> Falling Feathers
>  by BlackWing
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Farewells (1)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Farewells



=Gilda=



"Well.... I guess that's it then." I sighed as I walked out of the castle. "We're on our own now. I guess he saw it coming, didn't he?"

"Yeah...." Trixie moped. "Except he thought it would be him dying, not going for therapy. Still, the effect is the same."

"Not quite Trix... I mean, I'm glad he's still around, and he's getting help, but, it feels wrong you know?"

"What do you mean?" Etch asked. He was leaving the ship too, so I'm not sure if he'd understand.

"He is terrified of all those he cares about abandoning him. I feel as though we have thrown him away, soon as he outlived his usefulness. Once he became too much of a burden to bear, we 'dumped him off', even though that is not the case, I cannot help but feel as such." Growl said, scratching his chin sagely. We all nodded sadly.

"Well, what now?" Nadene asked. "I mean, he was pretty much the heart of this group. How are we going to do this without him?"

"Exactly how he prepared us to. He knew that this day would come, just not the circumstances around it, be it death or mental illness. He gave us everything he could to make sure we could do this without him. All his knowledge, his insight, even his way of thinking. We CAN do this. It'll be a little harder, but we all put too much into this to see it fail now."

"I guess so." Trixie mumbled. "I suppose I'll be spending a lot of time working on our magic library."

"And I'll work with the Freuds to advance our medicine." Nadene pointed out.

"Und I vill make enhancements to everyzing I can." Geirmund said enthusiastically, then looked around at all of us, who were staring at him awkwardly. "Vat? People come, people go. Ve care for him greatly, und he is sick, not dead. He vill get better, und ven he does, ve vill be vaiting for him. Qvit moping und lets go! Ve have vork to do." And with that, the aged tinkerer trotted off. I'm not sure whether or not he's lying to himself, or he truly believes everything will be fine. I wish I felt the same, even if it was fake confidence.


"Lets go then. The den is advanced enough to have assassins and warships, and enough influence to get other dens to help. If we're going to take them down, we need more than just one ship. I already know Signal is going to be using the remnants of those seven that attacked to fix the town, and provide better defenses such as always keeping the sky above it clear unless they need the rain, and we're short on cash since the Possibility's rent came due. I'll... think of something on the way." Still. I don't know if we'll be able to pull this off without him. I put on a brave face for the crew, but the whole time he was in the hospital after getting ripped apart, he still spent it working on things. Spells, strategies, equipment, anything and everything he needed. It's almost as though he can see what problems something might have in order to work around them. Even in himself. Admitting he has a problem, bowing to Celestia, something he's NEVER done to anyone..... that must have been horrifying for him. All the guilt and shame, and he swallowed it because he knew something was wrong with him.



_____________________________________________________________



=Griffin=


"They're.... gone." I let out a sigh, and looked to the horizon as I watched the ship leave.

"It's alright Griffin. They aren't leaving you. It's not a goodbye. You'll see them again." Celestia reassured me. I shook my head slightly.

"You don't know that. This is the first time I haven't been there. I guess they handled the assassins and invasion alright with me knocked out, and I know I wouldn't be any use to them if my mind keeps degrading, but that's just it. I feel useless. If I'm not there, how will they deal with problems that arise?..... and I know that's just the paranoia talking. I gave them everything I had to make sure they could do it without me. They'll be fine....."


"Griffin. You shouldn't lie to yourself. That's how a lot of this trouble started. It's alright to be worried. It's alright to be afraid. You just need to trust them. They're grown up you know. A lot more so than you. They can take care of themselves." She looked at me sadly. "I know this is going to take some getting used to. We're here to help you, and you aren't alone." Celestia smiled. I hung my head.

"Yeah... but it's gonna feel that way for a while. I really hope I don't have another breakdown. Where's Knightmare by the way? I'm surprised he isn't right next to you."

"He's off taking care of.... problems." She said the last part sternly, as though I should know what she was talking about.

"Ah, right. The ones that got stolen.... or escaped.... at the Gala. That's fine. I really don't want him to see me like this anyways, an emotional wreck." I shook my head again, and breathed deeply. "Well, it's been two weeks since I had my last drink, should be about another two before I start feeling the symptoms. I may as well get settled in as best as I can. I have the feeling I'm gonna be here for a while."



Dinner time came and went. They gave me a steak that was actually ground up vegetables, covered in sauces for flavor. Not really the same, but it still tasted alright. I ate that in my room, which was a castle visitor's suite, and when I was done, I laid stomach down on the bed, facing the door instead of away from it, so my head was at the foot of the bed and my feet were under the pillows. I had my armor and broken shards of Hades stored in the castle vault. Not the black vault, just a safety deposit box, and I put my amulet on the bedside table. That's when I had a rather important visitor.


"May I enter?" Came a refined voice from the other side of the door.

"Yeah." I replied without asking who it was. I'd really just like someone to talk to at this point. Enter Prince Blueblood. Maybe I was a little too desperate for some company, but I can't exactly kick him out.

"Hey."

"Hay?" He questioned, which made me want to facepalm.

"Um... never mind."

"I just wanted to wish you well. It was long ago, but you did a great thing for me. It saddens me to see you in this state." He did look genuinely sad. He has a bad reputation in the brony community, but thats literally from one bad night.

"Yeah, I guess. But, it's either this, or I go completely bonkers and do something..... bad."

"Just let me know if there's anything I can do to help." And with that, he left, and I was alone for the rest of the evening. When night fell, I went out on the porch after disconnecting my wing. (Gear had made a slight modification on the way from Signal, so I could take the majority of it off without removing the bit that connected to my nerves. He also said something about robotic eyes for my human body, but they'd take time since he wasn't a fan of optics.) I decided it would be better to not have the temptation to fly away, since I was feeling that a lot right now. I sat there in the late October air and watched the sun set, feeling a little chill as a slight breeze ran through my feathers.

'Probably gonna molt soon. Not looking forward to that again. Did it last year around the same time.' I was drawn out of my reverie by Princess Luna landing on the railing. Of course she'd visit me. In fact, I'm fairly certain in three day's time, all of Equestria will know and I'll have ponies beating down my door. I just dealt with Puppy Love. I'm not looking forward to any more journalists.

"Griffin. You should return to your chambers. The air is rather chill." She said, a look of concern adorning her face.

"Yeah, just, in a minute." She walked up to the side and sat next to me.

"What are you doing out here anyways?"

"Thinking. I always am. About everything."

"Griffin. Listen. I want you to know, I'm proud of you for doing this. A long time ago, I let myself fall into darkness, and tried to bring the world with me, all because I was too stubborn and embarrassed to get the help I needed. I nearly destroyed the world. You were walking the same path, yet swallowed your pride and sought help. Things may seem bleak now, but they WILL get better." She put her wing on my back. No, she was NOT putting the moves on me with the classic 'Stretch and put your arm on her shoulders' move. It was a genuinely caring gesture.


"Auntie Woona? Gwiffy needs a hug." She smiled when she remembered how I taunted her when I was covered in cake, yet this time, the feeling was genuine. She wrapped her hooves around my neck and gave me a comforting embrace before taking off into the night sky, and I went back to bed.



Subject: Griffin North

Griffin stated he was sad to see his crew go. He spent most of the day in solitude, in his room, but did not object to visitors. He spent some time on the balcony, after removing his mechanical wing which he states is so he can 'sleep more comfortably' and also that he wouldn't be tempted to try and follow the ship. He asked Princess Luna for a hug in a childish tone, calling her 'Auntie Woona' which is a joke between them. She obliged his request. It is highly unusual for Princess Luna to show such direct involvement in her subject's lives. It may be due to her own dark past as 'Nightmare Moon', that she feels a connection to Griffin who walked a similar path, though this is purely speculation. His behavior and personality were completely normal. He was sad to see his friends go, was mildly antisocial, which is understandable considering he is around ponies he doesn't know, and when in the company of those he is familiar with, made light humor. It's fairly clear how this issue went on for so long. There are many times that he is completely sane, with outbursts of instability at regular intervals.

Doctor's Note:

Griffin stated he sought help because he was worried if things kept going the way they were, he might do something 'bad'. Given the records of the things he already has done, many of which are outright horrific, I am rather afraid of what his definition of 'bad' might be.

Mind Mender




Bit of a short chapter just to start things off, but that's alright. That was a bit of a nice chapter. And you were all afraid I'd just jump into gore. Shame on you. Shame on you ALL.

> Onwards To Victory (2)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Onwards To Victory



=Gilda=



Two weeks passed, rather uneventfully at that. Nightmare night came and went, and we all spent the holiday trying to scare one another, with varying degrees of success. Shimmer's attempts at being a 'scary dragon' were met with statements of how adorable she was and pats on the head, while Surprise kept using her shadow manipulation to frighten us, which would have worked if not for our ability to banish the darkness with a quick lumen spell. Oh. And there was candy. Lots of candy. And upset stomachs which Nadene refused to fix for us, because it 'served us right'. To avoid being a hypocrite, she suffered right next to us with her own upset stomach, since she took part in the festivities as well.

"Grif woulda loved this."

"Aw, no use being all down in the dumps. He's probably having all sorts of fun eating candy with the princesses and dressing up in costumes and maybe using his spooky magic to scare ponies!" Surprise replied.



Meanwhile, at that exact point in time......



"What do you mean I can't have any candy?" Griffin glared at his nutritionist, Food Pyramid, a creme coloured unicorn mare with what else but a food pyramid for a cutie mark.

"If we're going to get all of that garbage out of your system, you need to be on a strict detox diet. No artificial ANYTHING." She glared right into his eyes, unmoving in her resolve.

"What about this fake meat? That's as 'artificial' as it gets!" He shot back.

"It's made entirely from ground vegetables, all grown organically using no pesticides or growth enchantments." She stated poignantly.

"Then what about natural candy? I know for a FACT there are blueberry covered almonds made with no artificial anything! Nuts are good for you, and blueberries are antioxidants!" He said smugly. Surely there were healthy candies that he could consume, which would satisfy the drill instructor nutritionist.

"You don't have any candy because you didn't go out for Nightmare Night. You need to work for your candy." She pointed out, changing her point.

"Because Mind Mender wouldn't let me! Isn't taking part in holidays part of proper socialization?" Griffin was rather upset that the psychologist wouldn't let him go out, saying it wouldn't be good to have him out and about in the city, as it would be too much, too fast.

"Addiction first, socialization later. Besides, you wanted to avoid the press anyways. Here, have some salad." Food Pyramid passed him a bowl of the bland leaves. There wasn't even any toppings or dressings. Just lettuce and carrots.

"Grr." He growled before munching on a green leaf grumpily.





On the Possibility.



With Nightmare Night gone, and all our stomach aches gone with it, (along with the ship-wide supply of sugar) we were ready to take on the next den. Well, as it turns out, that den had already been dealt with by Aoi, so we moved on to the NEXT one. The city didn't have any surface structure, instead being entirely underground. Smart move. Dragons and rivals can't find you if there aren't any markings. The only reason we knew it was there was because Growl pointed it out to us, and we could see the small hill. These dogs were rather small, terriers or something, so their holes were small as well. Griffins and cats wouldn't be able to fit inside. Just ponies. The problem is, we have no idea what goes on under that hill. If we went in, we'd get lost, trapped, and that would be it.


"Alright people." By 'people' I meant myself, Maria, Tiras, Nadene, Shimmer, Geirmund, Trixie, Dusty, and Surprise, since the pegasus always has crazy ideas, and one of them might actually work. "We've got a small hole that we need to get in, and everyone with experience is too big to fit. It's a tight squeeze, and it'll probably be bloody, no place for an amateur. We need someone to scout it out, and maybe loosen em up before we go in."


"Will we have...... 'protection'?" Maria and Nadene snickered. Wha.... oh son of a bitch. May as well play along.

"No, you'll be all on your own, so make sure not to get into any 'sticky' situations. Things could get slippery, what with the recent fall rain." At least Shimmer was too young to catch the innuendo.

"Well.... what about Whiskers, Munchkin and Finnegan?" Surprise asked. "They're small, it's dark underground so they can stay there however long they need to, and there's three of them, so they won't get lost."

"Wait... Finnegan? There's three now?" I raised my eyebrow at the blanched pegasus.

"Yep! I dunno why..... I just woke up this morning and there was another one, so I had to give him a name." She replied perkily.

"This.... isn't going to become a problem is it?" I asked worriedly.

"Nope! They don't eat anything or make droppings, and they don't take up any space either, and they live in my mane and style it. Just look how curly it is! Just more friends for more fun!"

'Geez, she's going to wind up with more pets than Fluttershy, and her mane looks exactly the same as it did before!'

"Well, alright. Just tell me if it gets out of control, or, something. Anyways, if you could send your mice friends down into the tunnels to see what they can find out, that'd be great, and then we could make a proper plan."

"Okie dokie pokie!"


With that set, we tossed one of the mooring lines off the ship, and the three mice climbed down from their pegasus mother, down the rope, and then into the hole to explore. They returned about three hours later, after dinner. We laid out a blank sheet of paper along with pencils, and the dexterous little shadow mice went to work drawing a map with their little paws. There was a series of tunnels with several cross sections, most likely a maze to ward off intruders, with guard stations placed at various points. Each guard station had a string that was fed through a small hole, down to a number of bells which, when the string was pulled, would tell the head guard where the intruders were, so he could warn the colony.

After the maze, it opened into larger tunnels for more breathing and working room, with several large chambers in a circle around a larger, main chamber, each of which had crisscrossing stone walkways throughout the dome like structure, and straight tunnels coming off of the chambers. These were work areas. The chambers housed pony slaves, the tunnels coming off of them connected the chambers, as well as served as locations to mine from. The central chamber was where most of the dogs would be. There were several smaller chambers connected to this one, with no other entrances. These were used to store supplies and things that were dug up. Then, finally...... there was a long tunnel under the main chamber, which lead straight down, and only had small alcoves along it's walls. The mice also explained in squeaks only their maker could understand that since it was a tight squeeze, they didn't wear metal armor, restricting themselves to leather.... made of pony hide......


"Surprise, what's down there?" The mice looked to the mare and squeaked. She shook her head sadly.

"Evil. The mice were too afraid to go any further. They think it's evil. There were moving shadows down there that weren't mice."

"It's.... a grave." The realization dawned on me. "They probably dug too deep, and went straight into Tartarus. They can't go down there anymore, so they just throw their garbage, deceased, and misbehaving slaves, straight into Tartarus." Everyone gulped. This did not bode well.

"It does bring up an interesting point however...." Growl said thoughtfully. "WE cannot get in, but, perhaps we will not need to. They are overconfident in their maze and guard system."

"You have an idea?"

"You know I used to be part of a pack, and that pack took slaves, they'll have the keys at the main guard station. There will always be a guard at it. But look. The layout is a good one for efficiency. Slave pens all around, they live close to where they work, then bring what they dig up to the center chamber. Resources are stored, garbage and deceased are thrown down the chute. And it's all protected by a maze system above it, which also acts as their way to get air. Nothing can get in undetected." He began to explain.

"Except for Surprise's mice."

"Right. Efficiency wise, it's perfect, strategically, it is a deathtrap. Notice how they put themselves in the middle of all their slaves. Now, if they lost a chamber, they could cave it in and cut it off from the rest, so they could quash the rebellion, but if they lost ALL their chambers, doing that would only trap themselves in the middle."


"Their only way out would be either down the chute to their doom, or up through the maze, towards us."

"Correct."

"Surprise, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Umm.... that depends, are YOU thinking what I'M thinking?"

"..... probably not. What I'm thinking is you send your trio of mice down to the guard station. Have them use a knockout vial to put the guard to sleep, then chew through all the strings tied to the bells. Finally, steal the keys and spread out and bring them to the different chambers. Let the ponies free themselves for once. While the dogs are distracted, we send Dusty and all the other combat ready ponies down there, through the maze, and eliminate the guards on their way down. Stand at the ready, and when the combat starts, dive in. We'll cut off their route 'up' as well. It'll be either surrender, or go down the hole. We'll need to time it not quite perfectly, but pretty spot on. If one group gets freed before the rest, they'll sound the alarm and put them down. If we go in too early, we'll be outnumbered, too late, and the slaves won't get the support they need."

"Which is why I will coordinate the event." Second Sight added in. We WERE having the conversation in the mess hall, after all. "My specialty is seeing the unseen."

"Me too." Starlight Wisp piped up. "I can go with him. Since he'll be able to use his magic to see what's on the other side of a wall, and I can use mine to walk through them, we can be runners and keep everyone on the same page."

"Good. We'll begin at midnight. Surprise, get Whiskers, Munchkin, and Finnegan ready." The three little mice looked to me and gave adorable little salutes, ran into her mane, and pulled out a vial of knockout gas each, which they strapped to their backs with pieces of string. Instead of smashing them, they'd just pop the corks off and run around with them.


"Now, there's going to be more than one guard at each guard station. Too easy to assassinate one. So, the bell strings NEED to be chewed through before we arrive, or the whole plan goes up in smoke. They're gonna pull the strings regardless, what we need is for them to pull em, but nothing happens."

"I vill be going as vell." Geirmund quipped. "I have spent far too long on zis ship, und I vant to take part in zis mission. I have made certain, modification to mein self that I believe vill be rather, helpful." He folded open his wings, in the classic aggressive formation, and no less than twelve barrels made themselves present on their leading edges.

"I have taken a page from ze pirate era, und have placed guns in mein wings. On each ving, ze inside three are shotguns, und ze outside three are pistols. Single shot, but I vish to test zere effectiveness. Ze lasers are, nice, but against armor, ve need somezing zat pack a little more of a punch. I just vant to see how they vork in the vings, and vether or not I can hit anyzing."

"Understood, you'll go in with Dusty. He's the team leader on this, follow his orders. Dusty. Brief your squad." He saluted and headed off to meet with the combat equines.




'Breathe Gilda, gotta breathe. We can do this. He's not here to help us if we screw up, he's not here to go over our plan. Gotta focus.... even if all the cats and griffins can do is wait, we have to be ready to evac if things go wrong. It sounds like a good plan, but a lot can go wrong..... I hope this works.' I was a nervous wreck. I really want this to work. I really REALLY do. If we fail the first mission Grif isn't with us, what is that going to say about our ability? It'll just prove that we need him, and really can't do it without him. Our morale is low enough as is after losing him, we can't take too many hits or we'll just fall apart.





=Midnight=



"Alright. We've been watching the ground like a hawk, and there hasn't been any movement, so they probably don't know we're here. They most likely only come to the surface to catch slaves or trade with allies, but in the event they DO know we're here, be ready to pull out immediately. Wait one hour after the mice enter to infiltrate. Begin the operation."





Three mice scurried through the tunnels, deep under the earth. The dark, rich soil was firm, yet soft under their little paws, not that they cared. They moved like shadows in the dark, for that is what they were. They were wholly unseen. What was visible was merely vials of knockout gas, the very same as the ones the dogs used, so on the couple occasions they were spotted, they held very still, and it appeared that one of the gamma dogs (the ones who lead the small packs of omegas) had simply dropped his vials, and they were paid no mind by those that had much better things to do than to 'pick up some other dog's junk'.

Soon, the three mice arrived at the guard station, where three hounds sat playing with dice. They would hear if a bell rang, so there was no point being bored stiff. To their surprise, a small black mouse jumped onto their table, in the middle of their game. It held up what appeared to be a lost vial, holding it towards one of the dogs.

"Hello mousy. You find lost thing? Good mousy, give here." One of the dogs cooed, trying to make the mouse know it was appreciated. Who knows? Maybe if he was nice to it, it would find other things for him. Maybe his rubber ball he lost a week ago, or perhaps some nice, shiny gems.

To his surprise, (that is a joke, given who the mice belong to) the mouse pulled the stopper from the vial, and dumped the ground 'sleepy herbs' onto the table, which ignited from the chemical reaction with the 'burny juice' inside, making smoke that put all three dogs to sleep. The mouse however, was fine, as it was not a true mouse, but a mere shadow taken physical form. The mouse was joined by two others, and with their help, chewed through the bell strings that made up the den's early warning system. They then took a key ring each, and holding them very carefully so that they did not jingle, set off into the mines.






"Alright, it's been an hour. I hope the mice came through..." Dusty Trails whispered to himself. "Wispy, Sight, what do you have?"

The unicorn stallion's horn stopped glowing, and he opened his eyes. "The bells are cut. Move on to phase two. We're moving down to help organize the slave groups, and have em all go at the same time. We'll be back when it's time to begin. In the meantime, make your way through the maze, but stop before the main chamber. We want to make sure everyone is ready before we begin.







An earth pony mare with a coat so covered in dirt, dust, and blood that you could not see it's colour, lay sleeping on a stone floor. Not the most comfortable, but when you're dead tired from physical exertion, and malnourished to the point that it hurts, sleep is the only respite you get from the painful drudgery that is slavery, so despite your discomfort, the hunger pains, and the sting of the wounds caused by your latest whipping, when you slept, you slept deeply. So, for this mare, it was much to her annoyance that an unknown something seemed insistent on waking her up.

"It can't be morning already.... So.... tired...." She opened her eyes, to see that what was attempting to wake her was not a dog with a whip, about to give her more pain for her laziness, but a tiny little mouse, black as the midnight sky which she vaguely remembered, holding a ring with numerous keys on it, and patting her on the snout. "I must be dreaming. Or insane. Oh no." Her eyes opened in horror. "If I've gone crazy I can't work, and if I can't work they'll throw me in the hole. I don't want to go down there." She began crying in fear and misery, too weak to raise her voice. To her shock, the mouse rolled it's pure white eyes and stuck the key into the manacle which held her to the floor. It struggled to turn it, but eventually succeeded, and with a 'clink' the shackle fell off her hoof.

"Wha? Thank you, little friend, but, it was pointless. I know you meant well, but now all that'll happen is I'll get whipped for taking off my shackles. I.... better put this back on." As she stood to replace what held her to that place, the mouse kicked it away, and stood there, shaking it's little arms with the keys in it, pointing upwards. She looked up, for the first time in many years, and saw two ponies unlike any other. A mare and a stallion, both unicorns. They were clean, their manes brushed and well kept, their teeth were clean, and they were not emaciated like the rest. Above all, they looked WELL, but to this unnamed mare who toiled in obscurity for longer than she could remember, with the confidence and power in their stances, they looked positively regal, like Celestia herself.

"Am... I dead?" The poor mare asked.

"No. You're not. But the ones who did this to you soon will be." She scowled, yet still appeared to be warm. "My name is Starlight Wisp. This is Second Sight. We're going to get you out of here, all of you, but we're going to need your help." And like that, her image of the newcomers was shattered.

"Now I know I'm dreaming. Nopony gets out. Anypony who tries gets thrown in the hole. Nobody can beat the dogs. They have weapons, and they have armor, and claws and teeth and they outnumber us. Nopony can beat them."

"Not even, say....The Griffin Pirates?" And immediately, her jaw dropped. She had heard rumor of the famous liberators who took the world by storm, rumor passed down by the very ones who held her captive, and then passed through the slaves as well, who had been traded from other lands. In their view, the captain was a demon from the depths of Tartarus itself, seeking redemption. The crew, angels who descended into the darkness riding griffins, but no ordinary griffins. No, these were not the same as the meek slaves, starving in caverns as they hid from the dangers of the world. These were winged beasts made for war, and were ridden by angels who used Celestia's light itself to set wrongdoers ablaze, who wore impenetrable armor, and each had the strength of thirty. They wielded nature itself in the war against the dogs, and brought hope to where there was none. They tossed dragons aside and tore the very earth asunder. These beings, one of which stood before her, had done the impossible. They had broken into the den.

The unnamed mare stood and looked at the scene before her. All around her, ponies were getting up, taking off their shackles. The black mouse had brought the keys to a unicorn, who used what magic he had left to set about freeing the others. One by one, they all stood, shook off the dregs of sleep, and stared attentively at the glorious figure of freedom she stood in front of. The mare wept a single tear of joy, which cleared some of the grime from her face to show that underneath, she was a brilliant, healthy shade of leaf green.

"Rally everypony you can. When you hear the sounds of battle, charge the main chamber. They will have nowhere to go."









"Dusty. Everything is going as planned. All the surrounding chambers are ours. The guards are dead, and the central chamber is none the wiser. They're sleeping. Phase three?"

"Phase three. Geirmund, if you would do the honors by blasting this slaver scum into tiny little bits, it would be most appreciated."

"Vell, only because you asked politely."

*Bang*

The corpse of a diamond dog fell from a great height. It missed all the crisscrossing bridges that spanned the cavern, going from the very top, straight to the floor at the bottom. The noise awoke the dogs who, spotting the splattered remains of their brethren, began to howl to alert the rest. But, it was too late. The invaders had already began to descend upon them.

"Terra infirma! Tremor!" The ground began to shift and tilt, throwing the defenders off balance, lowering their defenses.

