Mountainous (Draganon)

>It's dark.
>It's always dark.
>You can't move.
>You can't feel.
>But you can breathe.
>Are you alive?
>Maybe.
>How long has it been now?
>You don't have any way to keep time, you would have gotten bored of doing so anyway.
>Clock watching just makes the day seem longer.
>Years? You can't remember much else apart from the darkness.
>Just you and your thoughts.
>Thoughts and memories that have been long exhausted.
>You accept your fate, to be left here in nothing.
>It feels like you've never known any different.
>A deep sleep, a bleeding man on the side of a rainy, isolated road.
>An unfortunate man, struck with the curse of a sudden heart attack.
>A foolish man, beaten by those with an inclination for violence.
>But not you.
>So you lie here, and wait.

---

>The rocky road crumbles beneath your hooves, the fresh morning air worming it's way into your lungs.
>You are Twilight Sparkle, newest princess to the throne of Equestria and it's greatest magic user.
>Along with your friends, you have departed on a special mission for the other princesses.
>Lands beyond Equestrian borders have changed a lot since the maps were last updated.
>A small team of cartographers acting with the elements as their escorts, along with one or two guards.
>The princesses aren't expecting any major threats, none at least that can pose a problem to your expedition.
>You have broken away from the camp to find a fresh source of water, as you are running low.

>The base of this mountain seems like a good start.
>Your knowledge of geology and geography pales in comparison to the specialists with you, but you know that water often runs down mountains and into small bodies.
>Perfect for collecting fresh water.
>The mountain itself is a sight to behold.
>Covered from top to bottom with craggy rocks, the peaks touch the overcast cloud cover above.
>The view from up there must be something amazing.
>According to some of the locals, it has earned the nickname "Scale Mountain" for it's distinct appearance.
>You can see why, with layers of aged rock forming a scale pattern.
>The princesses will be very interested to learn about this place.
>You hear a feint voice in the distance along with the flapping of wings.
>Your ears perk up at the scratchy voice, it can only be Rainbow Dash.
>Her Rainbow trail can easily be seen from far away, speeding towards you.
>She skids to a stop, panting heavily.
"Hey Egghead. The others sent me down here to see how you were doing."
>Typical, gone for an hour and they're already worried about you.
>Not the first time on your month long trip.
Of course Rainbow, I can handle myself you know.
>"Well what's takin' you so long!"
>You sake your head at her impatience, and turn back to the path you were taking.

>"OH I get it, you want to take a hike to the top huh?"
>Before you can respond, or protest, Rainbow hooks herself under both of your hooves and darts off.
>You let out an undignified squeal as the hyperactive pegasus ascends up the side of the mountain, weaving between the outcropped rocks.
Rainbow, put me down!
>Rainbow ignores you and speeds up, intent on reaching the summit in record time.
>The gray earth below becomes a blur, but it soon comes back into focus as Dash winds down.
>She carefully places you back onto the ground, looking very sheepish.
>You huff and turn away not wanting to waste time scolding her.
>You're met with an amazing view of the entire grassland.
>Stretching out onto the horizon are fields of green grass and the occasional tree or small body of marshland.
>Down the middle, in front of the mountain, lies a circular crater; local legend testifying that a huge dragon crashed down here centuries ago.
>You don't believe it, probably something made up in conjunction with the appearance of the mountain and the lack of foliage.
>"Woah," Rainbow exhales. "This is awesome!"
It sure is Rainbow.

---

>Something... something is there.
>You can... hear?
>You can hear it.
>Muffled, and quiet.
>Sensation.
>You forgot... forgot how this felt.
>An urge bubbles up inside you, you want more.
>To see more.
>To hear more.

>You try to move.
>The weight on you is immense, unlike anything you've felt before.
>You flinch, something hit you.
>On your... eye?
>"Rain... don't... hit..."
>"Just... rocks..."
>Female voices.
>Other people.
>You need to get out.
>You struggle against your invisible bonds.
>Like pushing against the earth itself, pushing against you.
>You feel some give way, allowing you to wiggle your fingers.
>You are underground, you're covered in dirt!
>After some monumental effort, your eye opens.

---

Rainbow, don't hit everything.
>"It's just some rocks Twi, I don't think I'm going to hurt this place's feelings."
>You sigh as she continues to slap her hooves against one the the craggy rocks that cover this place.
>She still thinks that she's an effective fighter, none of the others have the heart to tell her.
>The ground rumbles.
>Rainbow freezes. "What was that?"
>Rumble... Rumble...
>"Earthquake?"
>"Volcano?"
>Rainbow shakes you.
>"Evil monster?"
>The rocks behind her shake, and begin to ascend, revealing a white surface.
>Which eventually gives way to a huge, slitted orange iris.
D-d-dragon.
>you point to the eye, rainbow swinging around and gasping dramatically.
>That eye dwarfed both of you several times over!
Sweet Celestia.

