Micro held his gem. Taking a deep breath, he focused on it and felt the change running through him.
His skin shifted and hardened, forming dark blue scales with black bands around his joints, eyes, and neck. His nails and teeth sharpened to points. With a loud roar he threw his head back and shot a stream of flames twice as tall as the piles of junk around them. Ember was just as surprised as the others.
"Holy...that was your first time?!" She asked. Micro panted a bit but nodded. "Well, if that's without training, when you do learn how to use your power you will be a force to be reckoned with."
Micro grinned, happy with the praise.
"Just make sure your first time with Scootaloo is just as impressive," Chara whispered to him. He blushed (as much as he could as a Dracokin) and turned to swipe at her with his newly formed claws.
"Hey!" Ember called out. "We will get into claw to claw sparring soon. If you think you're ready for it now…" she flexed her claws and smirked evilly. "Then perhaps you and I should go a few rounds."
Micro sweated nervously and shook his head. This time, Sombra spoke up to him.
"I figured you'd want to go a few rounds with her."
Later with the Girls
The girls were laughing as they exited the theater, the sky changing colors as the sun started to set.
"That movie was awesome!" Scootaloo cheered. Sweetie and Silver nodded in agreement while Apple Bloom joined her friend in cheering.
"Funny, intense, action filled! I mean, did you see those effects!?"
The group all laughed and agreed. Silver was happy. Truly happy for the first time in a good long while. No worrying about whether they would force her to pick on others or belittle her. They were true friends.
'Nothing could ruin this day!'
That was when a series of hands grabbed them and pulled them into the alley.
"What the hell!" Apple Bloom yelled. Scootaloo struggled against the grip of the person holding her and felt him struggle to hold her still. Finally she decided on her last resort. She twisted her hand and reached into her inventory, grabbing one of the Kama and swinging it toward the thug, it slightly sparking as it gouged out a mark in the brick wall to her side..
She would've connected if not for another grabbing her wrist and twisting. Crying out in pain, she dropped the sickle just as a rag was shoved over her mouth. She barely had enough time for a final string of thoughts.
Micro...theater alley....help…
Kidnappers
Junkyard
"Not bad," Ember commented, taking a look at the half melted targets she set up. "Good accuracy and power. If you progress like this you should...what's wrong?"
Chara and Micro weren't paying attention anymore. They seemed to be looking at nothing, just staring in front of them.
"Micro?" Spike asked. "What's up?"
"It's...a party chat message from Scoots…" he said, his voice barely a whisper.
"What?!" Sugar shouted, shooting up. "What happened? Are they ok?!"
If something was wrong with Scootaloo, Apple Bloom could be in trouble too.
"They've been kidnapped," Chara said, looking over at Micro who was shaking. Smoke beginning to form at the corners of his mouth.
"Micro…?" Ember started. The boy in dragon scales looked up, his eyes burning with intensity.
"Let's see how this fire works on flesh shall we?"
{Written by Twistedphoenix1}
{Edited by SpedaHooves/KenKanekiTheCat/Me}
[Editor's Note - My phone is half way broken, so it is hard to read, and therefore edit chapters properly. If there are still errors, tell me as soon as you can. I will attempt to fix every error I can.]