"Umbra!" The dogs began fumbling around blindly, trying to grasp their weapons, only to be lit ablaze by the searing hot light. They were feeling around on the ground for their weapons, like a blind dog would for their lost cane, and they died on their knees.

"Arma Sanguis! Aqua!" Red needles erupted from their bodies, then turned into a pool as the corpses fell to the ground. Wicked blades rose from the pool and vivisected others, adding the the sharp monster made of the vital essence of the fallen till tendrils of red and black whipped around, shredding any foe they found, and parrying the blades of those who had found theirs and were swinging wildly.

"Ramex du Cor!" Archers took positions in alcoves, under cover from the blood and out of sight. They thought they were safe as they drew their bows, yet they still dropped dead. No wounds whatsoever. The spell that the captain had learned to break balloons, along with the previously known Latin word for heart, made for a deadly combination when combined with a certain stallion's ability to see through walls.

The dogs, finally recovering from the shock of the surprise attack, formed rank to try and defend themselves. One dog charged at a nearby mare, only to pass through her. When he turned around to meet his foe, a hole appeared in his throat, leaking blood with no cause. Suddenly a blade materialized, followed by the very same mare he charged, holding the blade in her hoof before she altogether vanished once more, followed by a dozen more dogs dropping dead.

"FIRE AT WILL!" The dogs drew up their bows, and began raining arrows upon the invaders, only for the projectiles to bounce harmlessly off of a magical barrier made up of the combined spell of a dozen unicorns, while the pegasi returned fire using white hot light from their rifles.

At that moment, more dogs came pouring in from all directions. Reinforcements from the other sections of the den. But, something was wrong. They were not charging into battle. Their weapons were not raised. No. They were fleeing from something. What that something was became apparent as masses of ponies filled the outer rim of the dome, pushing the fleeing dogs to the middle, towards the slaughter.


"Furia!" Came a chorus of shouts from the ponies. In the confusion, the dogs who had just arrived began attacking their kin. Forced to fend off the combined assault of the attacking ponies, the freed slaves, and their berserk brethren, all while trapped in the center of the room while they were ripped to shreds by the plethora of offensive spells, to the dogs it became clear that this was the end.


Some slavers threw down their weapons and raised their paws over their heads. They knew they were beaten. Others continued to fight, but only because they knew the alpha would kill them if they did not, but, where was the alpha? Where was their leader, who had slain dozens, and had the scars of previous battle that proved him worthy of his position at the top of the pack? He was in the middle of the fray, with a blue unicorn mare and an dusty earth pony stallion. In the middle of the bloodbath was Jackal, who stood defiantly against the onslaught of the pair.

In this den, there was a rule. The rule was that you lived in your armor. You wore it always, so that it would become a part of you. He was the only dog with the strength to wear thick steel at all times, so he was the only one that wore it. Fully covered by hardened plates, wielding a claymore in each paw, and a hat made of a pony's skin, the poor mare's face covering his forehead. The thick, heavy plates shrugged off lesser blows of magic and laser, merely burning marks onto its surface. Careless dogs were tossed aside if they got in his way.

As he swung his twin blades, which had ended the lives of so many others, the stallion parried with a blade of his own, the size of his body. He guarded with the flat as he received yet another blow, while the mare blocked one of her own with a shield, before a lance sprang from it and grazed the alpha's arm. He turned to overwhelm the mare's defense with a double sworded strike, only to have a blow landed in his side by the earth pony's hoof. Now, earth ponies are strong, but given the reach he needed, there's no way that could have been more than a glancing blow, yet it was enhanced by magic to make it strong enough to stagger the alpha. This in turn caused him to turn his attention back to the stallion....

..... only to be struck in the head by a ball of brilliant light, which exploded, knocking him off balance. He turned and glared at the mare, who smirked and conjured a dozen more, which went whipping around her and blocked the arrows fired by some dogs who had not yet given up. Their howls of pain came and subsided as they died in various ways, the killing magic used by these ponies was fearsome, and something the dogs had no defense against. Only the alpha, who had once slain a dragon and did not have the tooth embedded near his heart removed, seemed to be immune to the instant death these ponies brought, and thus, the continued struggle.

As the pony attacks struck home, first with glancing blows, followed by full strikes, the alpha was driven further and further back, towards the hole. Finally, he felt his paw at the edge of the pit that had taken the lives of so many others, he looked back to see the endless fall behind him, then forward to see the death glares of the ponies.


Dusty... The captain had once said. Listen, if you ever kick someone into a possibly bottomless pit, you absolutely HAVE to say the following words. The words rang in the earth pony's mind and he smiled in fond memory. Trixie put the alpha dog off balance with another energy ball to the head. Now was his chance.

Dusty trails stuck his greatsword into the ground on an angle, then jumped on the handle. Using it as a springboard, he leaped into the air and wound back his hoof.

"This is EQUESTRIA!" Delivering all the force a magically enhanced, flying earth pony can deliver, Dusty Trails slammed his front hoof into the alpha's chest. Pushing off, the stallion landed back by his sword, while the dog teetered over the edge for a moment before falling to his doom. With a yell of fear, the armored dog fell, eventually landing at the bottom. The steel he wore saved his life, but he was paralyzed. Dropping a torch from the wall sconce down the hole, Dusty looked down and saw the dog illuminated, while dark shapes moved around him. He heard a bloodcurdling scream of terror, followed by a sickening crunch as he looked away. Trixie, and a number of other unicorns, used their magic to lift a large piece of stone and placed it atop the hole, that no one else might fall in.... and so that nothing may climb out, lured by the feast.





Cheers rang out from the slave ponies as the remaining dogs were rounded up to be shipped off to Marble Pillars. In total, around half the den remained. The bodies were cleared up and given a proper burial, including the twenty-seven pony slaves who had lost their lives in the charge to push the dogs to the middle. Their names were carved on a large chunk of rock which was placed atop the hill outside the den, after everyone was lead out, before the slaves were gently lifted onto the backs of griffins, and brought aboard the shining beacon of hope, the Possibility, for food, rest, and medical attention.


In her room, Gilda breathed a sigh of relief. All her crew had returned, the day was won, and there was minimal loss of life on the slave's end. Many ponies would go home to their families, if they remembered who their families were. Many however, would need therapy to be reintegrated into society. It seemed as though Griffin would have a great deal of company in the days to come. So, she pulled out one of her own feathers, dipped it in an ink well, and becan to write on parchment.




=Griffin=



Meanwhile, Griffin had just awoken from a nightmare, one about a black river, and a sour taste. He knew what it meant, that there would be tough times ahead. Princess Celestia had woken him after she raised the sun, as was usual for her, since she was keeping a close eye on him personally, and watched as in a puff of flame, he burped out a scroll.


Dear Griffin,

We raided a warren today. We all made it back, and we found lots of ponies. No griffins though. Part of the dog's defense was that they have narrow tunnels. We rounded up the surviving dogs and are sending them to Marble Pillars. We're taking the ponies there ourselves, where they'll be given a ride to Canterlot via airship. Tell Celestia to expect a diamond dog vessel, with tricolour markings, and to not shoot it down. We did it. Just like you said we could, we did it. We're taking as many resources as we can with us, and will give them to Marble pillars in exchange for getting the ponies home, as well as another ship since they have sky docks there. You named me captain, but next time you see me, it'll be admiral.

Sincerely, Gilda.

Ps. I REALLY like the tricorn hat you gave me.


Celestia waited patiently while Griffin read his letter. He calmly folded it up, and put it on his bedside table. Then, he got out of bed, and, with his nightmare completely forgotten, began jumping around the room excitedly.

"THEY DID IT! Theydidittheydidittheydidit!" He dove at the princess who was rather surprised at his outburst, and nearly toppled her in a hug. "I... was so worried they wouldn't be able to do this without me.... but they really can! I thought they could, and I hoped they could, and I tried so hard to make it so they could, and they CAN!"


Princess Celestia smiled warmly at the.... very soft.... griffin hugging her with glee, and when he realized what he was doing, he suddenly backed off and regained his composure. "Erhm... I mean, of course they did it. Never doubted them for a second." He put on a bad poker face, since everyone knew he was pacing a hole in the floor for the past couple days.

"So, are you going to stop worrying about them now, and finally focus on getting better, preferably without grumbling?" The sun princess passed him a bowl of mashed potatoes, with garlic and chives mixed into it, as well as kale, beans, and steamed carrots. His eyes shot wide open at the display.

"Its about time they got me something other than leaves! What do they think I am, a rabbit? Cut you a deal. I'll stop grumbling, and listen to what the doctors say if you promise not to tell anyone I jumped around the room like a little purple filly who just passed her entrance exam and glomped you."

Celestia giggled. "Deal." With that, she walked out of the room to let him eat in peace. Unbeknownst to Griffin, Celestia wasn't the only one watching. As she had just raised the sun, Princess Luna had just finished lowering the moon, and was watching from outside the room as he had his episode, and while her sister had promised not to tell anyone, she had not. Quiet snickering could be heard from Princess Luna's room as she plotted revenge for her sister's latest prank.




Incident Report Regarding 'Griffin (the griffin) North'

Early this morning, Griffin received a letter via belching dragon flames, (rather odd) from his crew. It stated that they had succeeded in raiding a diamond dog warren and liberating the enslaved ponies held within, with very minimal loss of life. In his excitement, he pranced and jumped about the room, before 'glomping' (a hug that is much like a cat pouncing on a mouse, by his explanation) Princess Celestia, before asking how I knew that word, and upon my explanation of how I came to know it, he stated, 'Damnit Luna'.

On another note, he reported that he had a nightmare of a black river trying to swallow him, which he states is the first sign of withdraw. He is worried about the symptoms to come, but says that he'll try and trust us to do our jobs.

Doctor's Note:

Griffin was in a very good mood today, despite his nightmares. He spent most of the day humming a song and 'shuffling' which is a type of dance. I hope he'll be like this after he recovers. He seems so happy. Griffin also likes to spend time awake at night. He says he's a 'night owl' and enjoys the cool breeze that night often brings. This also means he can speak with Princess Luna, as not many ponies are up late at night, let alone enter the courts for debate. He often speaks with her, in confidence of course, so what he says is not known to me or recorded in any way. It seems the 'kindred spirits' evaluation I made previously is correct.

Mind Mender

	
> Nightmares and Diabeetus! (3)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Nightmares and Diabeetus!




=Griffin=



"So, Griffin, how are you feeling today?" Mind Mender asked me, stroking his beard in the way people with beards typically stroke them. It strikes me as odd, how typical he is. If someone asked me, 'How does a psychologist look/act?' I could just point at him, since he fills every stereotype. The dull colors, old, wisened eyes, long, wispy white beard, and slight wrinkles on his forhead.

"Kinda cr.... bad I guess." They had also been trying to break me of my swearing habit. I'm not a sailor anymore after all. At least, not while I'm in therapy. I was going to say 'crappy' but, I caught myself. I figure I might as well try, for the sake of the ponies who were trying to help me. "I've got a headache, kind of a dull ache everywhere, not a sharp localized pain. I didn't get much sleep the past couple of nights, woke up a couple times from nightmares shaking, cold sweats, and these weren't just the 'black river' dreams. Been like that for about a week and a half, starting... about two weeks after the first nightmare. I've also been getting antsy. Haven't been getting out much you know? Or doing magic for that matter."

"Why would not performing magic make you restless?" He asked, making a 'thinking face'.

"I guess it sort of became a habit for me. I guess it's fun, seeing all the different ways I can affect the world, and relaxing too." I explained, laying on my back on the classic psychologist couch.

"Hmm. Well, we've already taken your baseline measurements, perhaps it's time to see what's changed as a result of the withdraw?"

"I think that would be a good idea."



So, what ended up happening is Mind Mender passed that message to Celestia, who, being the one personally overseeing my case due to it's unique nature, (It wouldn't do to have psychologists calling me crazy for believing I'm a member of the mythical 'human' race, when I actually am one, plus it was all in the papers after Puppy Love's interview. Since she's the highest authority, and she knows about it, it made sense for her to keep tabs on it at least) and SHE called in the biggest nerd in the country. You guessed it, Twilight Sparkle. Celestia also had her bring in her crazy magic helmet thing that she made Pinkie wear when she tried to figure out her Pinkie Sense. The princess didn't actually tell her WHY she needed to come, just that she did, and what to bring, so when Twilight saw me, well, she was more than a little surprised.




"Griffin? What are you doing here?" She asked, raising her eyebrow as she spoke.

"Well, it looks like you get to run tests on me after all. I have a nasty addiction I need to kick, but the withdraw could kill me, so, we're trying to figure out exactly what's going on in my body before it gets too bad so we can work through it and lessen the effects."


"Well, that explains why I'm here, but why are you here?"

"Oh. That. Yeah. Um, I kinda went a little crazy and tried to kill someone who saved my island because he has an evil spider in his head. And it's not the me imagining spiders in people's heads thing that's crazy, because it's true and Celestia will back me up on that. It's the me going crazy and trying to kill him part we need to fix." I said not calmly, but not nervously. Anxious maybe? I don't know anymore.

"Um... okaaaaay then? Never mind, forget I asked. Let's just hook you up. Now, what was it you said you were addicted to?" Twilight asked.

"Dragon blood. By the way, if Spike ever gets a cut, make sure you don't get any in your mouth, or you'll wind up in here with me..... I guess that explains why they have such thick scales. Let's get this started then."



So, I spent all day in the same spot, with a wacky helmet on. I cast some basic spells, ate, drank, exercised, and at night they had me go to sleep still wearing the thing. I had my nightmare, woke up shaking, and in the morning, Twilight came by (she stayed in the castle overnight) to collect the massive pile of paper that the thing churned out so she could go over the data. She took the helmet off me, and I got some breakfast while the brainiac herself spent nearly half the day working through the data running on nothing but some coffee. I was given the rest of the day to myself to relax before she finally came back with the results.



"This is just amazing! And you've been living like this for over a year? Simply fascinating!" She cheered for herself.

"Indeed. It is quite the predicament you've gotten yourself into Griffin." Celestia said in turn.

"No wonder your body is all off track." Food Pyramid quipped.

"Can someone PLEASE stop speaking vaguely and tell me what is going on?" I asked, annoyed.

"You're diabetic." Twilight said sharply. "Magically, that is. After running some tests on both the vials you had with you, and on your leylines, meridians, and body in general, it seems rather clear that the blood of dragons acts as a temporary enhancer of your natural magical processes. Basically, you absorb and metabolize magic at a higher rate than normal, and at the same time, it also has a great deal of thaumatic particles stored within it. It gives you the raw material, and makes it easier for you to use them." Twilight said pointedly.


"That doesn't explain why I'm 'diabetic' though." I retorted.

"Well, the first time used, it makes you crave it, but getting off of it wouldn't be that difficult. You reported the symptoms you had while in the Great Southern Rainforest occurred after TWO months of not using it, and now you can barely go one. According to our data, if you had held off a little longer, you would have been in the clear. But.... due to the extensive amount you've consumed, and over such a long period, you've gotten far more used to it, and it's going to be much more difficult to get you off of it." I just nodded. I understood what she was saying, despite the technical jargon. Basically, I dun goofed. I should have just sucked it up and dealt with the symptoms, because now it's going to be a way worse. That still doesn't explain the other part though.

"As for the diabetic part, you see, magic is all around us, and even those of us who can't use it directly, it is still part of us, and we need it to live. It's not something we need to consume, rather, we absorb it from the world around us naturally, and we produce it as well. The concentration builds up, usually when we're at rest, sleeping, and then we use it during the day as we work, play, whatever. The problem, it seems, is that since you used an artificial enhancer for such an extended period, your body's way of naturally using up excess magic has been weakened, since it wasn't needed."


"So, just how a diabetic needs insulin to metabolize sugar, my body needs dragon blood to 'metabolize' magic, except that this was caused by my use of it."

"Right, and that's what causes your highs and lows. When you fought off those dragons, you used up nearly all the magic in your body, which you need to live, so you almost died. When you spend extended periods of time at rest, you build up too much, it can't be let off, so you get the negative effects of overload, much like a lesser form of what I experienced when my magic was overloaded by the sonic rainboom during my entrance exam. After Princess Celestia got it under control, I was elated at passing, but I should have been exhausted from expending that much energy. Instead I hopped around like an excited griffin who just learned his crew can handle themselves." She smirked.


"Remind me to prank Princess Luna next time I see her." I grumbled. I'm never going to live that down.

"Anyways, we figured out how to deal with the addiction. Keep active so you don't get overloaded, but not so active that you burn yourself out. That'll take care of the negative physical side effects. On the other end, you'll still have cravings, but a strict watch making sure you don't get any of that junk will deal with that. Eventually, you'll get over it, and your body's natural magic processes will come back and take over, now that you're not suppressing them. Start off slow. Work till you feel tired, but don't push yourself to the point of passing out."

"So... then.... that's it? You're not going to have to tie me to a bed while I thrash and scream in agony till I pass out from exhaustion? I'm not going to go on a rampage and cut down everything between me and the nearest dragon so I can bite them like a vampire?" I said hopefully.

"Why..... why in Equestria would you think THAT?" Mind Mender asked, in a little bit of surprise over my de facto way of describing something so horrible.

"Eh, active imagination." I'm going to leave out the part about how I could most likely write a book, something fictional, about something I a fan of. Some kind of fan..... fiction? Nah. "So.... what now?"

"Now, we need to have a talk. I'm sure you have some questions you've been meaning to ask." Celestia stated calmly. "Mainly pertaining to why we've been pouring so many resources into your recovery?"


"........ damn psychics. Alright, fine, I have been wondering that, I'll ask. Why have you been putting so much effort on trying to help me get better?"

"You see Griffin, as you know, there are a large number of humans in this world. In case you haven't noticed, a large number of them are..."


"Bonkers?" I cut her off. "Let's see, I'm a powerhouse with nurtured bipolar disorder, a side of narcissism, a phobia shake, and a great big paranoia pie for dessert. Ember is a schitzo with enough juice to turn a town into a volcano, Aoi is a depressed ninja that could kill any one of us if he had the mind to, Ivan is a bloodthirsty maniac with an evil god in his head, Knightmare is a shape shifting perv and Celt is... well I don't know much about him. The only time I saw him he was plastered, and even if it was at a party, he's a violent drunk like my father. How many?" What I was asking was clear.

"Eighty seven, and those are just the ones we know about. Reports all over the country of all manner of life coming out of the woodwork. We've been keeping tabs on them, and some of them are fine. Others try to blend in. But so far, we've located eighty seven individuals like yourself who are in desperate need of help. You're the first one we've even attempted to treat. Our methods may not be as effective as they would be with a pony."


"So basically, I'm a guinea pig."

"Pardon?" They raised their eyebrows.

"Lab rat?" I tried.

"A what?" Still no go.

"Test subject?" Should have figured they'd be against animal testing.


"Um... yes. If we can find a method that works with you, chances are we'll be able to discover what works with other humans as well. Considering the influence your kind has been having on this world, this has been deemed a top priority." The sun mare decreed.

"Alright. I'm for it."

".... really?" Celestia, Twilight, and Mind Mender asked in shock. "I was expecting you to refuse. Much of what we are going to try will be..... invasive."

"I came here for help. Least I can do is help you, help me, help you, to help us all. Being contrary just to tick you off isn't going to get me anywhere." I replied. "Just as long as you're not pumping me full of weird drugs. I don't need any more problems."

"Very well, but do not hold it against us if we cross a line you were not yet ready to cross."










That night, I didn't eat very much. I was more than a little nervous about the whole, 'invasive' thing. What did Celestia mean by that anyways? At the same time, I also knew that despite wanting to run away and never come back, to just ignore the problem and avoid doing.... whatever difficult thing they had planned, I couldn't. I had to trust her. I also knew that if I wanted to fix whatever was wrong with me, I had to do it. I didn't like it, but what choice did I have? Go back on the ship and wait till I snapped? What if I hurt someone innocent? Or a crew member? Or Gilda? If I hurt her, I don't think I could live with myself. So, the time came for me to go to sleep. I hopped in the bed in the castle guest room, took deep breaths, and waited for the lethargy to over take me.






The next time I awoke, I found myself lying on a bench. I didn't know where I was, and I was surrounded by ponies I didn't recognize. The air was dusty, and it was bright and sunny, but being somewhere unfamiliar gave it all an edge of apprehension. I tried to take off, to get a better view of my surroundings, only to fall over on my side. My prosthetic wing was gone. So was my amulet. And my armor. I was in an unfamiliar place, surrounded by unfamiliar faces, and I was completely naked.


"Damn it Celestia. What the hell would this accomplish?" So, I began wandering around the town, looking for anything remarkable, anything that could tell me where I was. This town was.... a little odd. It was kind of like Texas, what with the western desert-ish environment and all the dust, but the inhabitants didn't look very rustic. It's as though they took Ponyvillians and dropped them in Appleoosa. The second thing that struck me as odd was how nothing was labeled. There were no street signs, no signs on buildings to tell what they were for, nothing. As I wandered, a third thing struck me as odd. I was being watched. Everypony I passed had their eyes locked on me.

'Okay... no big deal... they just haven't seen a griffin in a while.. yeah.. that's gotta be it.' So, I walked up to one pony who was looking at me, a purple mare with orange hair, and asked, "Excuse me, I'm a bit lost, do you know where I am?" Only for her to stick her nose up in the air and walk off. Or, maybe they know what griffins are and don't like them? Figures. I approached a dark brown stallion, only for the same thing to occur.


"What the hell? Why won't anybody help me? I'm just looking for directions!" I shouted. At that moment, time stood still. Everything just stopped. The random milling about the town, the birds, the clouds, it all stopped, as every pony in that little town stared at me.


"Go away." One of them said, at little more than a whisper, just barely audible.

"You're not wanted here." Said another from behind.

"Freak."

"Loser."

"Trash."

All around me, the ponies began spewing insults, their unblinking eyes locked on me. Unwanted. Different. Useless. Their piercing gazes bored straight through me as my head began to spin. They all looked so much larger than before, and the circle of the crowd closed in around me, shouting insults in my face. I fell to the ground, closed my eyes, and covered my head with my claws, but even that didn't block out the hate. Finally, I had enough, and screamed to the heavens, "LEAVE ME ALONE!"


In that instant, the voices stopped. I cautiously opened my eyes to find that through the tears, there wasn't a soul in that little town. The buildings looked as though they had been abandoned, as if my plea had made everyone simply leave their homes. I once more began to wander the town, searching for someone, anyone who would help me find a way out of this hellish place. All the doors were locked. I eventually left the town, and found my way to a river on the outskirts. The clear blue waters did nothing to calm me, and feeling the desolation of solitude, came bearing down. I began to cry once more.



"Griffin..." I heard a voice calling. I looked up to find Princess Luna floating down from above.

"What? What are you doing here?" I asked, slowly backing away.

"As mistress of the night, it is my duty to safeguard the dreams of others.... except on pub night when I crack skulls" She replied, ramming one hoof into the other for emphasis, then she turned back to me. "One of the 'invasive' measures my sister spoke of was for me to enter your dreams."


"You mean I'm dreaming? I.. I was sure that Celestia had just dumped me off in the middle of nowhere."

"Truly? How cruel do you think we are?" She asked. I didn't answer. "I see. I think I've discovered what it is that torments you. Though on the outside, you maintain your image, your mask, within the realm of sleep, you are who you truly are. Do you know what I see before me?" I shook my head no. "I see a child. Sad, scared, and alone." Looking at Luna, I realized that she too was several times larger than she normally was, like how I felt that shrinking feeling in front of the other ponies in the dream. No, that's not right, I was several times smaller than normal, and my feathers did not have the red tinge at their tips.


"I am glad that I came when I did. I believe I have discovered the root of your fear."

"You have?"

"Yes. You are afraid of people. Social contact. Ponies, griffins, humans. Other sentient beings."

"That's ridiculous. How can I be afraid of people? I stood in front of crowds at concerts, and gave speeches."

"That was in front of them, not among them, and the entire time, you were thinking of ways to escape should you need to." She was right. Every time, I had been distracted by how I could get out if I had to, and I surrounded myself with bodyguards.

"Throughout your life, you have had consistent negative experiences with people. You fear being rejected and mocked. But you also fear being abandoned and alone, to the point of having panic attacks. You cannot fulfill both, being with others, and being alone, and lets face it, there are people everywhere. You have to deal with them. So, you allowed yourself to be around others, but never trusting them, ever paranoid. Even now, you were under the impression that you had finally trusted my sister and I, only for us to forsake you and 'dump you off' in this desolate place. When you are around others, you manipulate, and you dominate, so that you cannot be betrayed, because you always have the upper hoof... er, hand. How long did it take you before you told your crew who you really are? How dire was the situation before you taught Trixie how to ensnare the minds of others?"

"You know about that huh..." I hung my head in shame.