---

>"Sweet Celestia..." The purple horse gasps.
>Another stares on next to her, with a colorful mane and cyan coat.
>"Rainbow, we need to get off of this mountain, now!"
>"On it egghead!" the blue one cries, flying away with her.

>You try to plead, ask them to stay with you.
>You don't want to be alone again.
>You struggle harder, shaking the ground that meets your eye.
>Like a car engine starting after several years of neglect, you feel sensation flood back into parts of your body.
>Into some parts you don't recognize, or at least forgot you had.
>Powerful legs, a tough muzzle, and wicked barbed tail.
>It doesn't feel right.
>But you don't care, you just want to break free.
>With a strangled hiss you push forwards with a fist, breaking through into the open air.
>You flex and twist the appendage, accidentally jabbing yourself with your long talons.
>The sound of collapsing rubble echoes around you.
>A massive weight is lifted away from your back as two powerful wings throw off tonnes of rock and refuse.
>Seeing a path to freedom you push out with every limb, causing rubble to tumble and collapse around you.
>Now you realize that you were actually inside of a mountain.
>Your body is huge, covered with black and orange scales that look like a live fire.
>Wicked talons curve from the end of your fingers, a pair of orange horns curve into your view.
>You flap your wings erratically to get a feel for them, sending away a torrent of rubble and dust.
>Free from your prison, you want to scream.
>Your vocal cords have suffered from years of no use.
>You try, and try again becoming increasingly frustrated.

>A scratchy mewl escape from your muzzle.
>But then you feel it, welling up inside your chest like heartburn.
>You open wide, as if you were about to yawn.
>And let out an earth shaking, ear drum busting roar.

---

>Rocks and boulders fall around you like toys and the massive beast awakens.
>Rainbow is flapping like mad in a bid to escape the disaster area.
>The strength and pure size of the beast has made it easily capable or flinging projectiles for miles around.
>And so far, it's only been waking up.
>Occasionally a rock streaks past you, out-pacing the manic Rainbow Dash pulling you along.
>Your own wings dangle by your sides as the watch the destruction behind you.
>Rainbow has unwittingly given you the perfect view as you are squished belly to belly.
>Huge orange membranes erupt from the stone like lava, flapping randomly as it comes around.
>Even that small action sends a fresh wall of dust in your direction, forcing you to cover your eyes.
>You can only watch in abject horror as the entire mountain is demolished, or consolidated into the scaled form of the dragon.
>Soon it is reduced to rubble, as the dragon looks up to the sky.
>It's chest shakes, once, twice.
>And then it unleashes an unearthly roar.
>You gasp in pain as the booming sound wave ripples across the landscape.
>If the camp didn't notice before, they do now.

>It spurs Rainbow on and soon you are back at the camp, your friends and the guards scanning the horizon for you.
>Fluttershy is having a panic attack, with Rarity attempting to calm her down.
>Rainbow lands, stumbling slightly as she collapses onto the ground exhausted.
>The others crowd around you, probing with questions and inquiries.
Quiet!
>They shut up, eager to hear what you have to say.
>"T-the mountain, it was a dragon." You explain, pointing to where you cam from.
>"So that dreadful roar..." Rarity asks.
Yep, and I think it's coming this way. We need to pack up and move.
>The expedition leader begins barking orders for the rest of the team to pack everything.
>"Wait, what do you mean the mountain?" Applejack butts in. "Are you messin' with us? There ain't no dragon that big."
Applejack, why would I lie about this? We need to evacuate right now!
>Applejack sighs before nodding and moving into the rushing crowd to aid the organization.
>Fluttershy only worsens, now babbling as Rarity tries to bring her back.
Take her into one of the tents Rarity.
>Rarity nods and drags the shy pegasus into one of the tents that is soon designated to remain up.
>You take a paranoid glance back at the direction the beast is coming from.
>An ominous black shape sits still on the horizon, it's terrible orange wings still spread proudly across the sky.

---

>You are Anonymous.
>Yes, that's it.
>Anonymous.
>Your muscles tense and relax, stiff from years of inactivity.
>The blood is rushing back through your limbs giving you a horrible case of pins and needles.
>This doesn't feel right, something is wrong.
>What could it be?
>The little horses from before were odd.
>Maybe that's it, you should go talk to them and get answers.
>If only you saw where they went.
>The purple one and the cyan one.
>You look out across the landscape which rises around you.
>Looking down you're met with a large scaly body.
>A huge tail wraps around you, with orange spines running down it like lava.
>The ground is blackened and devoid of any life.
>How long have you been here?
>You raise a claw in the air and slam in down on the ground in frustration.
>A boom echoes throughout the valley as dirt is tossed into the air.
>Lifting the heavy clawed hand you notice that a myriad of smaller trees circle the area around you.
>Very, very small trees.
>Your curious hand reaches down and plucks one of them from the ground, roots and all.
>So fragile, these things.
>The bark snaps and buckles as you place a small amount of pressure on the greenery.
>They aren't small, you're just very big.
>It seems so obvious now.
>Looking up to the valley around you, you try and spy those horses from before.
>They could answer your questions.

>A small plume of smoke catches your eye.
>Fire, the first sign of civilization.
>They ran away in terror before, with your size in mind that makes sense.
>Sneaking up on them isn't an option, and you can't speak either.
>Just to make sure you try, your scaled lips being uncooperative and just creating a scratchy squeal.
>Giving up on verbal communication, you instead decide to stretch your legs and go for a walk.
>You're far too large to walk on two legs, with a heavy front and collection of rocky crags on your chest.
>Cautiously you push your legs out underneath you, wobbling slightly as the ground rushes away beneath you.
>Rubble, dust and rocks crash down into the crater below you.
>You wings tighten and pull into your body, removing the obstruction.
>The cycle of walking comes naturally, and soon you've walked to one end of the valley and back.
>At either side massive gray cliffs block the way, leaving a narrow corridor of beautiful greenery.
>In the center lies the crater, a reminder of your presence.
>You imagine that originally your body took up much of the narrow pass, forcing people to travel around or over you.
>Content with your progress you sit back down in the familiar ground.
>Your slitted orange eyes can the horizon, watching for any movement from the camp.
>You wonder how those inside are reacting to your presence, panic maybe?

---

>You are Twilight.
>And you are freaking out!
>Work on packing up the camp soon came to a halt as the enormous beast began to move.
>Tent poles were dropped and boxes abandoned as the crew and expedition members gathered on an outcropping overlooking the valley.
>Fear soon led to curiosity from the team, who watched entranced as the large dragon rose from it's earthen grave.
>It's wings fanned out, casting huge beams of orange tinted light onto the land below.
>They snapped shut, sending plums of dust into the thick forest.
>And like a newborn foal learning to walk, it took steady steps back and forth between the cliffs.
>The sheer scale of the beast dawned on you, easily managing to trot between them with ease, something that took dash nearly twenty minutes.
>From your estimation it is several times larger than Canterlot.
>Each footfall leading to a heavy boom ringing out in the air like cannon fire.
>One researcher is feverishly taking notes on their pad.
>The others soon follow suit, taking out their own charcoal and pencils.
>They chat excitedly about the discovery, the imminent danger of being close to it seemingly forgotten.
>Fluttershy is out cold, Rarity having come to join you.
>"Amazing..." she whispers.
>You have to admit, it certainly is.
>How did this happen?
>Dragons seldom grow to a size that might be considered large, still comfortably living in small cave systems and communities.

>But this, this is far beyond what you imagined.
>Dragons grow directly proportionally to the size of their horde and the value of it.
>As a result there is an artificial limit placed on their growth, as they cannot possibly protect or gather a horde large enough for them to grow this big.
>The largest dragon in recorded history, up till now anyway, only just eclipsed the total size of Canterlot thanks to an incredibly valuable object in it's possession in addition to his own large horde.
>Still, an impressive feat by any measure.
>Unfortunately it attracted the ire of other dragons and treasure hunters and it was stolen rendering the poor creature mad and aggressive.
>It was soon put down by the Royal Dragoons.
>Celestia had recalled the tale with some regret, wishing she could have saved him.
>The beast catches your attention by turning and looking directly at the camp.
>You follow it's gaze and notice the plume of campfire smoke it has spotted.
Somepony put that fire out before I feed you to it!
>One hapless assistant scatters, grabbing a bucket of water and tossing it over the open fire, dousing it.
>The smoke won't stop for some time now.
>Amateurs.
>The others are visibly worried now.
Don't worry everypony, Dragons aren't aggressive unless you take from their horde or encroach on their territory.
>"The valley?" one asks.
I believe it's the spot where it was sleeping.