"Though we know not the method, Celestia and I are aware that you can 'steal minds'. We are somewhat disappointed that you would devise such a thing, though we are also proud that you have seen fit to no longer use it. It does beg the question however... what else have you come up with?"

"You know I'm not going to tell you that. After all, if it took me how long to trust someone I sleep near, do you think I'd just give my secrets to someone who put a spider on me?"

"Ah, yes, I figured as much. I'm getting off topic... ah yes, your crew. Even in your joyful expression of your crew's ability to care for themselves, afterwards, you became mopey, almost depressed. You're worried that if they don't need you, they'll be rid of you."

"So then... if I am afraid of people, how does that get fixed?"

"That is both simple, yet difficult. All you must do is spend time with others and have positive experiences, not marred by battle, or under the oppressive cloud of the duty you put on yourself, like the concerts, which had to be successful to help the cause. No, they must be free and joyous. That is simple. The difficulty is overcoming the paranoia. To trust wholeheartedly in another, and not because you have contingency plans, but on faith."


"But, I can't. I trusted Gilda, and Nadene, and you know what they did, what they tried to do. It's like every time I open up, someone is just waiting to take advantage. I thought Ivan was alright, but that was just his spider trying to make life easier for him by manipulating me."

"What about now? Here you are, in your mind, bare of any defense and infantilized. Have I harmed you in any way?"

"No... but I still don't like it. It's just like when Malice was in my head, but less evil."


"Indeed. Malice enjoys toying with emotions. Tugging at the webs of love and hate, but he is not the cause of your problems. He had no hold over you till you met Ivan, and even then, while he can change emotions, you still always have a choice in your actions. Know however, that I will not harm you. Just as he brought you turmoil, I work to bring peace to the slumbering minds of the world." She walked forwards and wrapped her hooves around me, holding me close to her chest and arching her neck over my head.

"The wounds on your heart start at the very beginning. I think perhaps the best way to help you trust others, is by the most basic of such actions. You need to be around others and be platonically intimate with them. Now awaken."


My eyes shot open, only to wince shut at the obnoxious rays of the morning sun.

"What did she mean by that?"
> So, This Is Therapy? (4)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


So, This Is Therapy? (4)



"Stupid sun, night forever.... volare..." From what I've been told, my magic would be at it's peak either right after waking up, or after eating, which means that now was the perfect time to use a little levitation spell to close the curtains and get some more sleep. After blocking out the obtrusive solar radiation, I pulled my covers back up to my head, only to have the door busted down by a unicorn guard, who then swung those blasted drapes right back open.

"Alright! Let's go! Up and at em! Move it move it move it! We have a busy day ahead of us so you better get moving!" The pony then brought out a bugle and blew it loudly right in my face.

"Uuuuuugh. Shuuuuut uuuuuuup. Umbra." Blessed silence. Undeterred by my spell, the stallion began poking me through the covers with his hoof till I rolled out of bed. "Fine, I'm up geez. what do you want?" No reply. "The silence spell already wore off you know."

"Um. oh, wow. I uh. I was only told to come and wake up whoever was in this room, and get them down to the guard mess hall, no excuses. I had no idea it was you. Can I have your autograph?" Apparently he's a fan.

"What? NO! What the heck kind of guard are you to flip flop like that? Pull out a whistle and start blowing, demanding I march with each blow!"

"Yes sir!"

"Don't call me sir!"



As I exited my room to the tune of a whistle, I saw a pair of guards snickering. For a moment, I was about to get offended, until I looked into their eyes and saw that they weren't looking at me, but the guard leading me. 'Ah, a greenhorn. Made the newbie try and get me up. Very nice guys. Very nice.' He lead me through the castle, down to the guard's barracks, where he had me sit at a table next to all the other new guys. He then went to what appeared to be his superior officer who began berating him.

"What's with the griffin?"

"I thought they all went to Signal if they wanted to fight."

"Doofus, that's Griffin, you know, the griffin?"

"That's him? I heard he went feral and got put in our military to try and reign him in."

"Which is  why he's here right now?"

"I CAN hear you guys, you know that right?" I butted into their conversation. The two of them gulped and shut their traps, just in time for the 'superior officer' to come over and whack his riding crop on the table.

"I'm Corporal Carton. The princess says Griffin here needs to learn how to trust, and you all need to shape up. so, here's the deal. He's going to go through training with you. You're going to be working as a team, and you'll have to trust each other, or you'll fail. Hopefully you all won't be such rejects, and he'll learn how to trust other ponies. Finish eating in five minutes and meet me out on the training course.... and remember to drink your milk!" Corporal carton, milk carton, he's serious about milk... ok, come on, are they even trying?

I began looking around at the ones I'm apparently supposed to learn how to trust. One of them was a soft yellow unicorn covered in acne, another was a blue unicorn and constantly had snot dripping from his snout,, a third was a grey earth pony mare with a black emo hairstyle and a fire in her eye, yet remained silent, and the fourth was an ogre of an eggshell white earth pony stallion wearing an, 'I love doughnuts' shirt of green wool and a pair of thick rimmed glasses.... I couldn't tell whether he'd speak in a refined English accent, or whether he hailed from the land of 'duh'. I was sure to find out soon enough.


"...... you've got to be bucking kidding. They put me in the geek squad. High school all over again."

"What's your problem huh? Friends and family don't need you no more, so they tossed you out like yesterdays trash, and now you're in a pissy mood?" Emo girl sassed.

'..... You're in my head, preying on my insecurities. OUT.'

"Hey, comeon, *snnnnaaark* ya don't need to be so mean..." Snot boy replied, snorking a booger in a way that made me want to vomit.

"Yeah, so he's had a bad time, and he's been abandoned by everyone he cares about, and....... *sniff*" Acne kid broke down crying.


"I must say, this is a rather terrible start, I do hope I've made a good first impression." And high society English accent it is! Fatty got brains!



"..... I'm fucked. So far, Mr Posh over there is the only one I see myself getting along with. Zitz is a cry baby, Snot is.. well, snot, and Inky's an emo bitch."

"Da name's Black Tat now, and how'd you know who I am? You been stalkin me ya creep?" She pulled a can of mace and aimed it at me threateningly.

"Inkamina, there's no need for such violence. He clearly hasn't been stalking you, as he's only just arrived. I am curious however as to how you know her name, and mine as well?" Glasses asked in turn. I guess his name really is Mr. Posh. something Posh, something Posh..... don't tell me he's named Pish Posh. If he is I will beat my head on this table.

"Lucky guess. You know, seeing as how everybody is named based on how they look and what they're good at. So, a tattoo artist? I thought ponies didn't have tattoo's, what with the talent marks and all." I didn't feel safe saying 'cutie' around the people.

"It's rare. Mostly griffins, minotaurs and them who wanna fit in by gettin their own mark. Ponies don't know jack about someone unless they got one."


"...... You just said someone instead of somepony."

"What's it to you?"

"It's supporting evidence to the fact that, as a tattoo artist, you spend most of your time with non-ponies. Most ponies who don't spend time with other ponies don't like other ponies, and most ponies who don't like other ponies are assholes. I guess we have something in common after all."

"Oh look, someone think's he's a detective. A real braniac. You'll get along with Pish over there just fine." She pointed to Mr. Posh. I paused for a moment and to make the connection between what she said and what she implied, before I began bashing my head on the breakfast table.

"You *bang* ponies *bang* are so *bang* damn *bang* predictable! Would it kill you to do SOMETHING unexpected once in a while?" In other news, I now know how Discord feels.




"All done eating?" Corporal came back over. "Good! Get moving!" In reality, I hadn't even touched my food. He brought out a riding crop and whacked it against the table. "I'm glad you've all got full stomachs, because now you're going to do sit ups till you puke!"


"Yeah, that's not going to happen. See, if my magic reserves get too low, I'll freaking die so..." He quickly rapped the riding crop across my beak. Of course, I had my protect spells on, so it didn't really hurt, but it still stung a little.

"Don't you worry about that. I've already been informed of your situation, and I'll take care of your wimpy little problem. The only thing stopping you is going to be your lack of determination....." He noticed my plate still full. "and your empty stomach." 

"What would making us exercise till we vomit even accomplish?" Pish asked.

"It'd make you move your fat flank till you pass out, that's what! Now move it!" Pfft, more like humiliate us and break our spirits so we'll do whatever you say without question and become proper soldiers. As if that's gonna happen.

"Yeah Corporal Punishment, I'm goin, I'm goin." I quipped. Inky smirked at that joke. The drill sergeant didn't and wound up whacking me again, this time on the flank. "Careful, I might start thinking you're interested." I replied with a leery smile, specifically to make him feel awkward. This made him facehoof.

"Just... get going."





So, we all did sit ups. The drill sergeant lit his horn and sent a constant stream of magic at me to keep me from burning myself out. Snot was the first to go. The constant abdominal muscle contractions eventually caused a spasm, contracting his stomach while keeping his body straight, decreasing it's volume and thus causing it to eject it's contents, up through the esophagus and out the mouth. He then collapsed into the green puddle of bile and soggy, half digested plants.

"Well done! That was..... thirty seven... by Celestia you really are hopeless. Hit the showers, you reek, and keep your blasted nose clean."


Zits was next. He made it to 76 before he collapsed and couldn't do any more. Apparently, that wasn't good enough, so a swift hoof to the gut let him finish his task.

Surprisingly, Pish Posh was third at 146. From all his eating, his superior digestive system was able to keep his food down, though he ate quite a bit at breakfast, and rather than a muscle spasm, the constant up and down made him dizzy enough to empty his overfilled stomach. He at least had the sense of dignity to avoid landing in it. The surprising part is how many he was able to do, and that he didn't give up.

"Good work, you might shape up yet. Hit the showers." Posh trotted off with a sense of pride, leaving me and Inky with the Corporal.

"I think I've been too easy on you griffin." He said my race, not my name. "You've got experience, and I'm gettin bored waiting for you to spew, so I'm gonna give you a little.... help." Just like that, he hopped up and stood on my stomach, making it at least ten times more difficult to do sit ups. "Continue." His horn began glowing again, giving me that constant feed of magic to make sure it was my muscles that would give out first.


At 350, Inky was STILL going strong, while I felt the tension in my gut as the muscle bundle jumped upwards from overuse. I sat up, rolled over (knocking Carton off me) and retched, though on an empty stomach, nothing more than a little clear fluid came out.

"I don't believe it. The captain of the Griffin Pirates just got beat by a mare." The corporal stated as he got stood up and dusted himself off.

"Yeah, I don't get it either."

"Pfft, please. On a rock farm, all we DO is monotonous, heavy lifting. See these abs? Go ahead, poke em." I did, and sure enough, they were as hard as a rock.

"Well then, I guess you're just going to have to stay out here all day aren't you?" Corporal Carton sneered.

"Ignis." A quick, low level lightning spell, another poke in the ribs, and Inky was suddenly done her sit ups. The drill... corporal... grumbled, but relented, and let us go.







Something you may or may not find odd about showers in the Equestrian military, is they don't have separate ones for different genders. We all shower together. I mean, we're naked all the time anyways, so separation is kind of pointless. I turned the water on full blast and shot myself with the coldest I could, while Inky, who was right beside me, did the same. Afterwards, she began to towel dry, while I used a light wind spell, since I hadn't be drained because of the constant recharge. Of course, I forgot the effect that has, and wound up fluffy. This made Inky laugh her head off at me.

"Yeah, sure, laugh it up, but soft and fluffy gets ALL the girls." I thought back to my interactions with Ivan, and how obvious he was now that I think back on it, and how oblivious I was. "And some of the guys." I recoiled. Her response was an angry glare, because she apparently remembered she's supposed to be pissed off about everything.

"Yeah, whatever. Better go get lunch before it's all gone..... how did you do that thing anyways?" We began walking through the corridors towards the lunch room.

"What thing?"

"What do you think? The part where you poked me in the gut and I puked. And while we're at it, the wind thing."

"Oh, I just ran an electric current through your abdominal muscles, causing uncontrolled contraction, leading to emesis."

"If you're going to use big words, go hang out with Pish Posh."

"Shocky touch gut make spew." I said in an insultingly base tone, to reflect my broken sentence. She growled and frowned, then looked down to hide her face behind her mane.

"Thanks for that. I'd probably be out there all day."

"Don't mention it. Seriously. To anyone. Gotta keep some secrets. It wouldn't do to have my 'get out of sit ups free' card get taken away. Anyways, both that and the wind thing were done with magic, which I have been abusing the heck out of since I figured out I could. Which is why Carton had to keep a constant stream on me, so I wouldn't burn myself out from the exercise."

"What are you doing here anyway? In boot camp I mean." Black Tattoo asked.

"... You mean it's not obvious?" I replied. She simply looked at me blankly with one eye behind her mane. "I have trouble with social interaction, as well as mental stability. She's placed me in an environment that forces me to interact with and trust others, as well as requires emotional fortitude for success. She's attempting to help me overcome my weaknesses by putting me in a consistent situation that demands those areas be improved... And yes, I am using big words on purpose to annoy you. Why are you here?"

"I hit a foal because he wouldn't stop asking 'why'." She deadpanned.


"You are a hero to the millions of childless who have to put up with the unending annoyance of being around children that are not theirs."

"..... sarcasm?"

"Only partly. Also, it's been made abundantly clear that the unit we're in is the 'troublemakers' squad, where they put ponies... and griffins, that are maladjusted to society. Pish Posh is high class, grossly overweight, and his parents want him to make something of himself. Zits is scrawny and is looking to learn how to defend himself from bullies, a feeling I know all too well, Snot is... well, snot, and you have a bad attitude, something your rock farmer parents won't put up with, so they sent you here."

"You think you know everything, don't you?" She asked with a hint of malice towards me for my smart-assedness. "Well, other than those guys' names."

"Yeah, pretty much." I stopped walking as I suddenly realized something. "And that's half the problem."

"Huh?"

I let out a sigh and looked down. "I'm so used to figuring people out just by looking at them that... I don't actually get the chance to really know them. I've been purposefully avoiding social contact for so long it's become a habit, one that was, admittedly, useful when I needed to figure out how to manipulate people, but if I'm trying to learn how to make real friends, I can't have preconceptions." By the lost look on her face, I realized I had been doing it again. "You can't judge a book by it's cover, and that's what I've been doing most of my life?"

"So, then you admit that you're wrong?" Inky tilted her head so her mane fell to the side and she could see me with both eyes.

"I guess I do." I looked back up at her. "Thank you, I think I've figured this out a bit more. Anyways, what's after lunch?"

"We get dragged to empathy class where we talk about our feelings, give each other hugs, lame stuff like that." She practically gagged while she mentioned it, sticking out her tongue. "Everyone in the Equestrian military has to go through it, that way, even if they have to fight, or kill, they have a way to cope with the feelings, so they're not harsh when they go home. It's also supposed to help them understand the way their enemy thinks, which makes the guards better at their jobs."

"And you were laughing because I'm fluffy. Who has the advantage now, hmm?" I was hoping for a laugh. I got a blank stare. 'Tough crowd'

"So, you still haven't told me why you're just, going along with all this." She asked. "I mean, it's boot camp. It's not the most pleasant thing. You could probably just bail on it. It's not like they can keep you here, seeing as how if you leave, you have a whole other country you can go to."

"I came here to get help. If Celestia thinks putting me through boot camp is going to help, then I'll just have to trust her judgement. Not her. She's sneaky. But her judgement is fine. Except when it came to Queen Chrysalis pretending to be Cadence, but hey, nobody's perfect. She's the immortal ruler of a nation who moves celestial bodies with her mind. She can be allowed a mistake once every century or so. Anyways, it's also a chance to learn how the Equestrian military operates, which'll let me make changes to my own."

"Speaking of the changeling queen... can you guess who's our empathy class coordinator?"

"Celestia, you brilliant bitch. Oh, this is gonna be fun!" I practically skipped down the hall towards the next class, before stopping and running back to her. "Right, lunch first, and maybe you should lead the way."

"Why, don't trust me walking behind you?"

"Well, yes. I don't like it when I don't know what people are doing. That and I don't know which way I'm going."

"You really are paranoid, aren't you?"

"Your first clue was?" She didn't reply. She began walking ahead of me, but every couple of steps she'd stop to look over her shoulder at me, to make sure I wasn't doing anything. So, at that point I took to walking beside her.

And I didn't say a thing.
> So, THIS is therapy. (5)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


So, THIS is therapy.



Inky and I had lunch with Pish Posh, Zits, whose name I learned was Daffodil, (apparently his acne isn't his only problem, though the name does match his coat's colour) and Snot who's name was 'Winter's Chill' by the blue tinge on his coat, and I now know why his nose is always running. We walked next to each other as she lead me to the eatery, where there was a plethora of hay based food, meant to be scrumptious as well as nutritious to the ponies dining on it.
...
...
...
I had a salad, which I picked at using my usual lack of enthusiasm.

"I miss Maria's cooking." I sighed.

"I miss my family." Winter sniffed.

"I miss mother and father as well." Pish Posh said sadly. "And doughnuts."

"I miss not listening to losers whine." Inky, er, 'Black Tattoo' sneered.

"And how are you dearies doing today?" Our little group was approached by a faint yellow unicorn mare, somewhere in her mid forties, with a slightly graying honey mane, and a warm smile. "I see our little group has a new member, I hope you've all been getting along well." Was... that a spiteful glare at Inky?... "I'm Miss Merryweather, and I look forward to seeing you all after lunch during empathy class."

...
...
...
She's a kindergarten teacher. And we're her class. She's going to teach us how to play together... Can I go back to doing sit ups?

"Tat, I thought you said Chrysalis was our empathy coordinator." I whispered to Inky.

"She is, but Miss Merryweather is the head of the class. The bug is kind of like an assistant." She whispered back.

"Oh? I see you two are getting along rather well. Only just met and already found a special somepony. Oh, I just knew you had some love deep down in your heart Inky." The very creepy pony fluttered her eyelashes.

"... S/He's not my mare/coltfriend!" We both shouted. "You really shouldn't jump to conclusions." I continued. "I am already dating someone. She just so happens to be away on business right now."

"Oh. I'm very sorry if I offended. Sooo, what does she do, your marefriend who is away on business?" She smiled at me with a creepy wide smile.

"There are things that go bump in the night, things that would take our friends, family, and loved ones, take them away to a dank, dark hole and work them to the bone. And when they're no longer useful, they feed them to monsters. My girlfriend kills these things and puts families back together." I said in as dark and sinister a tone as I possibly could. "I got her into the business." I perkily added.

"Well, that's pleasant." Miss Merryweather said without skipping a beat. "But please save it for our session today. I'm sure you'll have lots to share." And then she walked away.








"Round one, Griffin."

"What are you talking about?" Daffodil asked.

"Did you see the way she looked at me? She's clearly challenging me. She'll try to make me break down, while I try to resist. It's psychological warfare at it's finest, and she's obviously a professional, but I will not succumb so easily."

"You're crazy." Inky replied.

I turned to look at her, squinted my eyes as I thought of a reply, then simply said, 


"Yes."


*Achoo!*

"... you... sneezed on me." I said blankly, looking at the ice blue unicorn who was now lacking the usual snot ball hanging from his nose, which was now located on my chest.

"Oh, yeah." He wiped his nose with a hoof. "Sorry about that."


My eye began to twitch as I scooped a giant, slimy booger off my feathers. "You... sneezed on me." He began backing away from me, quite clearly frightened as I approached. "Ignis!" My entire body became wreathed in purifying flame, the all consuming blaze cleaning me of any thing not under my protect spell, namely, the giant loogy Snot just hit me with. Everyone started staring at me, and not just from my own table. At the realization that I was making a scene, I quickly muttered "Extinguo." and snuffed myself. "There." I huffed. "Much better."

"Are.. you alright?" Inky asked with a look of shock on her face.

"Yeah, I just threw up in my mouth a little is all." I turned to look at Winter. "Cover your mouth next time. Or, maybe learn a permanent barrier spell and place one a half foot in front of your face." A few awkward moments of silence took place, after which he finally processed what I has said and asked,


"Is that an option?" He looked at me with intense interest and sincerity. "Because that would deal with the sneezing AND the other colts trying to hit me."

"I was talking about the fire!" Inky reamed. "You just lit yourself on fire."

"Yes. Protect spell. They said I was being paranoid, having a protection spell active at all times. That right there is precisely why I do it, speaking of which, yes, the barrier spell is an option, I'll teach you after empathy class." I then inhaled my bowl of salad, (everyone else was done their food as it was actually flavorful to them), emptied the remnants of my tray into the garbage and rejoined the group. Inky rolled her eyes at me.







"Alright, here's the deal." Inky began. "Chrysalis is cautious because if she bucks up then she'll have the princesses on her case. It's her probation, and if it goes well, changelings will be allowed into the pony population, taking on unique, non copy identities. She has to prove that her kind can be sensitive and loving and bleurgh." Tat stuck out her tongue. "Miss Merryweather though is a completely different story. She's an expert at finding cracks in the wall and breaking you down. If I were you, I'd just fake a breakdown and get her off your case."

"That would be too easy. I have to make her work for it. If I just fake a break down, then I won't get better." I replied.

"Eh, your emotional funeral."


We opened the door to find a number of ponies laying on 'floor pillows', with their hooves neatly tucked under their bodies in a semi circle with Miss Merryweather and Queen Chrysalis at the arc's focus. There were five empty pillows, all right next to one another, indicating that they were waiting for us before starting. We took our places, Pish Posh on my right and Inky on my left. I wasn't comfortable with having them so close to me, but there wasn't much of an option. I looked around at the other members of the session, to find that they were all nervous wrecks, twitching, shivering, flicking their tails. The changeling, upon seeing me, immediately became tense as well.

"Welcome, everypony... and griffin. Well, that's a mouthful. Is the proper term 'everyone'?" Merryweather asked. I nodded. "Ah, yes. Welcome everyone. As we have a new member of our little group, I'll explain a little of what we do here. Though it is mandatory for all serving forces, these sessions are not exclusive to the military, and many ponies of all race come to talk about their problems. One steps forward and speaks, the others listen, and then we offer words of comfort, a hug and such. Griffin, as you are new here, perhaps you'd like to begin?"

"Oh.... no. I don't think so." I shook my head.

"Why not?" The leader tilted her head.

"I'm not comfortable opening up to so many strangers, and I'd probably take up the whole period. That would be unfair to everyone else."

"Well, I suppose it would be too much to ask for to to tell us your life story on the first day. I thank you for being so considerate. In.. I mean, Black Tattoo, how would you like to begin?"

So, Inky put on an emo face and started talking about her problems. After her sister Pinkie discovered parties and became the popular child, and Blinky went on to become an expert in light fixtures, she was left at home with her rock farmer parents who continually pressured her into finding something she was good at. Eventually, she learned tattoo artistry. Of course, since this catered to non pony clients, she began spending time with griffins, diamond dogs, dragons, minotaurs, gremlins, boggarts and the like. Her parents weren't supportive, and didn't like her 'new friends' as they were old fashioned and didn't care much for anyone who wasn't an earth pony, much less those who weren't ponies at all, and the last straw was when she set up a tattoo parlor in their house. They kicked her out, and she spent her time traveling from place to place, giving people tattoos. At one point she met with her parents and tried to reconcile, only to be constantly interrupted by a foal who constantly asked why she wasn't like other ponies and various other annoying questions. She pushed him over so he'd leave her alone, which resulted in the foal crying to his mother, Inky's parents being embarrassed, blaming her attitude on hanging out with non-ponies and sent her to boot camp to 'fix' her. She broke down at the end, crying, asking why they couldn't just be happy for her for who she was, Merryweather gave her a hug while Chrysalis gave her a wink, and she sat back down.





"Chrysalis is in on it. She knows how damn annoying these ponies can be with all their lovey dove junk. Anyone who isn't like them must have something wrong with them, and that's a load of garbage." She whispered to me.

"So wait, was all that stuff true, or were you just making it up?"

"Oh, no, that was true. I just faked the breakdown. Really, I don't care what anyone says. I am who I am, nobody is going to change that. I'm just pretending to let them 'heal' me so I can get out of here and back to my life. My group has only been here a week and already Merryweather drives me nuts."

"I can see why."


"Alright, Daffodil, you're up next." Our private conversation was interrupted by Chrysalis calling on the next person to share. He stepped up in front of the group nervously, looking at the ground and tapping his hooves on the floor.

"Um. Hello. I've been here a week and um, this is my first time sharing so, please don't laugh. Okay.. here we go. My parents named me Daffodil because of my coat's colour, but I'm a boy and that's a girl's name. A lot of the other foals made fun of me, and when I reached my teenage years, I got a really bad acne problem. That made it even worse. I was never really good with magic either, so, I decided to join the military to make something of myself." He began to sniffle and hung his head again, while a number of others got up and gave him a hug to make him feel better.


Next up was an army pony. Stark white unicorn, though he had his helmet off, he was wearing his armor.


"I'm Silver Shield. I was in Willow creek. Nice, quiet town. It's outside Stalliongrad, but normally nothing ever happens there. Most we get is complaints of public disturbance by an old biddy, because the neighbours are being loud when they really aren't and she's just got her hearing aid turned up too high. I was on duty, just patrolling around, when I heard a muffled scream. I ran to investigate, and I found this poor mare being... violated... by a dirty looking stallion, probably from the city. I got him off her and tried to knock him out but, I don't know. He must have been on drugs or something because he just would not stay down, no matter how much I hit him. I kept trying to reason with him, get him to calm down. When he pulled out a knife I... I... zapped him. I zapped him, and I kept zapping him so he'd stay down and... when the other guards got there... he didn't get back up he..." The guard buried his face in his hooves. "It's all my fault. He was just a lost colt with a problem, he needed somepony to help him and I..."

Merryweather came up, putting her head on his neck like a mother would. "You did what you had to do. Once he took out that knife, it wasn't just a crime anymore. You did what you needed to do to protect yourself and that mare. As sad as it is, these things happen." She patted his back, then they broke apart and he laid back down.

"Alright, Griffin, would you like to try? You've seen how it's done, perhaps you'd feel more comfortable now?" Merryweather gave me that same, creepy, insincere smile. It's like she had pony Botox and her face froze like that.


"*Sigh* Fine." I got up in front of the crowd and began. "My father despises me because my mother's pregnancy lead to a divorce between him and his previous wife, who was wealthy and didn't ask much of him. He sees me as the reason why he's not living the high life. My mother worked non stop to provide for the both of us, as he was a raging alcoholic, and would squander everything we had on drowning his sorrows. He was also a violent drunk, and would hit the both of us in his stupor. My mother was bone tired from working overtime to try and provide, and came to see me as the reason she was trapped where she was. Because she had to care for a child early on, she couldn't go to school and make something of herself. Both of them frequently told me I would never become anything, since I came from them, I had to be like them. I grew up hating them because they didn't love me. I was scrawny, and didn't know how to make friends, so the other kids at school saw me as an easy target for bullying. I grew up being beaten, insulted and abused, and up till now, I dealt with it by being violent. When I realized what I was doing was wrong, and I had turned into the exact thing I hated, I came to get help. Also, somewhere along the line I got thrown into a world I thought was fictional, swallowed by a dragon, partly eaten by his adopted daughter after he choked to death on me, drugged so I would satisfy my 'in heat' girlfriend and another crew member, and had the Zebrican demon of vengeance in my head temporarily, all while waging a war on kidnappers and slavers, managing a newly born island nation, and coming up with practical applications for existing scientific and magical knowledge to kick start the industrial era, as well as discovering a lost magical art." I said this all quickly and without emotion, [I apologize for the wall of text, but in this case it was actually meant to be like that]


"So... are we having any fun yet?" Inky smirked.

"Griffin, how does that make you feel?" Merryweather asked, ignoring Inky's comment.

"Well. Mad. I never asked to be born. I never asked for any of it. They blamed me, but it was their fault. They hated me just for existing. And I know that it's not right, but that doesn't change that it happened. And, a while after I came here, I realized my mother did love me, because if she didn't, she wouldn't have worked so hard to make money so I'd be able to eat and have a roof over my head. She was just frustrated with my father, but couldn't bring herself to leave him, and between work, sleep, and constantly fighting with him, she just... never had time for me."

"And your father?"

"He's a worthless leech on society that blamed an infant for his problems because his brain was swimming in booze and couldn't tell up from down. If I ever see him again, I'll do everyone a favor and put him down. It'd end his misery, he'd stop being a detriment to society, and my mother could finally have the life she never got."

Merryweather shook her head and made a 'tisk tisk' sound. "Now Griffin, violence never solved anything. You know that."

"Pfft, maybe here, but on Earth, violence has solved innumerable problems since the dawn of time, more than any other method of conflict resolution. Remove the source of the problem, problem solved. In other words, sometimes, people just need to be shot in the head." I retorted.

"Then who does the shooting? Who decides who gets shot? You? Are you qualified to make that decision? You've caused your fair share of trouble since you showed up. Should you be 'put down'?" Merryweather replied with disappointment in her voice, like a scolding mother.

I stood there for a moment in thought, before laying down and half closing my eyes. "Maybe that would be best." Through the slants in my eyes I could see her back away and her eyes shoot wide open, before she rushed up to me.


"Oh no, sweetie, I didn't mean that." She started rubbing my head with her hoof, so I opened my eyes, rose, and stared right into hers.

"Then why did you say it?" I replied angrily. She stood speechless, with her hazel eyes quivering. "Let me guess, you just wanted me to think about my philosophies, and how I'd feel if it were me, right?" She nodded silently. "Well guess what? I HAVE thought about it. I think about it every day." I yelled.

I took a deep breath to calm down. "They say hindsight is 20/20, meaning once it's too late to fix them, the mistakes of the past are abundantly clear. When I think about what I do, I think of all the people I've killed, and all the ones I couldn't save. What would have happened if I wasn't there, I had done nothing, or what if I had done things differently. My head is FULL of 'What ifs'. THAT is why I try so DAMN hard! Because I want my life to mean something!....








....because I don't want to be a nobody who's better off dead." Tears started welling up in the corners of my eyes. "Because then my parents would be right, and when my dad got drunk and violent, and started swinging around a broken beer bottle, I shouldn't have hid in the closet." I paused to let them think of the implications of what I was saying.



"Those who witness a crime and do nothing though they are able, are as guilty as the ones who committed it. Every day, I saw countless people stand by and watch as I was tormented, humiliated, excluded, or beaten. They saw something they KNEW was wrong and didn't do anything to stop it and you know what? I hate all of them." I walked over to the guard stallion who had just laid down. "Silver Shield, you're a hero. You took a stand when nobody else could. It might have been your job, and it may not have ended the way you wanted, but you still did something. You made someone's life better. Stand proud." He stood up and looked me in the eye, before slowly walking up and putting his face into my chest feathers. I just stood there and let him cry.











"Aw FUCK! Ember was right! I am an emo! I HATE IT when she's right!"
> Settling In. (6)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Settling In


After Merryweather berated me for my language, the session ended, and while everyone else went back to their respective rooms, be it the barracks for the guards, guest rooms for non military, and me to my own room, after spending a half hour trying to find the right way to go in that blasted maze, I eventually reached it. They started us off slow today with the work outs, since they wanted to 'ease us' into the the exercise regime. If this is what ponies go through to be guards, I'll never mock a guard again. I don't have to worry about that, since that can't possibly be the standard training regiment. If it was, the military would be able to kick boulders across mountain ranges and do various other, ridiculous feats. Now that I think about it, maybe that's how Shining Armor got his position as captain so young. He was the only one to successfully complete the damn thing.


"Note to self. Do not upset Shining Armor. Apologize for wedding."


"So, how was your first day?" The classic grouping of Mind Mender, Food Pyramid, and Princess Celestia standing at my door way, the the other two remaining silent to allow the princess to speak.


"Not bad, considering."

"Considering what?"

"At breakfast, they had us eat, only to do sit ups till we vomit. I didn't eat anything since it was bland and tasteless to any non pony. I inhaled lunch afterwards cuz I was starved, then listened to ponies talk about their lives, and I feel like I connected really well with Silver Shield. Also, Miss Merryweather told me to die." Payback's a bitch and so are you, go back to torturing foals in magic kindergarten you hag. "Chrysalis was really pleasant and caring and everything though, so it made it alright."

"Boot camp was 'alright'?" Mind Mender raised an eyebrow.

"You forget I've been through worse. So yeah, it was alright."

"Well... I'll have to have a talk with Miss Merryweather." Celestia said concerned. "So, you're not at all angry that I just put you into the Equestrian military?"

"Nope. I don't really like my squad but, hey, what the heck. Oh, and the constant protection spell thing? The one you said was paranoid and would never be needed in normal society? It saved me from being sneezed on. More accurately, I lit myself on fire to get rid of the giant projectile booger, and the spell stopped me from burning to death."

"Was that really necessary?" Mind Mender queried.

"The thing was as big as my eye, slimy, stuck to me and I would have puked if I hadn't already. Remember, I'm the one that comes up with creative solutions to difficult problems."

"...... ew." Three three of them looked disgusted just by the description.

"Anyways, I figured there would be a problem with the nutrition, so, we're moving you to a different room for a more permanent residence. Rather than a guest room, this'd be more of a small, open concept apartment, with a kitchen, living area and such. You'll be in charge of your own food, since you know how to cook, though groceries will be brought in, paid for by your contributions to our department of science and magic. Admittedly, we haven't had much use for the beam rifle, having unicorns and all, though we've outfitted some of our ships with the larger version you have on your own." Celestia explained.

"So basically, I'm going to be living here, and my 'rent' will be coming up with things for you?.... You must REALLY want what's in my noggin."

"Yes."

"That's it? Just, 'yes'?"

"Think about it. You discovered an entirely lost branch of magic, which we can only access using YOUR knowledge of a dead language from your home. I'm certain others of your kind have the knowledge, but we've yet to find any, and of them, they may not be willing to come forward. and since you DID promise you'd give the details to Twilight Sparkle, who would undoubtedly send me a report, I'd learn of it eventually."

"Fine. I'll write some stuff down for the department tomorrow. It'll be up to them to come up with uses, I'll just provide base meanings."

"Very well. Now, let's get you moved into your new home."

"Uh... I don't have anything here? All MY stuff is in a safety deposit box." I looked at her blankly.

"Oh, right. Well, follow me please." Celestia said as she turned and walked out the door. I followed her, leaving Mind Mender and Food Pyramid behind.










"You know, no matter how much I'm in here, I always seem to get lost in this castle. Do you have a map or something? Or do you just... change the walls around to fit your mood?" I asked, making idle conversation.

"Now there's an idea..." She pondered. "You really do come up with the oddest ones. Useful ones. Just plain strange is Discord's department."

'I have waaaay too much in common with that snake.'

"Like what? Sparing the obvious of course."

".... you're reading my mind again. You know how much I hate that."

"But it's so easy. Even with your little mental protection spell. I just go right around it."

'Celestia slept with Discord. She likes it freaky. I know you took a peek when you turned me pink.'

"Stop that!"

"Then get out of my head."

Then the princess of the sun looked at me and pouted. "Spoil sport." She let out a sigh. "You can't blame a gal for looking though." She smirked. That was obviously meant as trolling. "Drat, you caught me. It's odd though. Around my subjects, I can't have fun like this."

"I guess that's why you fell in love with Discord. He can be fun, and he doesn't respect anything or anyone. Of course, that lack of respect and carefree attitude lead to trouble when you needed him to be serious. And look where that got him." I remarked, looking out the window of the hallway at the garden statue below.

"Well, here we are. Your new quarters. Complete with kitchen and refrigerator. Get settled in. Oh, and Winter's Chill will be by later, said you promised to show him something."



Dear Gilda,

Sorry I haven't written in a while. I've been really busy, and had a lot on my mind. I'm really happy that you and the crew were able to take that den on your own. You came up with a plan, made backups, made it work, all without me, and I'm proud. I'm also scared. With this success, it means you don't need me anymore, which, is good because it means you don't need my help, but it's bad because, well, you don't need me. As crazy as it sounds, I'm afraid that if you don't need me, you won't want to be around me anymore.

I moved into a new room today, a bit bigger, with it's own kitchen and stuff. I miss Maria's cooking, and Surprise's bubbly attitude and Nadene's antics. I miss Trixie's magic practice, Steelhorn's wisened ways, Geirmund's crazy uncle attitude, Shimmer's optimism and... above all, I miss you.

I'm going to start giving Celestia some of my discoveries. It'll improve the country, as well as pay for the help I'm getting.

See you soon...

Griffin.

Ps: Therapy sucks. It taught me that I'm an emo, and I hate it when Ember is right.

"Alright, so, Ment means mind... in Harry Potter the 'cruciatus' curse was for pain, cruciatus, cruelty, cru cru... cru? Mind reader..... prophet is close enough. Mente cru propheta. Yeah... I'll give it a shot. Try and read my mind now. I dare you."







Gilda



"I miss you too." After Shimmer belched up the letter, (something she was embarrassed about) I finally got a reply, and found out how the knucklehead was doing. "He's afraid?" I let out a sigh. "That's it, isn't it? The reason he's afraid of being left behind. Because, that's what he'd do in this position. He's doesn't want to be in the way or dead weight, because he'd throw himself out. The worst thing is that I've thought about it. If he didn't get better, he'd have to stay, and we wouldn't take him with us. He gave me all his insights and thoughts. He's afraid of me leaving him behind, because if he had a choice, he'd abandon himself."


"Hey Gilda. Thinking out loud again?" Nadene asked as she walked up beside me and put a paw on my back.

"Just, about Griffin, you know?"

"That guy is WAY to hard on himself. Didn't know how to lighten up. Probably why he got all stressed out. You know... between the past two dens we cracked, we could probably take the new ship down to give him a visit while the Possibility runs a trade route between dens for a bit." The cat suggested.

Looking up at the steel hulled, dual quad rotor, (four rotors in an X formation for thrust, with a second set of four higher up on the small hull for added stability, speed, maneuvering, and in case one of the engines got shot, we could just switch it off and turn on a different one) enclosed balloonless, with a single artillery piece running the length of the ship designed to fire custom explosive or armor piercing rounds, and numerous gun ports along the side for small arms fire, the ship was the epiphany of speed. It's top speed, with all eight engines running full bore, was a whopping 80 knots, or 140 km/h, in any direction. By switching which rotors were running, it could turn on a dime or hover in any direction, allowing it to line up it's massive gun with ease. The damn thing could fly upside down and sideways if the pilot had a mind to. It was painted black to match the night sky, with a single yellow stripe along either side.

"Wanna know the best thing about this ship?" Shimmer asked. "It shatters the equestrian speed limit for equestrian non military. They put that law in place so no civilian could outrun a military ship. Since we're not in the Equestrian military, we'll probably get pulled over, and then we can say hello to all the nice guards." She smirked innocently. She wasn't naive though, she knew that it was illegal, she just didn't care.

"... you sure know a lot about this..." I said as though asking a question.

"Of course I do, I'm going to be flying it." She smiled back.

"Uh, wha?"

"What do you think I've been doing this whole time, sucking my claw? Steelhorn has been teaching me the forge and how to fly airships. He says I'm good enough to pilot."

"And I will be the captain." Growl added, joining our conversation. "You said yourself that my strategic expertise made me fit for the job, and since the ones most familiar with the ship are the diamond dogs who built it, Marble Pillars is supplying the crew. Not to be racist or anything, but they just feel more comfortable having another hound in charge."

"No, it's fine. It's a better plan than having some of us learn how to use it, because then a number of soldiers we have would have to be placed as shipboard crew and retrained."

"Good." As the vessel spun up it's turbines and lifted into the sky, painted on it's side was our emblem, the black blade, rising to meet any challenge, lifted by the wings of hope, and flanked on either side by a pillar of white. As I stood next to the ship, I pulled out a bottle of wine, and took a swig from it before chucking it at the ship's hull. "For your great speed, maneuverability, and offensive strength, I christen thee to match thy likeness! 'Hornet'!" The bottle shattered, and I crossed the gang plank.


'I'm as cheesy as Griffin now, and I still don't know what goes on in his head half the time.'
> Happy Christmas, Merry Hearth's Warming, Part 1 (7)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Happy Christmas, Merry Hearth's Warming

Celestia






"Your Majesty.... 'It' has returned." I took a sharp breath of air at hearing the news the guard brought me. The Crystal Empire, returning after so long, and Sombra with it. I must take action immediately and send word to Twilight, but I must be cautious. No matter what happens, I cannot allow Griffin to go there. He cannot hear of it, or he'll wish to go.



Griffin







*Huff huff huff huff* I panted as I ran the in the snow, my breath visible as it left my beak, clouding my vision as I moved into it. The pounding hoof steps beside me indicating Tat wasn't far off. We reached the wall, followed closely by the beast.

"Inky! Now!" I shouted.

"The name!" She took her position opposite me as the beast approached.

"Is!" She lowered herself down, as did I.

"Black Tattoo!" As the beastly large form of Pish Posh came careening towards us, we both sprang into action, Inky rolling onto her back and pushing up with all four hooves, while I leapt from the ground and grabbed the slightly-less-heavy-than-previous stallion, using my upwards thrust to toss him over the wall.

"Daft! You're next!" Daffodil, or 'Daft' (meaning crazy) as we started calling him, ran and jumped into the air, letting me catch him and toss him over the wall as well, where he landed on Pish Posh, breaking his fall, as he continued to run the obstacle course.

"Chilly! You're up!" Inky called over the howling winter wind. It seems in the snow, this particular unicorn was right at home, no longer with his trademark booger, as the warm air didn't make his nose run at such low temperatures. He went over the wall as well, followed by the mare of our group vaulting it on her own, while I simply flew over, helping our landing mat to his hooves before taking off towards the finish line.

"Aaaaand TIME! Good work you five. A month and a half and you're already shaping up into a proper unit. Maybe the troublemaker squad WON'T be such a laughing stock at the all squad competition come spring."

"Sir, thank you sir!" I replied.

"Did I say you could talk? You're on kitchen duty tonight! Can you uh... make that mashed potatoes and kale?"

"Yes Corporal Punishment Sir!"

"I thought I told you to stop calling me that! Now get inside for a warm lunch! And don't forget to drink your milk!" Corporal Carton barked.







"Well oh wise and fearless leader, did you see it?" I asked sarcastically.

"Yeah, I saw it." Inky, our squad captain, replied, referring to the Corporal's clipboard.

"And?" The rest of our squad was teetering in anticipation.

"Two minutes, forty six seconds. Down 7 seconds from last time. The record for that course is one minute, fifty two seconds, held by Shining Armor's very own squad. If we want to humiliate him AND his trainees, not only do we need to beat them in the event, we'll need to smash his record from when HE was in training, meaning dropping a full minute from our time. Suggestions?"

"Fatty could lose some weight." I snipped.

"I'm already down thirty pounds, and haven't had junk food since I've been here. I'm working on it."

"Daft, you could do the hopping posts faster."

"And fall off, disqualifying us? I don't think so. You could crawl the wire pits faster Grif. You take a full thirty seconds there, and we can't do the wall without you, so we have to wait." He replied.

"Can't do that because I'm too big. I have to go slow so I don't touch one and set off the traps."

"What about turning into your human form?" Pish suggested.

"I'd be blind and wouldn't know when I'm out."

"I'd tell you when you were clear." Chill replied.

"Like the time I ran it blindfolded and had you tell me when I could stand up? I spent DAYS getting that gunk out of my coat." Daft told his partner with a glare.

"Not happening." I reinforced.

"I said I was sorry alright!"

"Let's just get something to eat before it's all gone." Inky broke up the argument.






After lunch, with the rest of the team eating hay something or other, and myself devouring a steaming side of mongo fish, exported from my very own island, I went to go find Shining Armor. There were a couple things I needed to ask him about. I knocked on his door, and at the answer of 'Come in!' I entered.

"Well, look who we have here? Two minutes, forty six seconds. Not bad, for a slug. Not so fast without your spells are you?" He looked down his muzzle at me.

"I didn't come here for banter, I came, to apologize."

"Oh?"

"For my actions at your wedding. I see now that there's a lot I shouldn't have done, or should have done differently. My behaviour was unacceptable, and I am sorry."

"Apology not accepted." I did a double take. "Do you have any idea what that put us through? My wife spent months wondering how it was possible for one being to have enough hate in them to poison a changeling. She's the princess of love. Her name literally means 'I Love Everything'. She lost sleep over it, trying to figure out how someone like you could even exist. She spent so long trying to figure out how someone could live with such darkness in their heart. I can't forgive you yet, because you still need to apologize to her. She's the one you really hurt."

"Not to interrupt your rant but, she was actually my next stop. I came to you first because I don't know where her room is. This place is a maze and I was barely able to find your office to begin with."

"..."

"..."

"Oh. Um, right this way. I was heading there anyways after I filled out some paperwork."


So, I began walking through the halls next to Shining Armor. Despite the fact that I was bigger than he was, he had this air about him that said 'Don't mess with me'. I'm not sure why I didn't notice it before, like when we shot at his shield to get his attention.

"So..." I began.

"So?"

"I'm wondering, just HOW good are you with shields?"

"I covered an entire city for an extended period of time."

"Right right.... so, you ever put one inside someone's body?"

"Uh... no."

"Oh. Good. Yeah, don't. It's not pretty."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Awk-ward....."

"You're telling me. I'm standing next to one of the first pirates in a thousand years, AND the guy who crashed my wedding."

"And I'm standing next to the world's greatest shield magician, who's sister is prone to nervous breakdowns and has enough power to throw an Ursa, both of which have an ear in with someone who can toss a freaking star around."

"..."

"... you're not... afraid of the princesses, are you?"

"No, of course not."

"Oh."

"Okay, maybe a little."

"What? Why is that?"

"Listen, I've done some things I'm not proud of, things I probably shouldn't have done, said some things... I spent almost two years mocking and insulting Celestia, and pretty much just stirring the pot. Upsetting the delicate balance of her country. If she had a mind to, she could have splattered me, and from what I've seen, a thousand years ago, she would have. Luna as well. Then there's Cadence who I don't even KNOW, and I've made her miserable. Up till now, I've been intentionally pissing off people who could have swatted me like a fly."

"Your point is?"

"Celestia and Luna are, essentially, gods. Where I'm from, you're supposed to show great reverence to such beings, for fear of their wrath. Why then, after such insults and mockery, disobeying their rules, breaking their laws, doing things that may well be considered blasphemy, why are they so kind? I don't understand why they don't hate me."

"Isn't it obvious?"

"No."

"It's love, Griffin. Aunt Celestia cares for all things, big and small. Nobody is beyond redemption. When she wielded the elements of harmony with her sister against Discord, she could have killed him. She could have done the same when Luna became Nightmare Moon. She didn't, because she believes that there is some good in everyone, and anyone can change, even you. We're here."

I stared at the pink door, which stood out among the white and gray motif of the castle. Little interlocking heart shapes carved into the wood adorned it. I slowly approached and tentatively knocked.

"Yes?" I opened the door and stood at the entrance. Cadence gave a sigh. "Come in." I walked in, though instead of standing tall and proud, I shrank and hung my head. "Is there something you want to talk about?"

"How do you do it?" I asked in a near whisper.

"Do what?"

"Love..."

"What are you talking about? Everypony knows how to love. It's something taught to us by our friends and families."

"I have no family, and my first friends stand by me through the bond of mutual need, and hating the same thing. I'm asking you, what is love? How do you make it seem so easy? What does it feel like?"

Cadence sighed again. "Well, it's not easy to explain, but I can try. Shining dear, come here please." The guard stood beside his wife, and they leaned against each other.

"There are many types of love. Some could say that it is the bond between friends. Others might say that it is the care that families share. Others still say it's the," She blushed. "Touch of a lover." She nudged Shining. "They're all right, but, there's more to it. When you see somepony in need, and you may not even know them, but, you feel drawn to help them. When seeing someone in pain makes you feel sick to your stomach, that you would give anything to make their pain stop." ...kindness...generosity... She put a hoof under my chin. "And it's also a warm feeling. Like when you brighten someone's day, make them happy." She gave a genuine smile.... laughter... "It's a feeling of comfort, of safety, knowing that there's someone you can trust and rely on." ...Honesty...Loyalty... "It's something that, when it all comes together, the feeling is just...."

"Magic." I cut her off as my eyes widened.

"... yes."

"All this time, the answer was right in front of me, and I just couldn't see it."

"That's because you think too much Griffin. Sometimes, you need to stop thinking with this." She put her hoof on my head and scruffed my crest feathers. "And start thinking with this." She moved her hoof to my chest and poked it to punctuate her point. "Does that clear it up a little?" In that moment, I felt an intense warmth, something odd, something I hadn't felt before. It was so strange, it was like a burning that didn't hurt, yet still moved me to tears.

"Y... yes. Thank you a..and... sorry about your wedding." After that, I walked out.






"He's finally starting to get it, isn't he?" Shining Armor asked.

"I think there might be hope for him yet." Cadence replied. "He had it all along, it just needed a little push."

".... you didn't..."

"I AM the princess of love after all. So I made him feel what it's like, big deal. He's the one who wanted to know."

Shining Armor sighed. "Come on, let's finish packing. The Crystal Empire isn't just going to wait for us."










As I wandered aimlessly through the halls, not really caring where I was going, (meaning I was lost again but wasn't so worried about it as to ask for directions) I eventually found my way to the main landing strip, where I let the winter wind blow through my feathers.


"Hey! So long as you're out here, wanna help clean the snow off the landing strip? We got a whole load of Hearth's Warming mail coming in for the holidays, and we need to keep it clear for the airships." A unicorn asked as he pushed a shovel.

"Ventus grande." Great gale. I reared up, pulled up wings back, then slammed down while giving a powerful flap, whipping up a wind that cleared about a quarter of the runway of snow, making it rain down on the city below.