>"Don't worry egghead! If it gets anywhere near us I'll knock it's block off!" Dash boasts.
>"I do think that you are overestimating yourself," Rarity talks her down.
>Dash huffs and crosses her hooves like a spoiled foal.
>Some of the crew laugh at her expense.
>The dragon has sat itself down back in the crater and is now unmoving, simply observing the camp from a distance.
>It possess some intelligence as the smoke has long since passed away and hidden the camp itself.
>Basic memorization, one of the easiest ways to spot intelligent life.
>Most dragons become quite feral as they grow, losing a fair part of their mental ability.
>A side effect of rapid growth without concern for one's health, feral dragons are almost always the greediest.
>It could have spotted you instead, some dragons have extremely good eyesight.
>But he's unfocused and still looking at the spot in the sky where the smoke was before.
>It seems you spoke too soon.
>It blinks, once, twice and clears the mist from it's eyes.
>Looking down it seems to notice you and lean forward as if to confirm it's suspicion.
>The dragon expert that came with you is completely captivated and unable to provide insight.
>"Tome, the boss wants you," a more observant researcher points out.
>She grins guiltily and slinks over to you.
What do you think about this?
>Her eyes are alight with pure glee.
>"It's simply amazing! This is the greatest moment of my career!"
>She hops up and down on her hooves giddily.

What about the actual dragon Tome? What do you think about it?
>"Oh! My apologies," she composes herself.
>"It appears to be an earth, potentially fire half breed based specimen of extraordinary size. Orange plumage and wing fiber shows that it can be extremely dangerous, a warning to potential predators, although I don't think he has to worry about them. Male, indicated by the intricate patterns of bone and horn adorning his chest and head crest.
>"Displays minor intelligence by recognizing patterns to locate civilization, as shown by him staring at our little fire. Recently come out of an extremely long period of hibernation or inactivity, so much so that sedimentation had occurred around most of his body."
How long are we talking here?
>"A few thousand years at least. My theory is that he crash landed and formed the crater we see now before falling into a rest state, possibly involuntarily due to some kind of injury, or as a way to heal it's injuries."
>"The locals have said that this mountain was here as long as they could remember, before their own records began," the translator pitches in.
>The others have gathered around now, listening intently on her assessment.
>"Is it dangerous?" Rarity asks.
>"As of yet it appears docile, and not intent on making a move towards us. Although that could change rapidly if we did something to earn it's anger."
>"So are we leaving or not?" Dash asks from above.
>You chew on the inside of your cheek, what should you do?

>Some of the scientists look almost disappointed with it.
I suppose we can stay...
>They begin to cheer.
...but, we need to keep a close eye on this thing.
>Dash nods, but Rarity seems worried.
>"If I may Twilight, I'm worried about Fluttershy."
>Oh right! She was still knocked out in the tent.
We're going to have to send her elsewhere if she can't handle seeing the dragon.
>"I don't believe that is the right solution darling."
Well she needs to get over her fear of dragons instead.
>You sigh and look out to the beast, which has now lied down in the dirt.
>Apart from the orange wings, it would be easy to mistake that thing for a mountain.
>You and Dash did after all.
>The others all seem really eager to observe it, rightly so.
>This is the biggest discovery for the past 100 years.
>An uneasy feeling wells up in your chest as you look over everypony.
>Wait...
Where's Pinkie?

---

>For what it is, the earth is surprisingly soft.
>The dirt that now covers the ground is freshly toiled after your awakening.
>You groan and lean your head back.
>This is boring, you need something more stimulating.
>Your sensitive ear drums pick up the sound of something coming your way, too small to be of concern.
>It hits the ground every second.
>Thump, thump, thump.
>It's getting closer.
>A flash of pink races past a gap in the trees.
>What is that?
>The pink thing has caught your eye.
>You watch for it like a hawk.
>It's movement is unpredictable.

>Soon the pink figure bursts from the brushes.
>Far from being a terrifying predator.
>It's another one of those little horses, this one an eye watering shade of bright pink.
>She hums a little ditty to herself completely unaware of your presence.
>She stops at the edge of the crater and looks down into your hovel.
>"Hellooooooo? Twilight, Dash?"
>Her eyes scan the clearing, passing over you.
>How oblivious this one is.
>Suddenly she gasps and flies into the air, hovering for a few moments.
>"Oh my gosh!" she squeals launching herself towards your visible eye.
>She slides to a stop with open arms, waving in your direction.
>"Wow, I'm going to need a really big buffet table for you! I'm Pinkie Pie, what's your name?
>Your jaw opens, a wheeze emerging as you attempt to spell out your name.
>The hot air from your maw doesn't discourage the little horse, who simply nods in fake comprehension.
>Her hair springs back into place cartoonishly.
>"Anonymous, that's a weird name!"
>Not fake, real comprehension.
>How did she understand you?
>Your chest rumbles as you say it out loud.
>"I know all the languages silly! can't make friends with everypony if you don't understand them. I know Zebrican, Equestrian, Griffon...
>She rambles on, listing a series of which you presume are modern languages.
>"...Minotaur, and of course ancient dragonian!"
>She smiles and seats herself on the ground.
>"SooooOOoooOOooo, let's be friends!"
>You smile internally, that'd be nice.