Elsewhere





"Vinyl, isn't it just beautiful? Canterlot, all covered in snow? I love it here this time of year, so serene, don't you know?" Octavia, with a smooth, classical voice, began to sing.

"I find the season boring, no colour here but white, it happens every year, I know what'll happen here....." The raver replied with her own tune.

"Don't be such a downer, the season's anything but plain. Spending time together make everything right as rain..."

*Splooch*

At that moment, a massive blob of snow fell and landed right on top of Octavia, making her shriek. Vinyl fell over on her back in the snow and began laughing her head off. That was when Octavia gained a sinister smirk. Next thing she knew, Vinyl Scratch was feeling VERY cold, and had a slight stinging sensation on her face, while the cellist began to sing again.

"Perhaps you're right, with all this white, there's nothing to do but SNOWBALL FIGHT!"





Griffin







"Hey, you alright there buddy? That was pretty fast, but you don't look so good." He was right. I was panting in exhaustion, my legs were trembling, and I felt a bit light headed.

"Uh... yeah, I just need to go rest for a bit, get a warm drink." Crap, it's been over a month and I still can't do very much with it, without burning myself out.

"Alright, we can finish the rest on our own. Ya gotta show me how you do that one of these days."


I went back into the castle to find Princess Celestia waiting in the main hall, chatting with somepony about the upcoming Hearth's Warming pageant and who'd be in it. They seemed to finish their conversation, she dismissed the pageant committee member or whoever it was, and trotted up to me, smiling gleefully.

"Griffin! I trust you're in a good mood, full of holiday cheer?" She opened her eyes, took one look at my face, and her own expression turned to a scowl. "No, no, that's not good at all. Tell me, what is on your mind?"


"I don't know....

Everywhere I go, there are ponies filled with glee,
and when I look inside myself, I ask, 'What is wrong with me?'

Why am I not happy? Joyous, filled with mirth?
While I'm alone they're all at home,
around a blazing hearth...."

Celestia turned to look at me with an odd expression on her face as she began to sing, seemingly against her will.

"I don't know what to tell you, I don't know what to say,
I can't explain your sad or pain, or why you feel this waaaaay.

Perhaps it's the dull weather, a lack of sun and shine,
have you caught ill? Are frozen still? Or perhaps drank too much wiiiine?" She looked at me, expecting me to continue.


"I don't think that's the issue, I always feel this way,
when winter comes and all prepare,
for a joyous Christmas daaaay."



"Christmas?" Celestia asked me.

"Human holiday that coincides with Hearth's Warming." I quickly replied.

"Oh, well...


...then I know your troubles, they're easy to declare,
your friends aren't here to bring you cheer,
for they're all over there." She motioned a hoof out the window, towards the north.

"It's odd that we are singing, the words just seem to find,
their way out, now don't you pout, a plan has come to miiiind....

what did you do every christmas?" She asked, breaking the song.

"I'd get out of the house for the day, have hot cocoa in a coffee shop and generally just waste time. I'd always spend it alone, I don't see why Hearth's Warming should be any different." I informed.

"Gotcha

... you'll spend this year in our house, your family we will be,
you can have a happy holiday, I'll prove it, then you'll see....

Okay, can we please stop doing this? Sure the song is nice, but it's not the best for discussing things." Celestia said with frustration.

"Yeah. At least we gave it a shot right?"

"I suppose it's the thought that counts. So, how about it? Would you like to spend Hearth's Warming Eve with me?" Celestia offered.

"I don't know. Who's all going to be there?" I asked.


"Myself, Luna, and Blueblood. Photo Finish will be stopping by as well to do a Hearth's Warming photo shoot, like every year. We'll also bake cookies and things, I'll burn mine, while Luna's will be perfection itself, we'll have a nice dinner, courtesy of Law, then spend the evening watching the Hearth's Warming play." She listed all the nightly activites, her mirth growing with each one. I could tell she really looked forward to it.

"I don't know..."

"Would you rather spend it all alone in a coffee shop?"

"I'm in."

"Excellent. Meet me here in three day's time, and I'll show you the way to the recreational center."




After kitchen duty, I had time to myself, so I went out on the town. I hadn't been down into Canterlot proper very much, so I figured it would be a good time to go explore. So, I wandered through town, waiting for something to catch my eye. Everywhere, ponies walking around playfully. Even those high class ponies were frolicking in the snow. All around, everypony was happy.

"Alright, lets try this again....

Three months of winter coolness, and awesome holidays,
my mind is under duress, and why? I cannot say.
I know I should be joyous, loved ones gathered near,
I see the merriment around me and want to shed a tear..."

I began singing slowly, and when I did, all the ponies poked out their heads, not wanting to miss the musical number.


"Come on Griffin join the fun! The snow won't last forever.
In the city of the sun, there is no gloomy weather!"


"I wish that I could join you, but I don't feel okay,
I'm nervous in the crowd..." I tried to slip away from the group, but a little foal, all bundled up in winter gear sat in front of me.

"Come on mister, won't you play?" I turned my face to the side, but the foal just sat there with those great big sad puppy eyes. I simply stood there, looking at him. He started to sniffle, and a tear formed in the corner of his eye, while everypony else watched to see what I would do. I cringed as I felt the d'aww build to critical levels, until I could no longer bear it.


"Aww, what the hay." The entire crowd jumped with excitement, full of smiles as the foal jumped on my back.


I went around the city, all the while during a musical number. I entered the ice sculpting competition, (got last place cuz I suck at art, they couldn't even tell what it was supposed to be) but, even then, it was still really fun. Then we all started pelting each other with snowballs, I used a bit of magic to heat myself up, then slid down the street, melting the snow as I passed, allowing it to re-freeze into a smooth layer of ice as everypony pulled out their skates and started sliding to and fro, wherever they needed to go. Then I got a cup of hot chocolate, with all those little marshmallows in it, and at some point, somepony put a Santa hat on me, (not really sure what they're called here, or why they have them) so I put it on crooked, tilted my head to the side and winked, just like all those pony pics where they do that, except I had a little grey foal on my head as well, and wouldn't you know, somepony snapped a picture.

Eventually, everything wound down, everypony went back to business, and I headed back to the castle with my hat, as well as a certain couple 'somethings' I picked up at a store, 'somethings' I would need later, all the while I felt a warmth that drove away the biting cold of winter.









Later






"Well, Griffin, I see you're finally having fun." Celestia smirked.

"Yeah. I even got like, half the town in one of those spontaneous song things, and we had a snowball fight, and hot chocolate, and went ice skating, and I had my picture taken, and I had a foal riding around on my head the whole time, and everyone was happy and... and...." I started sniffling. "I wasn't afraid or nervous at all. I don't think I've ever been so happy. I was smiling, and, that's a big deal for me, because I almost never do and... I just wish Gilda was here to share this feeling with me... I'll have to give her her present next time I see her." I dried my eyes, put that smile back on, and headed upstairs to go to bed.
> Happy Christmas, Merry Hearth's Warming Part 2 (8)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Happy Christmas, Merry Hearth's Warming Part 2



"So, it has come to this." I said with an air of great importance.

"Indeed, the final gambit, the last stand, what will you do?" My opponent asked of me. I paused in thought, before carefully making the move I was certain would assure me victory.

"Queen's knight to C3."

"King's bishop to C3. Checkmate." He replied with no hesitation.

"..... damn. I never was any good at this." For the past two hours or so, while we waited for Celestia do finish her morning duties on Hearth's Warming Eve, Prince Blueblood and I played chess with a very ornate set of pieces, of polished marble and finest ebony. I lost every game.


"I suppose more... brutish? things are your style..."

"Nothing wrong with that." I quipped.

"I suppose not. It should be about time."


As if on cue, Celestia and Luna came through the door to the lounge, threw off all their regalia save the crown-tiara-things they wear, and slumped down on a couch each.


"I thought that would never end." Celestia groaned.

"At least I was there to help expedite the process sister." Luna replied to her sister's bellyaching.

"Yes, now it's time to enjoy ourselves."



So, we all took a station at the GIANT ASS KITCHEN in the lounge as we prepared to cook whatever our hearts desired. Prince Blueblood appeared to be working on a souffle, wearing a stylized chef's hat, while Celestia worked on cookies and Luna, tarts.


"Hmm....."

"Trouble, Griffin?" The elder sister asked.

"Just trying to remember how to do this, two bowls, cold tray... ah! there we go! Now I remember!" She raised an eyebrow and looked at me curiously from her own station before going back to work.

First I took two bowls, one large and one small. I filled the large one about a quarter full of water, then set it to simmer on the stove, placing the smaller one within it. I then placed chocolate wafers in the smaller bowl to melt. (the two bowl method prevents the chocolate from burning by distributing the heat evenly). Then I put several metal trays in the fridge so they'd be chilled by the time I was finished. Next, I took a number of tangerines and peeled them, then split them with my claws, separating them into their slices. And then.... I brought out the whipped cream.


"Now, I'm making this up as I go here a bit, I hope it turns out." I sprayed the whipped cream in the middle of the slices, then put them back together in the original shape of the fruit, but with the cream holding them together. Then, taking a whisk, I drizzled melted chocolate on the nearly frozen tray in a crisscross pattern. It cooled immediately, hardening, so I used a spatula to scrape it from the tray, then wrapped the cream filled tangerine in it's own little chocolate net. I set it to the side, and it immediately fell apart.


"Blast... the whipped cream doesn't hold.... oh! Honey!" So, I made the next one in the same manner, except I covered it in honey before wrapping it in the net. This one stayed together much better. The sticky honey also made the chocolate weave stay in place, right up tight against the fruit. So, I set it on a tray and began making several more, about two dozen, before I put them all in the fridge to cool. I worked quickly, with my knife like claws letting me split each fruit with ease.


That's when I noticed something I hadn't before, I was so busy working furiously, I hadn't seen the way the others were acting. They weren't rushing to finish, frantic about getting it just right. They were taking their time, making a mess, and overall, having fun with it. Luna was so covered in flour she looked like a mini Celestia, who was the one responsible for her being in that state. While the elder laughed, the younger pointed at the smoking oven behind her, cookies forgotten in their play, and the sun mare's attempts to save the poor baked goods brought both Luna and Blueblood to raucous laughter, the sound of which, comically, caused the latter's souffle to deflate.


"Hey, Blueblood, try this." He forgave my not using his title, taking the spoon in his magic and placing it in his mouth, only to spit out a mass of reddish brown powder and scrape at his tongue. "You just failed the cinnamon challenge, and in record time too." He tried to protest, but his mouth was still far too dried out from all the cinnamon, sending more clouds of vapor into the air while the rest of us laughed.



With our goods stored away for consumption later that night, then sat down in the dining room for dinner, which, as I was told previously, was to be served by someone known as 'Law'. I was about to make a comment asking about his brother 'Order', when into the dining room stepped a dragon, a bit taller than I was, wearing a reddish brown (burgundy? I'm no artist, much less of one now that I don't have hands, and I don't pay attention to colour names) suit. He began moving around the table, taking our orders, while a very distinct feeling came over me.


He's right there.

Doesn't matter.

It's just a little bit, he won't even miss it.

Not the point.

It would be easy.

He's a dragon, and both princesses are right there. Also, still not the point.

"Um... may I take your order?" I was snapped out of my inner struggle with my own thoughts by a very soft and gentle voice, male, but smooth, like a saxophone. At the same time, it told me of hidden, inner strength, much like Fluttershy, yet reluctance to let it out, and a lack of self confidence except in the most extreme situations.

"May I take your order?"

"Oh, right, uh...... what do we have here?" I don't even have a clue what they keep in stock.

"May I suggest the whitefish?"

"Let's go with that."

"Battered or baked?"

"Baked, batter would just ruin it. Makes it fall apart." I thought I caught a smile at that. Maybe he's got the mind of a food critic?

"Lemon juice?"

"Mango or orange please. Not as sour, won't overpower the fish." I definitely saw a smile at that.

"Salad?"

"Caesar."

"Drink?"

Your blood.

"*cough* Just water is fine, thank you." My voice caught in my throat. Good thing I didn't have lips anymore. If I did, I'd be biting the lower one so hard I'd have drawn blood. Instead, I kept my beak clamped shut, and was frantically rapping my claws on the table. Eventually, he left, and I let out a great breath I didn't know I was holding, before taking another gasp of air. The others must have realized I was shaking, if the looks of concern on their faces were any indication.


"Griffin, are you quite alright?" Celestia asked.

"Just... peachy."

"Griffin....." She replied sternly. Honesty

"Ok, so, maybe I'm going through withdraw and I just had my fix dangled in front of me. I'll be fine. I'll just take deep breaths, and not look at him. Also, he's a human, isn't he?" I asked.

"What makes you say that?" Luna questioned.

"The way he walked was like a human, like the way Ember walked, with purpose instead of sluggish. Also, he wore clothes. The clothes were human style as well. Namely, pants." I replied sharply.

"Astute observations..." The prince remarked.

"Let's just enjoy our dinner."



And enjoy we did. Law came back to deliver our food, I thanked him meekly, trying my best to ignore the presence of what I craved being so close to me. I succeeded, showing a surprising amount of self control. We all dug in to our own meals, and we were stuffed by the time we finished. The chariot arrived to take Blueblood down to the hall for the Hearth's Warming Eve play, but the rest of us, being of the wing, simply flew ourselves there. We took our seats in a booth up near the top, since we all had good eyesight and could see from anywhere, as the show began.



The show itself was nothing special. Some actors went and had fun with it, though 'Chancellor Puddinhead' was a bit of a klutz, she did resort to eating her own hat to emphasize the starvation point, which brought peals of laughter. All in all, it was fun, but again, it wasn't anything brilliant. Well, that is, until the end.





When the time came for the giant, glowy, magic heart thingy, well, something happened. It started off small, of course it would, the unicorn casting the spell was no Twilight Sparkle, but soon, it began to balloon out of control. Everyone was singing, and the heart just kept blowing up, bigger and bigger, until it was no longer just on the stage. The mare in charge let go of the spell, but it kept growing, all on it's own.

"Uh.... Celestia?"

"Griffin, hush. There's no need for alarm. You're about to witness something not seen in over a thousand years."

As the spell overtook the ponies, they started to shimmer and shine, almost as though they were made of sparkling gems. Eventually, the spell reached us, and while both the Princesses looked more radiant than ever, when it passed me, I could see no change. However, I could feel one. It's as though all my nerves were set on fire, so much so that I couldn't move, or even voice my pain. Celestia looked at me with a smile, but then worry, and finally, a hint of fear, before she scooped me up in her magic and dragged me outside, as far from the auditorium as she could. She brought me to the landing strip, which was once again covered in snow.


"Griffin, you must be in a lot of pain right now, but listen closely, you HAVE to let off the excess magic. Cast a spell, any spell! Burn as much as you can, as fast as you can." Burn? I struggled to find my voice, but when I eventually did, and it was barely a whisper.

"Condense Ventus."





Celestia



I watched as Griffin crouched low to the ground, his eyes alight with magic overload, and heard tiny, incomprehensible mutters leave him as a great gust of air whooshed inwards, as if to put out the fire burning it's way inside. He brought his wings forward, stretching them to their limits as the air pooled in a ball between them, bringing the errant snowflakes that found themselves caught in the breeze to their doom.

"Yes, keep it up, you'll be just fine."

More whispering, and a raging blaze appeared on the ground of the airstrip, melting the snow that had accumulated there and pushing away the frost. It circled him completely, and I took to the sky in order to see him through the blaze. He remained there, crouched in a ring of fire, before the raging inferno itself was drawn into the endless void that was the ball in front of him. At the center of it all was a gleaming shard, crisper than a perfect gem, that shined like my sun itself.


"RAMEX!"


With a shock wave that could only have been a sonic boom, a great pillar of fire rose from where Griffin stood, passing within mere inches of me, though, being the mistress of the sun, I fear no flame, that gleaming shard could have been dangerous. I looked up above and saw it fly, like a star, trying to regain the sky it fell from, before it exploded and lit up the night in brilliant light. Many ponies below covered their eyes from the sudden brightness, before braving a look. When they did, they 'oohd' and 'aahd', believing it to be some manner of firework show, before it petered out and vanished entirely.

Looking down below, I saw Griffin laying on the runway, on a sheet of ice, panting in a desperate attempt to catch his breath. I circled down to meet him, and to ensure his safety.






Griffin


"Ho Ho Ho-ly Shit." I slowly got to my paws and claws, breathing heavily, still coming down from the adrenaline high. "I actually fucking did it." I noticed Princess Celestia coming down. "Uh...... hi." She looked at me dumbfounded.


"Hi? HI!?!? After... whatever that was, all you have to say is HI?!?!"

"Um.... sorry?" I tried, wincing.

"Whatever for? That was a BRILLIANT display of magical prowess. Condensing the air into a solid form, super heating it, then launching it like a projectile. Quite clever."


"Um.... thank you?" Princess Celestia just complimented me. Now I'm blushing. My feathers have red tinges anyways. It's not like she'll know. "It's just something I've been working on for a couple months, but I never had enough magic to pull off. Which leads me to ask, just what in the name of..... you.... was that?"


"Well.... I suppose it's time for me to explain some things. Come inside, I'll tell you back in the lounge."










"Hmm... sweet from the honey, and tangy, but not too sour, from the tangerine, fluffy from the whipped cream, and smooth from the melted chocolate. A little on the sugary side, but fits in a pony's mouth perfectly. Let the chocolate melt on your tongue, then bite down for nice surprise... How did you come up with this?" Celestia inquired.


"Eh, just something I pulled out of my..." Ass. That phrase might not be the most appropriate for food items...."Hat. I really had no idea if it would work or not. Then again, this is Equestria, and things just have a way of turning out around here."

"But where did you learn to do that?" Luna asked.

"Well, I was planning to live on my own, which meant I needed to know how to cook. Which meant I read cookbooks. I borrowed some things from one recipe, added things from another, and bingo, you've got.... these."

"You haven't thought of a name for them yet?" Blueblood inquired.

"It was just a spur of the moment thing! Tang balls? Too unrefined. Creme du tang? Too refined."

"Well, they are a tad sweet for my taste but...." Blueblood began. "If Auntie enjoys them, then I'm sure others will as well."

"Alright, back to the topic at hand. Why was it that when the big glowing heart thing came out, I felt like I was burning alive?" I rerouted the conversation back to the explanation I felt that I was owed.


"Very well. You know the story of Hearth's Warming Eve? You should, if you payed attention during the play instead of sleeping." She shot a glare at Blueblood, who shrugged. "The warmth of friendship melted the ice of hatred. That, was the normal bit."

"Then.... what was the whole shiny ponies and me getting fried by magic bit?" I cocked my head to the side.



"Well, there is something I was hesitant to speak to you about, but, I suppose there's no more hiding it, and there's no more harm in telling you. Season 3."


"Huh?"

"You once told me that 'At the beginning of every season, a great enemy appears, that must be vanquished. Equestria faces a trial that the bearers of harmony must overcome.' Is that correct?"

"Yes.... So then, something happened?"

"The crystal empire, the homeland of Princess Cadence, was missing for a thousand years...."

"So, was this before or after Luna's banishment, and Discord turning to stone? And why is it that everything of importance happened 'a thousand years ago'?"

"Alright, so it was a couple hundred years off, we just say 'a thousand' because it's easier. If you want the exact date look it up, now let me finish my story!" Celestia glared. I sat and made a 'zipping the lip' motion. "King Sombra, a unicorn with evil in his heart, took over the crystal empire. He made the ponies living there into slaves, to mine crystals for him." My eyes narrowed at the mention of slaves. "The crystals there are special. If peace and love fill the land, this reflects all across the globe. If fear, misery, and hatred rule, so too does it spread. I trust you already know about Equestria's connection between magic and emotion?"


I nodded. "So then, what happened earlier, why all the ponies became shiny..."

"It seems my faithful student, and her friends, as well as Cadence and Shining Armor, have succeeded in their task. King Sombra has been defeated, the Crystal Empire restored, and with it, harmony. Now, this won't fix the world, but your friends may find that enemies are a little less... impossible... to reason with. Hearts of stone will crumble, bravery will replace fear, and a guilty conscience will find those who have none at all. As for you...." Celestia turned to look at her sister, motioning her to continue.


"During the Hearth's Warming ceremony, that is no illusion. It is a restatement of the bond of friendship we all share. It was, essentially, overcharged by the magic of the crystal empire being restored. In normal ponies, this fills them with magic, causing them to emit it at a high rate as well, giving them that shiny appearance, as well as accelerating healing, and a number of other passive benefits. As for you, with your 'diabetes'...."


"I couldn't get rid of it fast enough." Celestia nodded. "So, much like before, my magic levels got too high, and started burning me, like too much voltage running through a small wire. And as soon as I let it off, I felt good as new."

"While the Hearth's Warming ceremony caused that state temporarily, the Crystal Empire is like that at all times. I feared that should you learn of it, you would try to do something about it. This would cause more harm than good, as Sombra would feed on the misery you hold deep in your heart. It would be the same as if you were possessed by 'The Nightmare', but you would be unable to refuse. And, going there after the element bearers freed it..."

"I'd be in the same state as I was outside, having to constantly burn massive amounts of magic, just to stop myself from spontaneously combusting."

"Actually, you would have exploded. Twice."


"..." Alright, at this point, I'm struggling not to laugh. I can't tell whether or not she knows that's a meme, or if she's being serious. "So, pretty much, you didn't trust me enough not to bail and go running to the rescue?"


"... that does sound rather bad when you put it that way..." Luna tapped a hoof to her chin as she pondered.

"Wouldn't 'Griffin, don't go to the Crystal Empire because you'll explode, Twilight's got it handled.' have been more... I don't know, honest?"

"I didn't lie to you."

"Lie of omission. You kept me from knowing something I definitely SHOULD know, because you don't trust me."

"... yes." And then the princesses of Equestria hung their heads.

"Good, because knowing me, I would have flown off to save the day, and gotten blown into a million bits. Sometimes, honesty really is over rated. Heck, it's why I lie all the time. Easier to beg forgiveness than to ask permission and all that. So, think I can continue to trust you to not trust me?" I turned my head slightly, and put the biggest grin on my face.


"..." Celestia said.

"..." Luna added.

"..." Blueblood replied.


"YOU TROLL!!!!"
> A New Year (9)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


A New Year




"Hey, Princess, do you think you could help me with something?"

"Mmmhmhur?" Luna replied to my query, as she was currently letting a 'Tang' melt in her mouth. She bit down, sending a wave of citrus juice over her tongue, before swallowing, then levitating a napkin to wipe away the juice. "That depends, what is it you require?"

"Do you think you could read my mind for a bit? I'm trying to test out a spell to protect against mind readers."

"Why would you need something such as that?" She raised her eyebrow.

"Because I'm tired of dealing with mind readers?" I offered sarcastically.

"Oh, very well. I'm not as good at this as my sister, since I'm out of practice. One moment...."

"Menti cru ad propheta..... anything?"

"Just that you're trying to give me a headache with that spell. Do I need to give you a lecture about using ponies as test subjects for pain spells? And proper grammar that that. I may not know the language, but from the words and phrases you gave us, you said 'mind pain to prophet.' It's inelegant, but it gets the point across I suppose."

"Wait... lecture? Lecture, lecture... lire is the french for 'read'..... lector would be reader? Menti cru ad lector?" At that point, Princess Luna put a hoof to her head and winced. "Oh hey! It worked! Thank's Lulu." Then I scampered off back to the training grounds to meet up with my team.








"Griffin! You're five minutes late for practice!" Ink scolded me. As the unofficial leader to our little group, (since Carton was the actual leader) I think she got off on bossing people around. After all, life is so much easier when people do what you tell them.

"Come on, let's get started already before Shining's squad takes the track. If they get there before we do, we'll never get to have a run on it." Chilly complained.

"Being on vacation didn't make you slow did it?" Daft chided.

"What are you, daft? Of course not!" I joked, making a play on his name. "I've just been working on some stuff is all. Ready to get to it fat.....so? Posh. DaFUQ happened to you over the two week holidays?" The formerly fat member of our team was still grand, but a fair portion of his mass had been replaced by muscle.

"While you were all galavanting about on your holidays, I spent mine working double time to get in shape. When the spring squad competition comes, I for one will NOT be holding anypony back." He stated with pride.


"You got in shape, over the holidays." Okay, so, it was a drastic change, but since Pinkie Pie can eat an entire cake that's three times her size, and ponies spontaneously combust if they get angry enough, I'll let the physics rest on this one and say if he tried hard enough, the magic would let it happen. "That's not easy. I have to say, I'm proud."


"Hey, save the encouraging speeches for the leader, would ya?" Inky scowled. "So, tell me feather head, what have you come up with that'll drop a full minute from our time?"

"Well, with Pish in better shape, I'd say that'll shave about fifteen seconds. Daft, if you use a self levitation spell while at the balance poles, it'll make them easier to run without falling. That'll take about ten seconds off." I explained.

"Then what about the other 35?" Inky looked at me. "Even with Chilly making a slide under them, you take nearly that long, and we can't do the wall, or finish the race for that matter, without you."

"If I want to pull that off, I'll need to be smaller. Unicorn magic is allowed, but  I'm not allowed to use my spells during the race, so it's not like I can swap mid race just for that obstacle..... now that's odd..." I looked up in the sky over Canterlot, to see a sleek, black, bagless airship maneuvering towards the castle. It had my emblem on it, with a white pillar on either side, set on a yellow stripe.


".... I gotta go guys."

"But what about running practice?"

"We'll catch up on that later." Leaving no room to object, I flew off towards the castle, expecting visitors.









Gilda






"Ah, welcome to Canterlot Miss Oro." That annoying butler pony, Mr. Teacup or something, greeted me on the landing strip. "May I suggest we enter quickly? This January air is quite frigid." He shivered slightly to emphasize his point, as well as shake some snow off his suit.


"Yeah. Sure. Come on everyone." Trixie and Nadene followed, both bundled up as much as can be in various scarves and jackets, while Growl and I, being used to cold weather, went as is. Geirmund came as well, as he had completed Griffin's human eye replacements, though his technology had an environmental control system that kept him warm.


We entered the castle proper, where we saw Celestia sitting on her throne, as usual, dealing with pompous, arrogant, scum sucking... lets just call them politicians. Someone complaining about the increased gem prices, blah blah blah, go contact Marble Pillars, since they're currently the largest legal exporter, blah blah blah. Next. Next... next...



"Ah, Gilda, so nice to see you. I was curious as to who owned that airship. What business have you to tend to?" Her royal haunches asked. So, I pulled out a scroll containing all the notes taken.


"Let's see. Marble Pillars is expanding. With the sudden influx of diamond dogs from both our liberation efforts, as well as a few dens deciding on their own to change their ways..." I saw the princess put on a knowing smile, as if she understood why four dens would suddenly and inexplicably grow a sense of guilt. "... as well as paying restitution to the slaves they held, they've grown to encompass sixty percent of the Gem Fido heartland. They've also reached out to dens in the north, east, and west regions of the province, and are waiting for reply. A number of dragons have also arrived, offering their services. As such, gem export will increase approximately forty percent within the next month. I suggest a 10% tax drop on commodities to make them more available yet still profitable."

"Agreed, though I will await the next shipment from Marble Pillars before changing the figures."

"Signal has lowered clam harvesting, as they're waiting for the spring generation to be stock before gathering the adults, so shell export to Gem Fido will be decreased. This won't cause a food crisis though, what with the increased gem production feeding the dogs and dragons, and the year long harvest of the tropics keeping everyone supplied."

"Excellent."

"The airship 'Hornet', the second ship in our fleet, is based on the light destroyer design currently used by Marble Pillars, though with extra rotors for increased stability and speed, to counteract the single ship length artillery piece in place of numerous smaller ones. It's a sniper ship. We're planning on getting a number of various models, most of them easier to fly than that one. Signal is also producing a number of trade ships, using the bountiful wood from neighboring islands, and our second colony has been completed as well. It hasn't been named yet, but we're leaving that to the zebras, since they put in a lot of effort to help build it."


"The zebras?" Celestia raised her eyebrow in question.




"Due to the increased economic possibility of having another nation spring up next to their own villages, as well as the aspects of weather control for higher crop yield and added security against raids by wild animals, such as harpies and the like, the council of elders made it quite clear that a partnership with the New Dominion would be in everyone's best interests." I explained. "So, they helped build the settlement. A fair number of displaced griffins have also gone to live in the tribes. The zebras have begun making medicines for export as well."


"It seems as though this new year has brought about a fresh start for many. Let us hope things continue going so well." Celestia smiled. A number of diplomats and such agreed, cheering 'Hear hear!' After all, I basically just told them the future trends of the Equestrian stock market, and anyone there could get rich either by playing the market or selling the information to those that could.

"Also, one of the colonists was a brewer before capture, and in his new found freedom, has opened a distillery on Signal, where he makes alcohol from bananas. It should be up to stock this spring when we can start export. Of course, I'll bring a bottle or two so we can try it out in advance."

"I will look forward to that. I trust that concludes our business?"

"Only one more item to attend to, your highness. Where's Griffin?"





"Right here." When I turned around to look at him, I had trouble keeping my jaw where it should be. He looked, well, to say the least, a LOT better. His eyes didn't shift around all the time, like he was expecting trouble. He moved with confidence instead of cautiousness, and the muscles! I know they put him in the military training regime, but that... He was covered in firm, lean muscle that showed though his coat in all the right places, and above all, he looked happy. Truly happy, not like the brave face he'd been putting on all this time. He didn't look like his anxious, tired self.





"Hey... come here often?"..... and he just killed it. I walked up to him and flicked him on the beak.

"You dork." He wrapped his neck around mine.

"I may be a dork, but I'm your dork. That reminds me. You weren't here for hearth's warming, but, I got you a little something anyways." He pulled out two boxes, each matching, and gave one to me. I opened it to find that there was a little red collar, with a silver bell and a red feather hanging from it. When I turned to look at him, he was putting on a collar of his own, this one purple, the same as my crest.. He plucked one of my feathers out with a pinch, and added it to his collar with the little clamp that was in place just for that purpose.

"To remind us of each other. I missed you, you know."

"And I, you. How much longer do you have to stay here?"

"I don't know. They say I'm finally starting to process magic normally again, so, maybe another month or two? Then I'll be good to go. I'll still have cravings though, but I'll just have to deal with them."


"That's good to know....."



.
.
.
.
.
.
"Hey! Stop hogging Griffin!" Nadene pounced and pulled us both into a group hug. "We missed you too! How about we get out of the throne room so we can catch up without keeping everyone waiting?"

"Uh... right."











Griffin





"So, anyways, that's what's been going on my end." I had explained pretty much everything that had gone on while they were away.

"So the whole crystal kingdom empire thing is a global chill pill?"

"Pretty much yeah."

"Well, that should make our jobs a little easier at least. Oh! Just remembered, Geirmund got something for ya." The mecha pony stepped forward with a box of his own.

"Ze'se are mechanical eyes zat vork ze same vay as ze ving. I dislike optics, und so it took a great deal of frustration to be able to produce zeese. I am confident zat zey vill be to your liking. If you vould be so kind as to change form, I vill install zem." He pulled out a pair of silver orbs, each with a small diamond in it, and a couple cables coming out the back.

"Alright, forma versus." Everything went black as my eyes vanished and I became human again. "So, do you want me to sit somewhere or what?"

"You may vish to lay down, as you remember, we sutured ze ends of ze optic nerves, it vill take time for zem to be reattached to ze new eyes, und then it vill take time for ze anethetic to vear off und you to be able to see. Now, open your eye holes." So, I removed my sunglasses and opened my eyelids. I felt something cold and metallic against my eye socket, and heard the whirring of gears before a slight sting, and then numbness. "Und now ze ozer vun." Same process. "You vill feel numb for a vile, und you must not change form until ze process is complete."


"Well, no point in just sitting around here for a few hours. Wanna see my room?"

"Kind of difficult with you not being able to show us and all." Gilda replied in a deadpan.

"Guard. Can you show us to my room?" I heard the clip clop of hoof steps as one of the guards entered.

"Of course, if you'll please follow me."




I slung my arm around Gilda's neck so I'd know where I was going, then walked with her as she and every one else followed the guard.
> The Spit Take (10)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


The Spit Take


In my room, I let Gilda, Geirmund, Nadene, Trixie, and Growl have a look around, making themselves comfortable, while I sat on the couch and waited for my robo eyes to finish doing what they were doing and start working. At one point Nadene sat next to me, so I idly started petting her head, and she started purring. Other that that, we spent more time catching up on current events.

"So, come spring time, there will be the squad competition. After that, I should be good enough to leave."

"You're going to be coming back in the fight, right?" I heard Trixie ask.

"To be honest, I'm not so sure anymore."

"What do you mean 'you're not sure'?" Gilda asked angrily.

"I've been doing a lot of thinking. Sure, I could get better, but then if I go back out there, who's to say I won't just fall back into the same old hole I'm working so hard to climb out of? The fact is, I don't know if I really want to go back to fighting."

"What of those who need to be saved? We have done much good in a short time." Growl stated methodically.

"Remember, a long time ago, I told you all what my goal was? I said, 'As long as we fight, even if we die, we'll have succeeded because we'll have made the world aware.' Or... something like that. The point is, from the very beginning, yes, it was about saving people, but more importantly, about getting the word out, and having them save themselves. Now, we've got Aoi doing his part, and from the news clippings I put together, there's a whole bunch more out there, all doing things in their own little way."


"What are you saying?" Gilda sounded a little choked up.


"I'm saying, it MAY be time for us to pass the torch. We've had a good run, and, we don't want to push our luck. How long has it been since the ponies we took on saw their friends or families, how long has it been since the cats have truly had a home to call their own? We can't make people keep fighting forever. They've done a tour of duty, and we've all done two. Marble Pillars is stepping up their game, and with the massive expansion they've had from the other dens falling in with them,..." I let out a sigh. "I'm saying it might be time to let other people carry the burden."


"But, what about the crew?" Nadene questioned.

"They'll be free to do whatever they wish, just like they've always been. If they want to keep fighting, they can do that. If they want to settle down, they can do that to. I know the tribe has been missing the jungles of their home, and many of the griffins want to settle in as well. During my time here, I found a peace of mind, a tranquility that I know, if I go back to fighting, I'll lose it." At this point, I'm regretting having the conversation right at that moment, because I can't read the expressions on their faces.


"I always said, the reason we were on that ship was we were fighting so we didn't have to be on it anymore. We all had something we wanted to accomplish, something we needed to do. The reason I was there, getting the word out, and letting people know, starting the cause, and making the banner for others to rally behind... I've done that." I paused to let everyone think through the reasons they were on board.


"That doesn't mean we have to split up. We could still use the ship. Remember, we're the front runners for the new trade committee. I know for a fact Etch has been busy in Canterlot as a correspondent with Gem Fido, acting as a neutral party."



"That's nice and all, but giving up the fight, I don't know if I'm ready to do that. I'm still hoping on the off chance that my parents are alive." Gilda said thoughtfully. "But, I should have known, as soon as you started living with the ponies, you'd want to stay."


"Gilda... it's not like..."

"Yes it IS like that Griffin! From the very beginning, that's what you wanted! To laugh and play all day, not a care in the world, and then I had to come along and drag you on this crazy warpath! When you got hurt by Ember, you should have quit right then and there, but you stayed, and you kept going along with it. Why? Because of ME! You stayed on longer than you wanted because you were so damn afraid that if you left, you'd be all alone. And now that you're not such a chicken shit anymore, just like that, you're bailing! I can't go till I find out what happened to my parents, but you're totally okay with just letting me go it alone?"


"Gilda, I stayed because I wanted to, and if you don't want to keep looking, that's fine, because with the way things are going, it likely wouldn't be US who found them anyways. Again, the whole point is that we've gotten others, an entire den of trained and armed soldiers, who know the battlefield. Let them carry the weight of the world for now."


"I... I... you're right." She let out a sob. "I just... I don't know. I don't blame you for wanting to stay. When I look at you, and see how much better you've gotten, but then I think about everyone who's just like I was, Etch and Growl were, my parents are, and I don't think I can stop yet, but I don't want to keep going without you either. I've just been so worried about everything since I found out I was pregnant."


*Pffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffftttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt* *Guh* *Hack* *Cough* I beat my hand on my chest to try and force out the water I just swallowed. I then fell right off the couch, and tripped as I tried to get up, hitting my arm on the coffee table. Reason number 242 why I always wear a protect spell.


"Uh..... what?"

"Oh...... oops. Surprise? I wanted to tell you sooner but, I needed to wait for the moment to be right."

"Air... need air. Open window."

"But it's Mid January..." Trixie mentioned.

"Open the damn window!" The gentle hum of magic was prelude to a rush of ice cold air, the shock of which snapped me out of it. "Thank you, that's enough..." The window closed with a click, so I waited a few moments to collect my thoughts.


"Okay." I took several deep breaths to calm down, before blowing it all away with excitement. "I'm gonna be a daddy!"






Everyone OTHER than Griffin





'Well, he took that much better than I was expecting.'





Griffin





"Oh, why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I was worried that you might be mad."

"Why would I be mad?" I was genuinely curious.

"This happened because of what Nadene and I did?"

"And we all said 'water under the bridge.' Oh, but this changes everything. You definitely can't go fighting a war now."

"W.. what? But what about finding my parents?"

"What about your unborn child? There is a chance of finding them, but they may be dead, where as you've got a child to think about. If the baby died because you were fighting, do you think you could forgive yourself? And how do you think I'd feel if I lost both you and my son or daughter?"

"I... I don't know!"





We spent several moments in silence, just sitting there, thinking about the situation, before I started again.


"Listen, you are your own person, and as much as I'll worry, I can't forbid you from fighting. But please, won't you stay?"

"That's why I wanted you to come with us, to stay on the crew. It's also why I was hesitant about telling you." Gilda replied.


...
...
...


"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay. I'll go, after I'm done treatment."

"But what about needing a reason to fight?"

"Well, I've CLEARLY got one now. I'd be protecting my unborn child. Once I'm finished here, I'll head back out, oh, but I have to make so many preparations! I've gotten loads of new ideas, and I need to make my human form stronger too, and then we'll have to get ready for the baby, and... I hope I'm a good father.......Hey! the eyes are working!" Sure enough, they blinked on, and there it was. There was no blurry, gradual recovery. It was just a sudden 'on'. I covered my eyes to deal with the brightness, though not because it hurt the eyes, but because it was so bright it gave my brain, unaccustomed to signals going through the optic nerve, the magical equivalent of a boot to the head, from the inside.



Once I gave them enough time to get used to the light, I could see clearly, though everything had a slight blue tinge to it.


"Ah, yes, zose are ze floodlights. Zey vill be qvite useful in ze underground or at night. If zey get in zee way, just close your eyes a little und zee eyelids vill cover ze lights around zee edges." Geirmund explained. I did as he instructed, and found that with a little effort, I could move them as I wanted.


"Excellent as usual. Many thanks. Uuuugh." I looked myself in the mirror. "Next order of business, haircut. I look like I have a chicken on my head.






I made my way to the castle mane stylist, while my visitors went out on the town, opting not to stick around while I got my hair done. Lets face it, getting a haircut is pretty boring. Of course, as soon as I entered the salon, a barber and stylist recoiled at the look of me, while some random pony shouted 'the horror' in the background. I didn't need to say a word. I got swept up in a magical aura, plunked down in a chair, and had my head dunked in a basin before I COULD say a word.



In the end, it came out alright. They didn't know anything about human hairstyles, and judging from the way some manes are done around here, I had to exemplify that 'Simplicity is elegance'. They went to work, and settled on a style that reminded me of Wander's hair from Shadow of the Colossus, except without the headband holding back the bangs, so they sat neatly on either side of my face, just barely in my peripheral vision.


"How much do I owe you?"

"Nothing. It's all on the house remember?" The barber replied.

"Oh, right. I've just never been here before."

"Well in that case, here." He passed me a coupon card thing. "It's part of a promotion to try and drum up business. A free couples access to any of the following, so you can take a friend. Knock yourself out. I'm not actually supposed to give these out anymore, but I had some spares left over, and even if the promotion is over, the cards don't expire. It's the least I can do since you brought my daughter back to me. You look like you need to catch a break."


"Um.... thank you."


"Don't mention it. Seriously. I'll get in deep with the ministry of service. You got that years ago."

"Gotcha. I forgot I put it in my other coat."





'Moustachio's Gym, haha... Moustachio, baby peanut, super weak! Not like I need a gym membership when I'm in boot camp. Starswirl's beard emporium? Facial hair would just get in the way, no matter how epic. Ponyville day spa? I could use that. Dale Cloud's Cloudsdale Coliseum? More like Doug Dimmadome's Dimsdale Dimmadome. Could be good...'


My very important card reading was interrupted by Gilda tackling me from behind.


"Reason 4 why I always wear a protect spell."

"Only number four?" She quipped. "What are the first three?

"3, assassination. 2, clumsiness. 1, Pinkie Pie."

"Yeah, those are pretty good reasons." She said as she flipped me onto my back so I could face her. "It's time to go. I know, it was a really short visit, but hey, in a month or so you'll be back with us full time."


"Be careful alright?" I ran my hands along her sides, having them come to rest on her stomach. She shivered slightly at the touch.

"Hey, what's there to wor..." I cupped my hand over her beak. "Right... I forgot. I'll be safe." She gave me a quick nuzzle before walking towards the door.


'Please be safe...'







The day after they left, I went down to the training course early, to get it before Shining's squad. considering he's still at the Crystal Empire with his wife, his trainees took it as him having confidence in them, so they took every opportunity to jeer at us as we went to the field. Not today though. I went out before the sun even came up, before even my team arrived.


"Nice of you to show up bird brain. Can't help but notice you're not so 'fluffy' anymore." Inky chided me. "You really left us hanging."


"Oh shut up, I'm going to be a dad, and I know how we're going to win the competition this spring." I replied as I stopped my run.


"Oh? And how's that?" Posh asked eloquently.





"Simple, we're going to cheat, run like hell, and hope we don't get caught."
> Cheaters Never Win... (11)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


... and winners never cheat. That is a lie, told only by the naive who believe it, and those who seek advantage over them. The truth, in all it's harsh reality, is that cheaters often win, so long as they never get caught. For, if their scheme is not discovered, then who is to say there was ever one at all? It is not whether or not we break the rules, but the method in which we do, that is important. We all cheat, it's just that some of us are bad at it. -Blackwing




"Wait, hold on, did you just say you're going to be a father?" Daffodil asked, still catching up on my half rambled sentence.

"Yes, I did."

"You must be so happy!" Chilly exclaimed.

"You know it, but that's still a ways off, can we focus on what we're doing?" I replied. My personal life is of no concern to them.

"For once, I agree. So, braniac, how are we going to pull this off?" Black Tattoo aka 'Inky' asked.

"Well, since me running the course as a griffin simply won't work due to the crawl wires, I'm going to run it as a human." I answered.

"Right, but you're not strong enough and don't have wings. In case you don't remember, that was the main reason we were so fast with the obstacles to begin with. You need to be able to help me throw Posh over that wall, and then let the rest of us scale it."

"Right, well, I have an idea on how to handle that. I'll need to dip into my resources a bit, but until I get what I need, I just need to focus on getting this body stronger. As for you guys, just let me get what I need. We'll shatter our current time. I'm going into town to find a craftsman, and I'll need you all to come with me. Just trust me on this one."


"Alright, you're the egghead." Inky replied.

"I gotta go to the castle first to grab some things from my safety deposit box, meet me at the gate to the town."







I met them at the agreed upon location, and the five of us set off into Canterlot proper. Walking down the streets, we caught sidelong glances and looks of haughty scorn. I say Inky's eye start twitching.

"Calm down, they do that to everyone. Just because they have money, blah blah blah. They wouldn't survive a day in the real world. Sure they sneer, but that's all they can do. It's better not to make a scene out of it, unless you want to play a little game with them."

All while I was saying this, Pish Posh returned their snobbery. After all, he was from a wealthy family as well. So, just for kicks, we all started mimicking them, acting like they were the dirt beneath our feet, not even giving them the privilege of being looked upon. After an indignant huff, they cleared a path, not wanting to breathe the same air as 'commoners'.

"Let's just get to the craftspony." I gave up a very good opportunity to troll them, but, this was business, fun could come after.







"Ah, greetings! Welcome to Shine's Shoes! My name is Shoe Shine, how can I help you?" A voice greeted us following the jingle of a bell as we entered the store. A middle aged, beige earth pony stallion with a stylized horseshoe mark on his flank, a pair of circular rims in front of his eyes, and a wispy mane that had been brown at one point, but had the telltale grey of age staggered through it stood behind the counter.

"I'd like to make a special order."

"How special?" He asked, pushing his glasses up on his face to get a better look at us. I pulled out a bag that was hooked to my belt, and dumped the contents on the counter. Gems, a fair number of them at that. "That's... pretty special. What exactly were you thinking tall feller?"

"Well, for these four, I need these gems made into horseshoes, so you may need to get a gem cutter for assistance."

"That's not too difficult."

"I'm the special order. You see, I have very different... hooves, that have very particular requirements."

"I see... well, come in back and let's take a look at you."



We all walked into the back of the shop, where I removed my running shoes, the things I'd been wearing since I came to Equestria, except in bed of course. I passed him the shoes so he could get a better look.


"Specifically, I need a pair of those made, but with gems in them, under the rubber cushion. I also need a pair of gloves done in the same manner."

"Uh... what are gloves?"

"Cloth covering for hands." I held out my hand to let him take a good look at it.

"Hmm... and what about payment?" He asked.

"As long as the quality is good and they serve their purpose, I have no complaints about you keeping the excess. I know how hard gems are to come by, what with their prices nowdays. That should cover it."


"Eh, alright, what the heck. I was hoping for something interesting to happen. Let me take all your measurements."



The four ponies were rather simple. He just measured their hooves, and sent them off. He told me that he'd use a mold he had for the size, pour the liquid steel in with crushed gems, let it cool, then make the fine adjustments afterwards, so it would be a kind of steel/gemstone alloy. As for me, he spent quite a bit of time measuring my feet and hands, and had his neighbour, a tailor, come over to inspect the shoe.


"So, on the feet, it just encompasses the entire appendage, but on the hands, there has to be space between each claw?"

"Finger, and yes. If there wasn't, I couldn't pick anything up."

"But then why not the feet?"

"Do you pick things up with your rear hooves?"

"Fair enough."

"So, wait, the glove needs to have fabric around each digit?" The tailor, Miss Threadbare, a unicorn who had a grey coat, cobalt mane, and spool of thread for a mark asked.

"Yes, but only go about half way. I prefer fingerless gloves because they don't make my hands sweaty."

"So complex, and you want gemstones inset? For what reason? That much wouldn't be very stylish."

"Just put them in the wristband. It'll be fine."

"I understand the shoes at least. Hmm, perhaps I could come up with padded horseshoes, hmm, but most ponies don't like the feeling of rubber. Condensed cloud?"

"Try felt." Shoe Shine suggested.

"Too ticklish, go for folded silk or satin for a smooth feeling." I added... Damn, I'm getting distracted. "Wait, never mind that. Yes, I want mine made with rubber soles, with gems set into it. And for the surrounding material, something strong, but make it breathe. If the wind is blowing, I want to feel it on my feet."


After hashing out the details, I left my shoes with the capable couple of crafters, who told me to return in three day's time, and walked back to the castle.











"Ow, ow, ow, ow." I sat in my room, massaging my feet.


"Is something the matter Griffin?" Celestia asked during her once daily check in on me as she took her stroll around the castle..

"Yeah, I'll never take shoes for granted again. You don't think about them till you walk a mile on cobblestone barefoot. Protect spell doesn't stop them from getting sore... I wonder if I should have used the cushion spell for that? Hmm, no, that would make it like walking on memory foam and I'd just fall over."

"Why didn't you just fly back?" She raised her eyebrow at me.

"Well I... um... well, uh........."



...


...


Facepalm.







Later







So, for the next three days I stayed as a griffin, opting not to have sore feet again, before flying back down to the store, meeting my team there. We picked up our order, and the four of them had their new shoes put on, while I tried out my new ones as well.

"Well, the design was complicated, but I think we got it. Shoes, designed like your old ones, rubber sole with gems set into the platform, silk interior, cotton for the outside, dyed white, placed over banded steel for strength. Gloves, velvet, steel ring wrist clasp with gem dust mixed throughout, fingerless. Try them on."


Well, considering they basically copied my old shoes, which fit fine, the only difference being the interior material was smooth and felt better on my feet, and the gems in the sole, it was great. The gloves were also up to my specifications, and fit, well, like a glove. The four ponies trotted around, hearing the 'clink clink' of their new shoes against the stone, and looking at the sparkle they gave off when the light shined on them. They were quite happy as well, if a little confused.



So, we made our way back to the guard barracks, where Shining's squad was waiting for us, mockery in full.

"Well well, didn't see you on the course today, finally realized it's useless and there's no way you'll win?" Lieutenant DOUCHEBAG chided. That's not his real name, he's just not important enough for me to bother learning it.


"Nah, just getting new shoes. Old ones were worn out. Causing some problems. Without those old things getting in the way, we'll drop maybe, hmm, twenty seconds from our time? Have to test it out, but first we need to break in the new shoes. See ya later, Captain Crunch." I turned to the other members of my squad. "Let's go eat in my room to discuss tactics."







"So, why is it then that we're wearing these?" Daft asked.