>The pink horse whips out a cannon from nowhere and fires it off into the air.
>A blast of confetti and glitter pours over your face, temporarily blinding you.
>Your face is now covered in streamers and other party decorations.
>In front is a buffet table, complete with food spread.
>How did she do all of this?
>"Never know when you need to set up a party for a new friend!" she chirped as if nothing extraordinary had just occurred.
>"And now we can party!" she throws her hooves in the air, another blast of confetti exploding behind her.
>You hear something off in the distance.
>"Pinkie?" A new voice calls.
>"Over here~" she shouts back taking off into the bushes.
>"Pinkie, it's dangerous here, you need to come back to the camp!"
>"No it isn't silly, I've even made a new friend."
>"A new friend? Out here? Pinkie there's a huge dragon in the valley, you need to be more careful."
>"Don't worry Twilight, he's a real sweetheart once you get to know him."
>Pinkie reemerges from the undergrowth with the purple one, Twilight, in tow.
>She balks as you look at her with a confetti covered frown.
>"P-Pinkie..."
>"Twilight, say hello to Anonymous!" the oblivious horse cheers, hopping around the clearing.
>Twilight seems to have been broken as she stands there and stutters for almost five minutes.
>"I-I didn't know I was this close," she mumbles to herself.

>You tilt your head slightly shaking away some of the decorations.
>Twilight flinches at the movement, but settles down once she notices that you do nothing more.
>"C'mon Twi, he isn't going to bite!" Pinkie encourages her.
>"C-can I get a closer look?" she asks.
>You let out an affirmative growl, which pinkie interprets for her as a "Yes."
>Slowly the purple horse approaches you, drinking in every detail of your ornately decorated crest.
>"This is incredible," she whispers to herself.
>Face to face with you, she reaches out a hoof and brushes it against your harsh scales.
>Pinkie takes note of how important this is and remains silent, shaking in place with barley constrained energy.
>"Do you even know how amazing you are? I've never seen anything like you."
>Pinkie nods and comes up behind her.
>"You're super huge! Which means we'll have to throw a super huge welcoming party!" she raves.
>Why is it always about parties with this mare?
>"Pinkie, is he really docile?" the purple one asks.
>"Duh, we're stood right here!"
>"We need to get the rest of the team down here so they can take some notes."

---

>"She brought that pink mare here for a reason, didn't she?" one of the researchers sighs.
>Who would have known that the air headed mare was a master of inter-species communication.
>Certainly not the Canterlot team who had grown increasingly irritated with her presence.
>Optimism was fine in small doses, but pinkie took it too far.
>None of them had room to complain now with the frantic element of magic calling for them to approach the beast.
>Such a huge creature was docile, apparently.
>It must have no natural predators.
>You are Dusty Tome, and you are very excited.
>The other ponies here didn't have the enthusiasm you did.
>Some of them looked at you in silent disapproval.
>You can't help it.
>This is quite literally the biggest moment of your career as a dragon expert.
>Even bigger then publishing your extensive research into Northern Dragon migration patterns.
>The patterns helped them avoid angering the dragons during harvest season, saving the lives and livelihoods of those living there.
>You earned yourself an honorary knighthood from the at the time reigning Griffin King for your work.
>Your family congratulated you, but ever modest, you insisted that it wasn't a big deal.
>Celestia herself had chosen you to come on this expedition with the elements of harmony themselves.
>But in the face of this...
>Now this, this was a big deal.
>It brings back memories of you as a younger mare fresh out of university.
>Not to say that you're old at three decades (and a bit) young.
>The others become visibly anxious as you approach the clearing.
>Through the trees you briefly catch a flash of the scaled hide.
>Twilight leads you on through the bushes.
>As one of the first through, you can't help but stop and let out another gasp.