"Hold on, Umbra. There, the room is sound proofed."

"Why?" Chilly questioned.

"It may be paranoid, but our opponents REALLY want to win this. I don't think they believe themselves above spying on us."

"Okay, enough with keeping us in suspense. Why are we wearing the worlds most expensive horseshoes?" Inky glared seriously.

"Are you familiar with Starswirl's Triune of Magic Proficiency?"





So, I taught them magic. Gem charging, rather easy since they're in contact with their horseshoes all the time, and a couple spells for speed, strength, and whatnot. The whole point behind it was to give us an edge, but a discreet one. If we suddenly ran so fast we caused rainbooms they'd know what's up, but the way I figure, these shoes, when charged, would give at nice boost without being obvious.


"Alright, so, Daft, you were having trouble on the balance poles. Volare is your spell. It's a flying spell, but with such a low caliber, it'll be more like a light footed spell. It's not enough to make you fly, but it IS enough to make you nearly weightless. Balancing is pretty easy when there's almost nothing pulling you down. You ought to be able to hop across those poles like nothing, once you've practiced with them. Everyone else can use them for speed to move through the other bits of the course more quickly like the ring run and wire crawl, while Inky and I use them for strength to put you three over the wall. Then Chilly and Daft use your horns to lift us over, and we finish the course. What we should be training now isn't the course itself, but charging our shoes while we move. Just try to be aware of your body, and think of the gems as an extension of it." I explained.


"So then, what are you going to do?" Inky asked.

"I need to go see a friend."









______________________________________









"Hey Etch, you busy?"
> Know Your Enemy(12)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


In order to act properly in a situation, you must understand the situation, but life is full of surprises. You can't possibly learn all of them. What we really need to understand is ourselves. To know ourselves and be confident in our abilities. You are your own worst enemy. If you can defeat yourself, your own weakness and cowardice, anxiety and panic, to keep a calm mind no matter the circumstance, you can adapt to anything life throws your way. -BlackWing



"So, why are we doing this again?" Etch asked me, in my human form, with his wife Malina and son Grog on the sidelines.

"Well, I just got this feeling that I might need to fight using my human body, so I need to get used to actual fighting, as compared to street scuffles. That, and I know next to zilch about diamond dog anatomy. Everything I know about pressure points is based off humans. I need to figure out how you move, and what to expect. You were a guard for your alpha before he died, you should know some fighting technique."

"I do."

"Alright, so, we'll move onto that in a bit, but first, I need to take a better look at you. I'll start with the key differences. Okay, so, human legs, the knee bends forwards, on diamond dogs, in bends backwards. I know that to knock someone over, hitting them in the back of the knee is a good way to do it. I'm wondering if it's the reverse. Just try and stand still while I push on the joint."

Etch stood rigid, trying to resist any force exerted on him, while I put my foot to his knee and started pressing. It didn't take very much force to bend, and put him off balance. I let off, and allowed him to stand again, before taking another look.

The thing about dog feet, is that they're much like an elongated human foot, walking on tiptoes. The pads and claws are the toes and ball of the foot, while the 'heel' actually includes the ankle. Then there's a knee, the 'shin' and a second knee, then the leg, where it attaches to the body. By testing with Etch, I found that by pressing down on the heel, forcing him to walk 'flatfooted' would very nearly make him fall over, making him lean forwards on the other side to compensate. Soon as he did that, I could get under him, and as I learned from him, when fighting diamond dogs, it's ALL about who can get lower.


"When we fight one another, we must take care to never leave the ground, which is why when we fight, we like to run on all fours. It makes it easy to quickly dig into the ground and come up elsewhere in an ambush, and makes it harder to get under us." He explained.


"That's the problem, there's no way I can beat a diamond dog in getting low if they're on all fours, not when they can pretty much swim through loose dirt."

"Which is why you need to draw your opponent."

"Right, I need to pull them from their comfort zone and make them fight on my terms. So then, a feign. I have to make them go on the offense. The best way to do that is flying. They can't touch me without leaving the safety of the underground, but it doesn't help at all when WE'RE underground. I mean,  So far, we've been winning because we have the range advantage, and the element of surprise, as well as organization. I need to figure out what to do if those are taken away. The flight advantage vanishes as soon as they bring out the nets, and if we're underground, enemies could pop up behind us at any point, or even in the middle of our defensive line, so there goes surprise. The only thing keeping us afloat is we're better organized, and judging by the coordinated attack on Signal, we'll lose that advantage as well, much sooner than I'd like."


"That is a problem, but I'm not sure what we can do about it."

"Well, when you're digging, what do you watch out for?" I asked.

"Well, gems." I resisted the urge to facepalm.

"Okay, let's play a game. I'll give you a sentence, with a blank. When I finish the sentence, you fill in the blank."

"Okay..."

"Oh please oh please, don't let there be 'blank' on the other side of this wall I'm digging through."

"Wadder!" Grog shouted from the sidelines.

"Lava!" Malina added enthusiastically.

"A pit." Etch continued.

"Alright, now, here's the question, why?"

"Well," Etch began, explaining for his family. "If you dig under the water level, then it all comes pouring out and floods the tunnels. There's often underground lakes or hotsprings. If you're not careful to listen for water, you'll dig right into one and drown. If you dig and you wind up above water level, then the whole area under it is useless. We can't dig there because if we do, the tunnels could flood at any point, without warning."

"Okay, so, water. I have a feeling lava goes for the same reason, except that it's also on fire." The three dogs nodded. 

"Lava smells bad too." Grog pointed out.

"That.... that's toxic gas. Deadly if you breath too much of it. Okay, so why a pit?"

"If we come across a pit, we have to try and dig to the bottom of it, and it's a lot of work, but it's also dangerous because  of falling. There could be lava at the bottom of the pit. We also don't like gravel or sand because it isn't sturdy. It can fall right out from under you if there isn't something solid under it, and if it's above you, even the slightest noise can knock it loose and bury you alive. We might be good diggers, but we still need air."

"Okay, so, water, I think I can work with that. Lava, not so much, and not when we've got thermite. Cave ins I could see using, toxic gas could be moved with a wind spell, Tricking enemies into falling into pits, what else do we have?"

"Tar. Black gunk. Sticky. Fall in, you can't get out. Tastes bad, burns." Malina stated.

"And tar. Hmm. Okay. So, I think it's mostly going to be about finding these locations to use to our advantage. How do they mark areas they've found?" I asked.

"Every clan has their own way." Etch said simply.

"Damn, that makes it complicated. Using a spell when you don't know what you have available will be, at best, a gamble. Cast an aqua spell, maybe nothing happens, maybe flood the whole warren and kill the one's we're trying to save. I'll need to think about it. Thanks for your time."

"It was nice to see you again, and that you are well." He bowed, as did his family, before I left.









"How are things Griffin?" Celestia asked as she passed by my room.

"They're going pretty well. I've got a particularly troublesome problem that I'm thinking about, so that's good," I like brainteasers. "let's see, I'm figuring some more magic things out, I'm going to be a father, I'm going to start working out my human body as well, can't complain."


"Um... what?" The princess stepped back.

"Yeah, Gilda's pregnant. I actually wanted to talk to you about that. I'm... worried." She came closer again.

"When aren't you worried?" She cracked a joke, I didn't laugh. "But under the circumstances, I think this time is justified."

"It's just so much, you know? I'm feeling torn. I don't want to fight anymore. I really don't. I'm finally starting to become happy. But then, Gilda's not ready to stop yet. I'll be going so I can protect her and my unborn child. But what about after the baby's born? Then what will happen? Will she stop? Will she keep fighting while I take care of the child? I'm damn sure I'm not raising a kid on a warship. And, will I be a good father? Or, will I be just like mine? I think that's what scares me the most, turning out like him and making the same mistakes he made." I hung my head as I sat on my bed. I felt something soft and feathery on my back, and found that Celestia was sitting next to me.


"I know you won't, because you'll do everything to ensure you do not, and I have come to learn that when you do something, you spare no effort. If anything, you'll be so desperate to not be a bad father that you'll smother your child and stop them from 'leaving the nest'."

"... oh no... what if I do that and then he or she grows up hating me because I never let them do anything! It'll be just like Finding Nemo, except the fishermen play for keeps!"

"I... don't know that reference. What I do know is you need to take a deep breath and calm down. Panicking won't get you anywhere." I was about to tell her my thoughts, but she cut me off. "And neither will rigid preparation." She didn't show any signs of pain.

"Did you read my mind? I thought my headache spell took care of that!"

"No, I didn't, I'm just getting to know you well is all." We sat and stared at each other for a moment before breaking out into giggles.



"Mphf, hahaha, oh noes! You've figured me out! How will I ever play pranks again?... Yeah, I guess you have had your fair share of practice dealing with a neurotic unicorn, no wonder you're so good at this." I laughed.

"Well, I'll let you get back to it." And with that, she left.

"Okay, gems in the gloves and shoes, focus on feeling their presence, an extension of my body, just like my wing, feel the magic flow, focus. And, volare." Unfortunately, I had concentrated only on the feet and not the hands as well, so I found myself  off balance. Trying to shift my focus to my hands to regain control, I dropped my concentration on the left foot, and wound up hanging upside down by my right one.

"Ah crap." As soon as I cut the spell, I was dropped on my head. I rolled over and got back up, ready to try again.. 'And protect spell saves my rear again. Okay, hands only this time.'

It went much better. I had more balance, but I was using only my arms to hold myself up, with everything below them dangling limply without support from the legs.. 'Looks like I have a long way to go. Better check in with our fearless leader.'






"So, you figure it out yet?" I chided Inky, Chilly, and Posh. I didn't see 'Daft' Daffodil. They were all in the castle workout room, which they had reserved for the next three hours, so they could get some privacy.

"No. But I blame that on the teacher. You made it sound so simple in words. What kind of idiot tells us this stuff without showing us how?" Ink sneered.

"Yeah yeah, well guess what? It ain't that easy. I just fell flat on my face trying to fly without wings. It's not very easy keeping concentration on four different spots all at once."

"I don't see what's so difficult about it." I heard Daft declare. "I mean, you walk right? That's four hooves doing different things at the same time." I looked up to find that he was walking on the ceiling, floating a glass with a milkshake in front of him.


"Show off." Inky pouted.

"Wait... that's it! Daft, what are you thinking about right now?"

"Uh, nothing? I'm just walking around up here, drinking a milkshake."

"Programming!"

"Huh?"

"Mental programming. When you preform an action repeatedly, it becomes second nature, to the point that you don't even need to think about it, which means you can direct your attention elsewhere. Right now, you're filling and moving those gems unconsciously, so you can focus on levitating the milkshake with your horn. Okay, Inky, instead of doing them all at once, let's go one at a time."




For the next month and a half, we kept focus on one gem at a time, till we no longer needed to concentrate to charge them up. Then, we'd add one, while maintaining the other. Then another, and finally, the fourth. This was fairly easy for me, since I'd been 'charging' Hades for a long time before that, adding more focal points wasn't all that difficult. Then, we began working on having them move how we wanted, just by wanting it, like how I moved my prosthetic wing. The spell is activated by words, but is directed by thought. Once it was 'turned on', we just had to want it. You don't walk by thinking 'right foot, left foot' or breath by thinking 'in, out'. You just do. And by mid February, we had mastered it. We were walking on ceilings, floating around on 'invisible chairs', and, while this next bit wasn't any accomplishment for the unicorns, Inky, Posh and I were able to pick things up from a distance.

All while this was happening, we were still doing the boot camp training regime. We were getting stronger by the day, and surprisingly, I wasn't a string bean anymore. I was more like a regular bean, but hey, it was an improvement.


"Alright, the one thing we have to remember is that this levitation is slow. It's for lift, not propulsion, so unless you have something solid to kick off of, you won't go very fast. Just use it for balance and adding to your existing motions. We'll use accelero most of the time, fortis for the wall, and volare for soft landings and the balance poles. The competition is in two weeks, let's be ready to show Shining's squad what we're made of."
> Run (13)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Run



No matter the trap, no matter the bind, there is always a way out, always a loophole, always a trick. No one can think of everything. -BlackWing





I spotted the blade pointed towards my throat, it's wielder pulling his arms back in a stab. It's aim was true, and impossible to block, as it would glance off any defense and still strike, though in a less vital location. Bringing my left hand forwards, I pressed the dagger held within up against the flat of the blade, directing it away before it could be sent forth. In the same motion, I slid my blade along his, making his eyes widen as he saw the point rushing to meet him, all while keeping his only method of defense at bay.


"You're dead Etch." I stated calmly, with my kris up against his throat.

"Looks like you got me again." We both lowered our wooden tools, and wiped the sweat from our brows. Considering that my human form is based more on stealth than strength, I decided to work with the typical assassin gear, being a dagger, blowdarts, and vials. We never had much of a need for espionage up to this point, so Nadene's stealth skills went mostly unused. As soon as I realized that, I figured our enemies would realize it as well, (the fact that we were using mostly open assault instead of assassination and sabotage) and would be training forces to deal with an army, not a small group of hidden fighters.

"Swords are fast but can be parried, Axes and maces are heavy, but also slow, so they have to be dodged. I can use repello or expelli armus for ranged attacks to send them away, and protego for when I do get hit, if my opponent uses daggers as well, but for the most part, I'm going to want to avoid being seen in the first place. I guess all I can really do now is sneak around the castle and try to avoid getting caught for practice. Thanks Etch, you were a big help."

"I do all I can." He gave a polite nod, then walked back to his family. I ruffled Grog on the head, then exited the room, blinking out of existence when I reached the hall.


Rather than keeping up an invisibility spell, I used umbra to both shade and mute myself, just trying to avoid being seen as I tried to find my way wandered aimlessly on purpose. It worked, until I came across Princess Luna who spotted me and dispelled my magic.


"Did you really think you could hide from the mistress of the night?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No, not really. Hmm, I guess the better half of hiding is about avoiding people with heightened senses. I wonder if there's a way to find out how skilled in detection someone is other than knowing them." I put my hand to my chin and started scratching as I thought. "I got nothing, other than that I need a shave. Oh, can you let me into my safety deposit box? I need to get some stuff out of it."





My things were kept under tight security, due to the nature of what they were, and what they could be used for, so the only way someone would be allowed to open it was if one of the princesses were present, hence why I had Luna come with me. We entered the storage locker-bank-vault thing, found my box, and opened it up. In it was my armor, the broken bits of Hades, a number of chem vials, and the scale Ember left me. I lifted my sword out by the handle, running my hands along the flat and grip in a somber mood. Luna seemed to notice this.

"Is something the matter?"

"I just, when I think about this thing, everything I've done with it, was it all worth it? Was it supposed to break, and should it stay broken? I don't know. This blade is a simile for me. It's just as broken as I am, Now that I've gotten better, I'm debating on whether on not I should get it fixed, never mind the four million bits Aoi wants to do it." I wrapped all the broken pieces back in the blanket wrapped around them, so that they wouldn't cut anything, but kept the main piece with the handle. I also took out Ember's scale.


"Hades was made from a smooth, flexible scale, meant so it doesn't hinder movement, like what would be found on the neck, leg, or stomach. This one is rigid and thick, it's edge isn't very sharp, but I could shave it into a proper edge without much effort. Something like this would be put in layers over a vital area that doesn't need to move much. Every time I look at it, I keep thinking it would be on her chest, to protect her heart. She told me in a letter that it would be stronger than my sword. That's what I don't understand, why give me a scale meant to guard her heart, and why give me anything in the first place? It doesn't make any sense, although I'm not expecting much logic out of a schizophrenic." I ran my hand along the edge, pressing so it made an ever so slight cut on my thumb.


"Griffin?" I heard Luna call my name, as if to ask if I was alright. I looked into my reflection in the flat of the scale, and noticed a mystified look on my face. I shook my head to snap out of it, then let out a soft sigh.

"Sorry, yeah, that's everything. Let's go." I closed the box, then left with my belongings and headed to my room.





Once I was in the solitude of my abode, I pulled out what I had taken from my storage box and looked at the items again. I placed Hades on the floor and sat on the handle to hold the blade still, while I ran Ember's scale across it's remaining edge over and over again, wearing the small one down at one end to give it a handle, sized to fit my hand, then shaving it to give it an edge. I spent about a day and a half doing this, sparing time only to eat, sleep, and practice on the course, only being present enough that my absence would go unnoticed. Once I had finished this, I wrapped the handle in some silk I bought from town, with a loop in it so I could attach it to my belt loops.

"Now all that's left is to give you a name..." I said to the dagger, before lighting it with an ignis spell, then snuffing it. "I'll have time to think of one later." I hooked it into my belt loop, then walked out.






Celestia





Grr, shut UP you pompous, arrogant...

"If I may interrupt Lord Asinine, I will consider your proposal and contact you when I have reached a decision. As this is a serious matter, I require time to be private with my thoughts."

"Of course, Princess. I'll take my leave then."

Thank the stars, I thought he'd never stop talking. He thinks if he just keeps telling me about his inane idea that I'll be brainwashed into thinking it's a good idea. "Court will be taking a twenty minute recess for lunch. Dismissed." All the various nobles who sought my ear left the throne room, while I had Mr Teacup bring out a platter with a slice of vanilla cake on it, then leave me with my treat. I levitated the fork, stuck it into the rich, moist, succulent pastry, brought the cutlery to my mouth, closed my eyes, and bit down.


Much to my surprise, instead of a light and fluffy slice of heaven, I tasted nothing but the cold steel of the fork. I opened my eyes in surprise to find the portion that had been on my fork was floating in front of my eyes, lacking the telltale aura of unicorn magic keeping it in place.

"What?"

My vision followed it as it floated up above my throne, then over to the back rest before vanishing entirely. As it ceased to exist, something else took it's place. There was Griffin, perched like an owl on the backrest of my seat. He wiped his lips with a thumb before licking the icing off of it.

"Hi." He stood there for a moment, crouched, completely still and silent. "Bye." Then, he vanished again. I simply shook my head and went back to my lunch.










Griffin





"Alright, so remember everyone, the time to beat is a minute fifty-two seconds. We'll want to get about a minute forty five, just so it's not too obvious. I checked the order, we'll be going last, so we get to see what every other squad does, and how their times are. It also means we'll have to wait for every other squad to go, and for the course to be reset between them, so try not to let yourselves get psyched out." Inky instructed. Then she turned to me. "You got everything ready as planned?"


I pulled down the sleeves on my winter coat and buttoned them, to cover the gems set in the wrists of my gloves. I was allowed to wear that, as I didn't have a fur coat and would get hypothermia if I didn't. The other members of my squad wore scarves and such to keep them warm, as they didn't count as special equipment. I quickly jumped into a single handstand, using the levitation spell on the four points to keep my balance, while it was my strength alone that allowed me to start doing repetitions in that position as Shining Armor came out of the castle. I saw him look at me with a hint of confusion on his face.

"Not running it as a griffin?" He tilted his head slightly.

"Nah, that would be easy. I wanted a bit of a challenge, considering we can already crush your personal record."

"Is that so? You seem confident. I look forward to seeing how well you perform without your spells." He replied.

"Oh, I'll have my spells, I just won't be the one casting them. There's nothing against unicorns using magic." And that's where the lie is. We'll get away with it because they can't prove they were using my kind of magic instead of their own, nor can they prove that Inky, Posh and I were using it ourselves.

"I just don't want to see any cheating." He returned.

"Don't worry, you won't see any." I smirked. Ever so slight emphasis on 'see'.

"I'm serious. Don't break the rules." He warned sternly.

"Silly Shining Armor, I can't break the rules, because in war, there are none." I pushed off with my hand and righted myself, gaining about four seconds of air time before landing gently on my feet. He looked at me, then saw Chilly's horn glowing, narrowed his eyes, then walked off.


"Was that wise?" Posh asked me. "Taunting him? Now he'll be certain that we'll break the rules."

"It doesn't matter either way. Shining and Celestia know me. They're sure I'll cheat regardless, and they'd be more suspicious if I didn't have anything up my sleeve. I showed him how we're going to play, so he'll be focused on catching me cheating that he won't even notice that you're doing it, and as long as one of you has your horn glowing at all times, he can't catch me, and you will, since you'll be charging up your own shoes." I explained.

"So then, you're the distraction. They won't expect us to break the rules, just you. Make them look the wrong way. Very well played."

"Hey, it was In.. Tatoo's idea. Quite clever. Anyways, let's go get started."




All the 'active' squads put on their armor and gear, then marched out into the courtyard and split in half to encircle it. They pulled out horns and blew them to announce the recruits who would be partaking in the events. Other than the obstacle course, there was a martial arts competition, jousting, and team CTF, but those would be taking place later in the year when the weather permitted. Right now was just the winter obstacle run, well, that and the snowball fight, but that was just for fun, and was squads versus crowd. I guess it was set up like how they did the summer and winter Olympics, but it was every year. Celestia was on the castle balcony, while a horde of ponies bundled up in winter clothing sat in the bleachers around the arena. 

"Squads assemble!" Shining stamped his hoof from on the stage. He introduced a titanic pegasus mare done up with the same colour scheme as Fluttershy as 'Captain Barricade' then a massive earth pony stallion and his squad, a number of other captains, then, his own.

"Shining Armor's squad! I know I have been absent for the past couple months, but I am confident that if you followed my training regime, you will be a 'shining' example to the rest of the units! And finally, *groan* Corporal Carton's Milk Lovers."

Wait, THAT'S what we're called? THAT'S our squad name!?

"Don't look down on us! Milk grows strong bones!" Our commander shouted. The audience laughed. And I just became aware that the whole point of this was to shame us publicly. I tapped my commanding officer on the shoulder, and handed him a piece of paper.

"Corporal, Inkamina, Posh and I took the liberty of writing your All-Squad competition trophy acceptance speech. I think you'll prefer it to the usual 'Shining Armor is a much better commander than I am' dribble that he makes you read every year when he beats you."

"Tell me feathers, can you really do it? All these years, I been training up scumbags that nopony else would, making delinquents into guards. All these years, I worked harder than any ah them, and I been payed back with shame. Because of that, I learned humility, and to carry on, even when nopony believes in you, but just once, just once I wanted to make those stuck up commanders eat the paper their speeches are written on, and I ain't gonna retire till I do."

I looked at my C.O, along with the rest of the squad. I turned to Inky, who got a maniacal smile and a gleam in her eye. That was all the answer I needed.


Celestia began to speak from her position. "Attention everypony! Each year, we hold a series of events, to test the mettle of our newest recruits. Today's event is the winter obstacle course. For our fighting forces, being in the right position is of great importance, so this event is designed to test their mettle, and see how effectively they can get through the battlefield, in even the harshest conditions. Wind, ice, sleet, snow. Our squads will face all of these as they try to navigate. First, there are the hoops, which must be jumped through in order, then the balance poles, followed by the rope swings, frozen pond, wire crawl, and a ten foot high wall that must be scaled, before finally running to the finish line. Failure to pass through one of the rings, falling off a pole or a swing, or touching a wire will result in a five second penalty per instance, up to a maximum of five instances, which will result in disqualification."


"I remember when I started, I couldn't even fit through the rings." Posh recalled, tapping a hoof to his chin.

"I remember falling off every balance pole." Daft said, looking down.

"I remember not being able to make it over the wall." Inky said, looking nostalgic.

"I remember slipping off the rope swing." Chilly pointed out.

"I remember hitting every wire in that trap." I added. "But, we are not who we were."

"Let's begin."



We took our positions on the squad bleachers to watch while the other groups ran. All of the squads ran, their times averaging between 1:55 and 2:10, not bad at all. All that was left was Shining Armor's squad, and our own, and they were up first.

They all crouched down near the starting line, getting ready to run. When the whistle blew and the clock started, they took off like a shot, and moved into a single file line, with a pegasus at the front, followed by three unicorns, and another pegasus. They each grabbed hold of each other's flanks, the pegasi lifting the line, while the unicorn's steered with magic. The whole group jumped through the rings at once, and did not lose one another in the snow as they were all connected. They had cleared the rings in fifteen seconds.

Staying in formation, they released one another. The lead pegasus gently landed on each pole, pointing it out to his squad mates who would jump on them in order, while the rear pegasus kept anyone from losing their balance by hopping along right behind and holding up anyone who looked wobbly. That took them twenty seconds.

After that was the rope swing. You were 'supposed' to go across one at a time so you didn't break the rope, but with the unicorns using a spell to decrease their weight, they all went across at the same time. It took them five seconds.

When they came to the frozen pond, they took up their conga line again and skated around each of the poles on the ice, once again using the pegasi wing power for thrust, and the unicorns to keep the snow away and such. Twenty seconds.

When they reached the wire crawl, all but one unicorn stopped to catch their breath. The one who did not stop, who had been in the middle of the conga line and essentially slacking the whole time, crawled through the wires, and once on the other side, cast a teleport spell on each of his comrades to bring them over. He had saved his energy the entire time so they could skip that challenge. Clever. Twenty five seconds to bring them all over.