>The dragon lies in wait, it's piercing orange eyes observing it's new visitors.
>You've worked close to large specimens before, but each eyeball is the size of several ponies.
>Truly incredible.
>At the insistence of the others you move forward in a trance.
>So many questions try to work their way out at once.
>How would such a creature feed itself?
>How old was he, and what could he remember?
>Is he capable of flight with those majestic orange wings?
>What kind of horde does he posses to grow to such a size?
>The researchers busy themselves speaking to Pinkie, who fills them in on it's name.
>Anonymous.
>You approach it, the heated breath from it's nostrils warming your chilly body.
>Stroking the scales, it growls something which you can't recognize.
>Twilight stands beside you, "I wonder what it has to say."
>"He's trying to say hello," Pinkie pops up startling you.
>"Does he understand us?" Twilight poises.
>"Uh-huh," Pinkie nods.
>"Pinkie, can you translate for us?"
>"Sure Twi!"
>Twilight clears her throat.
>"Anonymous, do you remember anything about yourself."
>The dragon lets out a sad sounding whine.
>"He says he doesn't remember anything but his name."
>It seems not even an anicent dragon can escape the pull of time.
>"That limits our options," Twilight sighs, "Do you know what this place is called?"
>He pauses before speaking again.
>"He calls it the "Valley of the Titan" Pinkie frowns.
>That rings a bell in your head.
Hold on, I recognize this.

>"What do you mean, Tome?"
I've studied my fair share of legend and literature, and the valley of the titan, I've heard that somewhere before.
>"In Canterlot library perhaps?
Maybe, but I think it was somewhere else, maybe when I spent time in the Griffin states.
>"That is a lot closer to here," Twilight scratches her chin.
>A light bulb goes off in your head.
That's it! I remember now, it was when I was staying in the capital to present my work. I went down to one of the local interest shops to see if they had anything interesting on Dragons that I might have missed. there wasn't much but a book on old legends. It was brief, but I think Anonymous here was mentioned.
>"What did it say?"
This valley... is his stomping ground. As we know this small patch of verdant forest is an anomaly and I have a theory about how our friend here got so big. These cliffs are made of solid gemstone, valueless, but capable of feeding a dragon nevertheless. With his reputation, nobody ever dared tread here to see if it was true.
>"So he stayed out here and chowed down?" Pinkie giggles.
He must have, there's no other way he could survive.
>"He must have been here for a long, long time to carve out this whole place," Twilight ponders, "and furthermore, he would need a horde to grow in size. If it's valueless how did he get so big."
>That put the brakes on your idea.
I don't know.
>You hate to admit it, but this really is a puzzling situation.

>You are Anonymous.
>And thanks to these little horses, you now know much more about yourself.
>You're a dragon, a big, scary dragon.
>You live in this valley, eating away at the crystal cliffs that surround it.
>And you've been trapped underneath that mountain for thousands of years.
>Woah.
>They're leaving you out of this conversation.
>"I'm happy with what we've discovered already," one of them says.
>"But we could find out so much more," Twilight replies.
>Other horses are pulling out large tape measures and running it down the side of your body.
>One flies up next to your head and hands the other end to another, flying across to measure your jaw line.
>On the ground they frantically scratch down notes as the fliers shout back their findings.
>You simply watch and observe, not wanting to spook them by moving around.
>You don't know if you can without accidentally squishing somebody.
>"I wonder what title he's been granted," one mutters catching the ear of another.
>"He hasn't had any contact with others, he might not have one."
>"At his size? How could he not?"
>A title?
>"Yeah! All dragons get titles to tell you what they're like!" Pinkie answers.
>It'd probably be about how big you are.
>Twilight pulls Pinkie away to talk about something, leaving you with their friend, "Tome" you believe.

>It's one month later.
>The camp has since been moved closer to you so the scientists have easier access.
>"Fluttershy," another of Pinkie's friends wasn't happy about it.
>She came out of her shell eventually, but still refused to come close to you.
>A fear of dragons, Pinkie tells you.
>Tome came down every day, sometimes with questions, sometimes just to look at you and write.
>They finished their measurements and gave you permission to walk around.
>The crystal walls were fairly tasteless, but filled your rumbling stomach well.
>Tome is all smiles still, but behind it is a stark sadness.
>She's leaving soon; with the rest of them.
>Even you can tell when things are starting to wind down.
>The sun is setting over the horizon casting the valley in a orange glow.
>Tome is here as always.
>"Hey..."
>She always liked to talk to you, apparently you are a good listener.
>"We're going to be leaving for Canterlot soon. I just wanted to drop by and say goodbye."
>She gives you a bitter smiles and strokes your chin scales.
>"I hope we get to meet each other again soon."
>You nod and she gives you a real smile.
>"Thank you for being so patient with us. You really are a good guy."
>She scuffs the ground with a hoof
>"See you later."
>And with that, she's gone.

>And that was the last you saw of her.
>The tents were packed away and the ponies vacated your valley.
>You never realized how lonely you were until they all left.
>Now your days were spent lazing around and munching on your cliff faces.
>They don't taste like anything.
>You sigh as the blue skies roll past you, unsure of what to do.
>How could you spend your time constructively?
>You don't know what lies beyond this valley, or if you can survive out there.
>These cliffs provide your entire food supply after all.
>But staying here is so boring!
>The ponies brought some excitement, but that was too short lived for your liking.
>Maybe you should try flying up and looking around?
>Your wings flap against the ground, raising the question of whether you can actually fly.
>Rolling over you stand once more.
>A natural impulse overtakes you, and intent is turned into action as you being to flap rhythmically.
>Soon enough the ground pulls away from your clawed feet.
>It's slow, but soon enough you've ascended enough to see over the tops of those ebony walls.
>For miles around a smooth black surface surrounds you.
>The further away it goes the shorter it becomes, eventually leveling out into large, hilly grasslands.
>You've never seen anything like it, how does a formation like this occur?
>A meteor? A volcano?
>The pace of your wings slow, allowing you to descend safely to the ground, dust is kicked away as a thunder clap echoes.
>You?

---

>You are Twilight Sparkle.
>The gathered crowd bustled with excitement.
>Today was the day that the latest Equestrian expedition would reveal it's findings to the world.
>Rumblings of something major had been passed around the inner circles of the city for weeks.
>Manehattan's best and brightest have assembled en masse, unable to resist the siren's call of a new discovery.
>The grand hall is completely occupied, not a seat to be spared.
>On stage, behind the red curtains, Tome shifts nervously at the sound of the crowd.
>You smile and rest a hoof on her shoulder, though it does little to calm her fraying nerves.
Don't worry about it, what's the big deal?
>"Oh you know, only the biggest discovery in my career, revealing as such in front of thousands of ponies."
>You do suppose she's justified in this case.
Do you have everything ready?
>"I have my notes memorized, that that I'd forget in this instance. I couldn't sleep last night."
>A lull in the crowd, it's nearly time to begin.
Just give them that winning smile and tell them what we've found.
>"Easier said than done."
>The sound of the expedition leader adjusting the microphone crackles from the speaker.
>The crowd silences itself, awaiting with bated breath for what he has to say.
>"Good evening mares and gentlecolts. Today we are here to share the results of our extraordinary journey to the far north."
>Formalities are pushed center stage for the first ten minutes of his speech.

>But soon enough your name was spoken, and a thunderous applause penetrated the red cloth.
>The two of you step through it and into the main hall.
>Ten thousand pairs of eyes watch your every move.
>Tome shivers slightly as another, smaller applause compliments the first.
>You on the other hand keep your composure and step up to the podium.
Good evening, recently I, and several other researchers, were deployed out into the cold north in order to scout long undiscovered locations. What we have found, is beyond anything we could have imagined.
>Excited chatter rises from the crowd, you raise a hoof and ask for quiet.
>Motioning to the stage hand, the lights are dimmed and a projector is moved into position at the back of the hall.
What we found was a dragon, but not just any dragon, this dragon has shattered our previous record in height, length, wingspan and mass.
>The first slide is shown, a far away shot taken from the original camp site.
>In the image, Anonymous is stretching his huge orange wings in the morning light.
>Some gasps can be heard, but the rest seem to be slightly underwhelmed.
As you can see, here we have an adult fire breed, easy to discern because of his distinct orange coloration. Another note of interest is his crest, which closely resembles that of the royal dragon family.
>A comparison image is shown between the two.
>Royals are considered to be the largest and strongest of the dragons.
>Some seem to be catching on now.

I would not be standing in front of you, here today if this were any normal half-breed dragon, as such an occurrence is well documented among our biological literature.
>Tome steps forward, preparing for her part.
With me today is Dusty Tomb, our leading dragon expert who accompanied us. She's very excited to share our findings.
>You step back from the podium and allow Tome to take your place.
>She takes a moment to compose herself.
>"My name is Dusty Tome, and I'm sure many of you have heard of me and my previous work."
>"But here I can assure you, that this discovery is unlike anything I've seen in my long career. These images cannot put into your mind the sheer scale of this beast."
>"This is the largest dragon ever discovered, in both legend and in our scientific community. Stretching skywards to upwards of 150 meters on all four legs."
>The crowd is enraptured now.
>Tome nods, and the pony operating the projector displays the bombshell image.
>Stood next to the huge snout is Pinkie Pie, giving the camera a happy wave.
>Anonymous' eyes barely fit onto the top of the image.
>Pinkie Pie is right next to one of his jagged teeth, which is almost three times her height.
>The room erupts in commotion as a barrage of flashes try to capture the image second hoof.
>Tome takes a step back to allow the crowd to calm down, but it doesn't seem forthcoming.
>"Outrageous!" one stuffy noble cries from his box seat.
>"Amazing!"
>"Is it dangerous?"

>One of the organizers steps in.
>"Can I please request that the audience remains orderly and respectful of the speakers?"
>Not really much of a request considering just how loud he was.
>The audience is soon silent enough for tome to continue, but it still shakes with unreleased energy.
>Tome takes another deep breath and returns to the podium.
>"Probably the most extraordinary thing about the creature, is that he is intelligent enough to discern intent, and co-operated with our research team, allowing us to provide detail figures on every physical aspect of his body."
>You decide to butt in before somebody asks the question.
The figures are included in the press release, which will be distributed once the meeting is adjourned.
>Tome smiles gratefully and turns to the screen, which is now showing an image of a Pegasus next to one of his claws.
>Likewise with Pinkie, she is dwarfed by the massive scale of the dragon.
>More gasps and hushed whispers.
>You allow the presentation to continue uninterrupted, as Tome describes the journey and eventual discovery.
>"The dragon's habitat is closely tied to it's abnormal growth. An area of grassland within an otherwise uninhabitable crystal glacier. Such a formation is fairly common in the north, and this creature utilities it as a primary food source. The greenery in his home suggests that he is extremely old."

>"The local myths supports our conclusion, with heavy mention given to a "Titan" of non specified origin. As such the Valley earned the name "Valley of the Titan."
>"Furthermore the dragon had just recently left a period of long hibernation, as sediment had gathered over his body in such a manner that many would be fooled into thinking he is a natural part of the landscape."
>A new image is shown of the mountain before it's destruction while you blush slightly at the mention of your mistake.
>"This incident has shown us that our current classification system is not adequate to describe this dragon. Under our current system he would be a high elder, but relatively speaking high elders are whelps in comparison to him."
>"This is why in the aftermath of the expedition we have begun the push to add a new classification that goes above and beyond what is available now. And as I speak the crown has approved this new measure."
>She gives a smile to the crowd and steps away allowing you to retake the position.
Mares and gentlecolts, I present to you, the worlds first; Titan Dragon.
>One final image is displayed of Anonymous spreading his wings across the valley.
>You return to behind the curtain as the presentation comes to a close.
>The crowd bursts into chatter once more as the lights come back on.
>Journalists rush backstage to try and get their hooves on the press release.
>This is the kind of story that can make careers, after all.

>You are Dusty Tome.
>It's the morning after your big reveal.
>The adrenaline is still wearing off, you've never been so nervous in your life.
>It's also the only thing the papers are talking about.
>Some of the more respectable ones have focused on the scientific angle of the discovery.
>While others, like the Daily Bale, have gone with fear-mongering scare stories about how Titans are going to kill everypony.
>"GIANT DEATH DRAGON REVEALED BY RESEARCHERS!"
>"Threat posed not yet understood by researchers. We reached out for comment..."
>How can ponies read this tripe?
>With a huff you toss the tabloid in to trash and grab your bag, it's time to do some damage control.
>Inevitable after every project or big announcement, Twilight has set up a Q&A session for the team.
>You trot down to the same grand hall building from before, but instead you're going into one of the small conference rooms.
>All of the journalists appear to be ready, pushing past the pushy ones you head behind the curtain.
Good morning everyone.
>"Good morning Tome," Twilight replies, "Nice day to be placating unwarranted fear isn't it?"
>You laugh at her comment and nod.
You get used to it in this line of work, ponies are afraid of new things they don't understand.
>"Tell me about it, my home town ran away from a Zebra once."
>Wow, that's pretty strange.
>Zebras are pretty common after all.

They'd really never seen a Zebra before?
>"It's a pretty sheltered place, right outside of Canterlot."
>That explains a lot.
>"Anyway, pretty standard fare questions. Just try not to say anything they can spin into something scary."
>You and the key members of the team pass back through the curtains and take a seat at a microphone covered table.
>"The session will now begin, please raise your hoof if you wish to ask the team a question."
>Several shoot up right away, Twilight picks one of of the crowd.
>"Does the dragon serve a danger to use here in Equestria?"
>"Would you like to answer this one Tome?" Twilight passes it to you.
No, as detailed in our notes it retains a surprisingly high level of intelligence for a creature of that size and avoided movement that could harm our team. Furthermore, it must remain in the valley in order to keep fed and consequentially cannot make the journey here to the south.
>He nods and sits down, scribbling down the answer onto a notepad.
>"You there sir, in the back."
>"Is it true that the dragon killed professor Iron Eye?
Uh, no? In fact, he's sat next to me right now.
>You look over to the equally baffled gray stallion.
>"I am very much alive, thank you."
>He sits back down, but you can hear him mutter "that's what they want us to think" to his colleague.
>These ponies.
>"Yellow mare, left side."
>"Ahem. Do you believe that there are more Titans around our world?"