When they reached the wall, the unicorns began levitating each other over it, the last one being picked up by the pegasi who lifted him to the other side. When they were all together, they ran to the finish, with a total time of one minute, thirty eight seconds.


"And we have a new course record! Beating the old record, held by Shining Armor himself, by fourteen seconds, is his own trainees!" Looking at them laying in the snowbank, huffing and panting, but with smiles on their faces, Shining beamed. They saluted from their prone positions, then slowly got to their hooves, and went to hit the showers.



"Beat THAT Griffin." The guard captain chided me as he walked back up to the podium.

"Hey Griffin?" Inky asked.

"Yeah?"

"Screw trying not to be obvious. They already know we're gonna cheat, why bother trying to hide it?" She had a very good point.

"Everyone?" I looked to the rest of my team, who had no objections, only evil grins. "Then let's do it." We huddled to discuss what we would do for each section, and once we had made up our minds, we took our positions at the starting line.




The whistle blew, and we ran. We allowed Chilly and Daft to go ahead of us. Instead of moving to pass through the hanging rings, they used their magic to line them all up. We jumped through the whole lot of them at once, then let them go so they'd spring back into position. Seven seconds.

Then came the balance poles. We quickly turned on our volare spells and stood on Posh's extra large back as he ran the poles for us, barely bending them as our combined weight was little more than that of a filly. We landed on the other side and jumped off, running again. Twelve seconds.

Then came the rope swing. Again using our volare spells, we all grabbed the rope at once and swung over, essentially copying what Shining's squad had done. Five seconds.

At the frozen pond, we lost a bit of time skating around the flags as we wiped out once. We were able to recover, but between that and not having wings for propulsion, relying on pushing against slippery ice for movement, we took thirty seconds.

"Chilly! you're up!" Inky called. The unicorn ran in front of us and went into a slide, casting a frost spell under the tripwires, making an ice slide. We all dove and dropped as flat as we could, sliding right under them and to the other side in under fifteen seconds.

Finally, the wall. This was where we would have trouble. I didn't have wings anymore, so I couldn't carry Posh over after he had gotten a boost from the rest of us, luckily, we had a plan for that too. We all grabbed hold of his massive bulk, and dumped the remainder of our magic into protect and speed spells and we ran. We turned him into a battering ram and smashed right through the wall, making it topple behind us as we ran to the finish line.


"I... don't believe this. With a total time of one minute, twenty seconds, the 'Milk Lover squad has the fastest time!" The look on his face when we smashed his record was priceless. "Please come up to the podium to accept your trophy." He sighed dejectedly.

So, we all walked up to that stage, and Carton took out the paper we gave him.


"Greetings Canterlot, on behalf of Griffin, Black Tattoo, 'Daft' Daffodil, Winter's 'Chilly' Chill, and Pish Posh, I would like to say that we are lying, cheating, no good scoundrels?" The audience gasped. He raised his brow at us. I motioned to him to continue. "You will never know, if today, we broke the rules, and if you do know that we did, you will never know how. In war, there are no rules. 'Cheating' is nothing more than using everything at your disposal to win, which, when lives are on the line, should be expected, not scorned. We won today because we break convention, and are willing to do what it takes, while you were not. That is why we are better than you. I'll take my trophy now." Then he folded up the page and looked around awkwardly.

"I can't give you this trophy, you cheated!" Shining shouted into the microphone. Inky simply walked up, took the trophy, plopped it down on Carton's back, then took the mike.


"Prove it." Then she walked off towards the castle.

"We won." Chilly said, then followed.

"You lost." Daft added, then followed.

"We, the outcasts and losers, who entered this competition, everpony expecting us to be shamed, beat you." Posh stated, then followed. Finally, I walked up to Shining, who looked to be fuming, but at the same time, unable to comprehend how this had happened.

"You mad?" I left the stage, looking back to see Carton with a small tear hanging in his eye, take the crumpled up speech, and stick it right in Armor's open mouth, before taking the trophy to his office. We all left, and as we did, I used a last bit of magic to start playing a song.


"Princess Celestia, you're not just going to let them get away with this are you?" Shining called to the balcony.

"Indeed I am. He's right, after all. I had a feeling this is how things would turn out. In this competition, contestants were only allowed to use their natural abilities. Griffin is a natural born cheater."

"You mean, you knew?"

"He appeared out of thin air, on the backrest of my throne, and ate the first bite of the cake I was going to eat for lunch. That was his way of telling me. There is a reason, Shining Armor, why he and his 'pirates' have been able to do so much more in this world than the Equestrian guard, despite being of smaller numbers and no official combat training regiment besides a couple years practice and the tips of a few adventurers and street brawlers. They do what nopony thinks possible, or is willing to do. I may not agree with their methods, but they are effective, and that is why I'm letting THEM fight the war in the north instead of the guard, and is also why they won't be a part of the standard Equestrian military.






Later




I had invited everyone up to my room to celebrate. Better than doing it in the barracks with a bunch of pissed off guard recruits. Ah, they'd get over it eventually.

"Cheers! To a victory well won, and, more importantly, making sure Shining Armor's recruits DIDN'T win." I cracked open a couple barrels of cider, filled everypony's mugs, and passed them around. Then Carton came up and joined us as well.

"Ha! I can't believe it! You all shaped up after all! Hahaha! This is great!" He laughed as he downed a mug of his own.

"So, you made him eat your speech, I guess you can finally retire huh?"

"Heck no! The princess came by and gave me a commendation. I'm gonna be taking on a whole unit of delinquents and turning em into lean, mean, cheating machines. Said we're gonna need ponies who can handle, and I quote, 'crazy griffin warlords', you know, national security and all. It is my great honor to promote Inkamina 'Black' Pie, Pish Posh, Winter's Chill, and Daffodil to the rank of Lieutenant. Also, Griffin, you're getting a dishonorable discharge."

"What? Why?"

"Disobeying the orders of a commanding officer, insulting superiors, going above the chain of command, and grand theft pastry. No pension, no plaque in the hall of honors." At the reading of the charges, we all broke out into laughter. "Now wash up, you all stink. You gotta be fresh and raring to go if you wanna pelt some poor shmuck with snowballs."

After he left, I went into the bathroom, threw off my clothes, and stepped into the shower. I turned on the water, relishing the feeling of the scalding liquid on my skin, driving away the bite of the cold, when the door opened, catching me by surprise.

"Inky! What the hell are you doing!"

"What? We took showers together all the time in the barracks." She said as she stepped in with me. "It's no big deal."

"Yeah, but that was when I was a griffin."

"And? The difference?" She was genuinely confused.

"I don't have anything to cover me up when I'm like this!"

"Well, maybe that's a good thing." I blushed and backed away nervously. She giggled. "It's way too easy to get under your skin. Hurry up and wash my back."




Once that awkward session was done, I got dressed again and let the others each take their turn in the shower, while I sat on the couch next to the grey mare, relaxing for a bit, before Celestia entered with a smirk.


"Griffin Griffin Griffin, I know of none other in this whole world who can break the rules so blatantly, admit it, and still get away with it."

"Which is why I bear the title 'silver tongue'. Did you catch the look on Shining's face when we just out and told everyone?"

"Indeed I did. I thought you were going to make a point of not upsetting ponies who can 'swat you like a fly'." She paused. "So, how'd you do it?"

"What if I didn't do anything?" She looked at me sternly. "Okay, so maybe I did, but I didn't have to. Daft and Chilly could very easily have done that if I wasn't there. The point stands."

"What I'm concerned about Griffin, is that you have dangerous thoughts. You may be better than you were before, well enough to go back out there, but remember that your mind is still fragile. Your wounds were years in the making, and will take much longer than a couple months to heal. Try to remember that while you're fighting, and remember the lessons you've learned."

"Princess, you're talking as if you won't be seeing me again, at least for a very long time." My face became stern. "What do you know that I don't?"

"I'm officially declaring your rehabilitation a success. The process used on you will be applied to others of your kind who seek aid, and I'm discharging you from my care. I'm sending you to Ponyville until your crew can come to pick you up. Pack your things. I don't want you leaving anything behind, because your room will have a new tenant, and I'd hate for him to injure himself with one of your belongings."

"New tenant? Who?"

As soon as I asked that, I saw a very familiar changeling walk into the doorway, carrying something in a pair of blacksmith's tongs.

"Celestia! There you are. One Alicorn Amulet, coming right up. Thankfully no vengeance crazed nutjobs got their grubby paws on this thing, heaven forbid that psycho Griffin, or even worse, Chrysalis!" He laughed gleefully, causing the princess to facehoof.

"Hey!" I heard the indignant shout of the queen from the hall. At that moment, the bug that could only be Knightmare, spotted me. 

"Hey, who's the new guy? You're not cheating on me, are you Celestia?" She lowered her hoof, only to bring it to her head again.

"Knightmare... stop being a dork..." I heard a kind of hissing voice come from behind him.

"I'll think about it." Was his reply.

"It's a miracle! He's thinking!" Chrysalis chided him with glee. Celestia face-hoofed a third time, snickering silently to herself.

"Nice seeing you again too." I finally greeted him. He must not have recognized me, what with him never having seen me in human form.

He looked at me with a confused gaze. "Do I know you?"

"Perhaps there is something you'd like to say to Knightmare?" Celestia suggested, looking at me sternly. She's right. It may not be easy, but this is something I have to do. I walked up to the bug, and bowed my head.

"I'm sorry for being such a jerk at the gala. You could have enjoyed the evening, but I was an ass, and because of that, your evening was ruined. Well, before all that other crazy crap. It was wrong of me, and I'm sorry."



"Okay, now I'm even more confused. The only person who did that was Griffin, but there's no way he'd apologize for it." He turned to look at me, and seemed even more puzzled by the sincerity on my face. There was an audible record scratch as his mind put the pieces together. "Griffin, is that you?" I nodded. "Wow, you're a lot younger than I thought. Teenagers, that explains EVERYTHING." He sneered. I looked at him with a raised brow, then took off my shirt to show all my scars. The annoyance and confusion dropped from his voice, replaced by something cold. "Okay, now THAT explains everything."


"Still, it's no excuse for my behavior." I stood and waited to hear what he would say. He sighed, then looked me in the eye.

"Griffin, that was months ago. All bullshit aside, I did enjoy that night, and made quite a few friends." He replied.

"Still, I felt I had to apologize. I... I've realized the mistakes I've made, and I'm trying to make things right."

"Griffin, come here." I slowly walked towards him, half expecting him to forgive me. The other half was expecting a hoof to the face. I was surprised when he pulled me into a hug.

"You're forgiven, by me at least, though I think there's two others you need to talk to."

"Who?" I asked. I've been a dick to a lot of people, I'm not entirely confident I haven't forgotten anyone. He whistled, and in walked both Chrysalis and some evil looking smoke pony who was quite similar to Nightmare Moon, though looking a bit... calmer?

"Good afternoon everyone." The queen said. "Nice job at the tournament Griffin."

"Indeed, good afternoon everyone, sis." The smoke pony turned to Celestia "Griffin." She added.

"Nyxie, you're in a no smoking area." Knightmare chided the smoke pony, who then solidified, rolling her eyes, her mane keeping in contact with the guitar/ax strung across his back.


"Chrysalis, I'm sorry I cut off your hoof... and poisoned you... and killed a bunch of changelings... and your reavers... and tried to hospitalize you with Knightmare..."

"Apology accepted. I did kinda have it coming." She replied.

I turned to the smoke pony. "And I'm not really sure who you are, though I have an idea."

"My Real name is Nyx Everfree. Though I believe you knew me as Nightmare Octave...or Nightmare Moon." Smoky stated.

"Yeah... I'm not apologizing to you."

"After all I've done, I don't deserve an apology, either. If anything, I should apologize to you...and several million others..." She put on the 'nervous awkward face' as she shrugged.

"Just call it even then?" I shrugged in kind.

"Sounds like a good plan to me." Nyx said, smiling gently, her fangs glinting in the light. "So, we've finally had an easy mission, care to join us tonight for a night on the town?"

"I gotta pack all my stuff. I'm moving out so Chuck Testa over there can move in." I pointed at the human turned bug. Just because we forgave each other doesn' mean I'm gonna be all buddy buddy with them. They'd drive me off the deep end.

Knightmare facepalmed, "Seriously, Chuck Testa? do you LIVE on memes or something?"

"Do you really want me to answer that? If the other person doesn't get it, it's twice as funny, and if they do, I know they're either a human, or know one. I don't see a downside." I replied.

"Now what's irritating is that there actually IS someone named Chuck Testa here, one of Chrysalis' honor guard. I believe he's one of the ones you punched in the face..." He responded. "He picked the name himself. He's weird for a changeling, even by my standards..."

"Tangents aside, no, I have to pack. I'm apparently moving to Ponyville for a month or so while I wait for my ride."

"I guess that's a no then." Chrysalis said looking like she sincerely would have wanted me there.

"Yeah... Knightmare, why ARE you moving in anyways?" I asked the million dollar question. He shook his head.

"I'd show you exactly why, but you probably don't want to fall asleep within ten feet of me anyway. But long story short? I have memory problems. I just got a lot of them back...and now I know why I repressed my memories for eighty years...." He looked at me with a smile, but one without warmth, looking like someone who had his entire world shattered and is struggling to piece it back together....a very familiar look.

"... I think that look in your eye is explanation enough. Good luck, and don't let Mrs. Merryweather get to you. She's the reason foals cry when you say 'Magic Kindergarten.' She's creepy."

Knightmare chuckled dryly. "I'll keep that in mind." He passed the amulet and tongs to a waiting guard, "Don't let anyone touch it. Bring it straight to the vault." Once the guard left, he cracked his knuckles, apparently deciding he wanted hands instead of hooves at this point. "Whelp, let's get started, shall we?"


So, Knightmare and the rest of my squad helped me pack. I didn't have much, since the furniture stayed with the room, but we loaded it all into a pair of suitcases. I turned to Celestia. "I'll stay the night, and after that, I'll head out. I trust you've gotten me living arrangements?"

"Just go see Twilight. She's got it figured out." With that, everyone left. Now, there's only one question left.

"I wonder if I can peg Shining Armor during the snowball fight?"
> A White Night (14)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


A White Night




After everything was packed, I sat in my room with Knightmare. We both kinda just looked at each other, not sure what to say, until I decided to break the ice.

"So... there's this snowball fight later today in the main courtyard. Guards versus civilians. Are you coming?"

"Snowball fight? Sure, why not?" He replied without much enthusiasm. He looked tired, as if he hadn't slept in a month. Given how he said he had repressed memories which he was starting to get back, my guess is nightmares.

"You feeling alright?" I asked.

"Bleh." he shrugged.

"Oookay?"... That's not an answer. "Anyways, I'm not part of the guard anymore, so I'll be on the civilian side of the fight, along with you, and anypony else who wants to take part."

"Meh, I'm not Equestrian military, unless you count our knightly titles, then we'd both be on the guard's side, so yeah, civvies united." He still didn't seem too psyched about it.

"Well, it's going to be as many civilians as show up, against the guard captains and a number of guards to make the sides equal. Since I'm not a guard anymore, I'm pretty sure Shining will be gunning for me. I want to get him first. Reverti." As I switched back to my griffin form, I stretched out my wings and rolled my joints, then laid on the ground to discuss tactics. The bug propped himself up, still in his insect form, ready to listen. "I don't know how the battlefield will be laid out yet, but one thing I know for certain, is Captain Armor will be using his shield spell to protect his side. There's no way we'll break through it, but he can't toss snowballs if he's got it up. Since he'll be gunning for me, when he sees me, he'll lower his shield." I paused to let that information sink in.

"I won't be able to get him, since if I throw anything at him, he'll just shield himself and wait for me to run out of ammo. Then, I'll be a sitting duck. So, here's my idea. You disguise yourself as me, and hide in the trench beside me. I'll use my magic to kick up snow, blinding both sides. Then, I'll use my invisibility short term to cross the no man's land, while you fly high. Mock, insult, and generally be as annoying as possible."

"Lemme guess, I take your form so he'll think he took you out, while you sneak attack him? It's so childishly simple of a tactic he won't be expecting it.....he might have gotten too used to convoluted plans fighting alongside me." He caught on quick.

"Now you're getting it."

"Can I quote Monty Python?" Knightmare asked while grinning.

"Of course, Monty is epic. One thing you must know however, is we CANNOT be seen at the same time, and you can't be spotted as a changeling."

"I can handle that." He shifted form, now looking like a unicorn with a hot red mane and a flaming shield cutie mark. "What are the chances anyone here read 'Through the Eyes of another Pony'?"

"Zilch, considering I haven't read it either."

"Dude, you missed out!" Knightmare chuckled, reverting back to his 'normal' form. "Still. I wonder what reactions we'd get if there are any bronies hiding among the crowd or the guard. I know some deep sleepers are probably among the civilians." I have no idea what a deep sleeper is, but, Knightmare is weird. I don't read too much into what he says.

"Well, if you go spouting Monty quotes, I'm sure we'll find them." I laughed in turn. "So, we've got the plan, contingencies?"

"Well, like I said, I know some of the deep sleepers are in the crowd, so I'll send a message to ask if they'll join us, so we'll have reinforcements if things go to pot. I know Bonbon and Lyra are gonna be there, and while not 'civilians' in a technical sense, Cadance, Chrysalis, and Nyx are likely gonna join us. I'll let them know to come disguised. Best to not show our cards till we've got a royal flush huh?" Exactly what I was thinking.

"Right. Also, if I get taken down, then I'll leave pegging Armor up to you. With your shapeshifting, you can walk right in the enemy camp and smoke him. It'll mean less than if it comes from me though, so that's only a backup plan."

"But you gotta admit, if he gets KO'd by his own wife, it'd be damn funny."

"True enough. But if she's gonna be there, we definitely can't get seen, even on our own side. She'll know somethings up, and may try to warn her husband."

Knightmare laughed. "Griffy." I didn't say he could give me a nickname... eh, whatever. "She didn't even know about this until three minutes ago. I asked Chrysalis to tell her and she said she'd join our side. She knows damn WELL we're plotting against Shining already."

"Then how did..." He told Chrysalis three minutes ago? But he's been here the whole..."Hive mind?"

"...you didn't know changelings can communicate through a hive mind?" He gave me a deadpan stare, as if this should have been obvious... "...You haven't abused your knightly privileges at all, have you?"


I returned the deadpan. "... You mean after that farce of a ceremony, I'm still considered a knight? I thought she just did that to save face."

Knightmare smiled, "Celestia was pissed about it but, yes, it's legally official. Your title is, fittingly enough, 'Lord-Captain'. Aoi was pissed, last time I heard." I snickered a little at hearing that Aoi got it as bad as I did.

"Yeah, well, after I gave him a ride, food, and supplies, he trashed my ship, and flipped me the finger before bailing. Didn't even say thank you. I don't care if he got mad. Serves him right." He shrugged in response.

"I refuse to comment for the sake of both of our frail sanities."

"Anyways, back to the business at hand, I think we're ready. Get in disguise. I wanna head down to survey the battlefield. Also... watch out for Inky. She's been pushing rocks around her whole life, and has a mean throwing arm."

He saluted and shifted into his previous disguise. Without saying another word, we headed down to the court.




Reaching the courtyard, ponies were busy making walls and trenches of snow. There looked to be about seventy or so on each side. I motioned to the disguised Knightmare to get to the battlements, while I marched out to no-man's land, where Captain Armor, Barricade, Doom, and Carton were standing with their squads. I was wearing an aviator's scarf and goggles, just to complete the feel. While all the rest were wearing their guard armor, including my former team mates.


"Captain Armor."

"Captain." He nearly choked as he said the word. "Griffin." He replied.

"Let's dispense with the pleasantries. I'm going to be gunning for you, and I know you'll be gunning for me. I hate losing, so I intend to win this little game. I am going to rain down frozen, lightly packed, fluffy hell on you. You best hope your shield holds." With that, I walked back to the trenches, as did he, on the opposite, as we prepared for war.




I jumped down into the trench where I saw Lyra, BonBon, and a couple other ponies next to Knightmare's disguised form, laughing. "Alright, we all know the plan, right?" I looked to each of them.

He and his companions grinned, "As always. Though her royal prissiness wants to be the one to land the last blow, even if you take him out first." Everyone looked to the pink pegasus, wearing a circlet that magically concealed her horn. 'Cadence wants to finish him off?'

"Fine by me." Was my answer.

As we were in discussion, Celestia stepped out on the balcony overlooking the courtyard. "Friends, guardians, faithful subjects. Welcome to the three hundred and seventieth annual Canterlot snow brawl! This longstanding tradition was started to kindle kinship between the protectors, and those they protect. In the year sixteen forty-" Her speech was cut off by a snowball smacking her square in the face. She wiped it off and when she looked down at the crowd, she saw me, casually tossing another up in the air. "The first shot has been fired! Let the battle commence!" She giggled like a school filly before settling in to watch.

"Nice shot!" Kngihtmare cheered. "Wait, who hit, you or Chrysalis?" He looked at the queen who was also grinning, "Looks like they hit at the same time." I didn't even notice her throw. Damn, she's good.


"Don't go out yet. Wait for the numbers to thin first. We don't want to get taken down in the cross fire." I advised. A number of ponies were taking potshots, trying to harass the enemy side, seeing if they could get Shining to drop his shield in order to return fire. They failed. While the guards returned fire, Shining sat calmly in his pink bubble, eyes scanning the trenches for me, expanding it when shots came to his side of the field to protect them.

"Everyone, hold... hold... FIRE!" I shouted. A mass of ponies stood up, cocking their arms back and letting the frozen spheres they held fly across the yard, into the enemy trench. Knightmare watched as a number of our foes dropped, though several stood back up with snowballs of their own.

"Down!" I called again as their response rained into our line, smashing a number of our troops in the face. Peeking out, Shining was still waiting calmly behind his shield, waiting, waiting, for me.

"Comeoooon, let's find a weakpoint." Someone whined from our group.

I turned to our troops. "Okay, we need a diversion. You eight, over there, grab snowballs and rush the field. Try to get into their trench and disrupt them." I pointed to a random group.

"But, that's suicide!" They replied.

"I'll handle it." Knightmare closed his eyes. A few seconds later, a group of ponies jumped out of their protection and began bobbing and weaving down the field. Huh, hive mind. I watched in horror as those brave souls were mowed down by the relentless barrage of ice.

Knightmare sighed. "Remind me to get them some dancing practice after this massacre...." He turned to me, looking entirely serious. "You're the Captain, what's next, boss?" I stood still for a moment, thinking.

"Everyone! Fire on my command. Shining will raise his shield to protect his side, and I'll rush the field. Knightmare, you know what to do. Cadence, you're up after that." Knightmare saluted as our side prepared for a massive volley.

"FIRE!"

As our side let loose with a hail of snow, I dove from the trench and started rushing across the field. Shining raised his shield to protect his side, and seeing me out in the open, smiled deviously.

"Tempesta! Ventus grande!" With a great downwards thrust of my wings, I kicked a mass of snow into the air, covering the entire no man's land. It slowly began to fall back to earth, making a whiteout in the process. "Obscuro." It wasn't a complete invisibility spell, though it was enough that given the conditions, I'd be blurred enough by the snow to make me indistinct. With that, I began sneaking across the field, crouched low to avoid the inevitable blind fire from the other side. As I drew closer to the other side, I heard Armor shouting orders to his team, to prepare for when the shroud dropped. I felt the ground drop off, indicating I was at their trench, and heard Armor's voice extremely close, so I laid flat on the ground, balled up a pile of snow in each of my wings, they laid perfectly still to let the snowfall cover me completely. I waited, and waited, and waited.

That's when I heard a crash, and my own voice.

"Ooogaboogabooga! Come'n'get me, dead-eye!" Knightmare was certainly doing his job of 'annoying'. I just hope Shining would buy that horrible impression of me. I tried very hard to resist the urge to facepalm. I've never said 'oogabooga' in my life.

"Ready!" I heard Shining shout. "Aim!" A whoosh of magic as his shield dropped. "Fiiiir---"

As soon as his shield was down, I jumped up, a mass of snow in each of my wings. "Brainfreeze!" I shouted before slamming my wings together, Captain Armor's head right between them. He didn't even have time to react. Nor did I, when I received about twenty snowballs in the face. I fell to the ground laughing, no longer caring about the remainder of the battle, as I had accomplished my goal in taking out one of the enemy commanders. I laughed even harder as Shining was pegged in his already snow covered face by a snowball with sniper accuracy and force, knocking him onto his back. Looks like Cadence did get the last shot.

I heard my own voice shout from the sky. "MAKE IT RAAAAAAAIIIIIIIINNNN, as Knightmare swooped down, still disguised, and grabbed me while he grinned at Barricade and Harbinger. "One down, two to go!" He jetted off back to our side with a mad laugh as a barrage of snowballs came down like a meteor shower onto the unprotected royal guard.

And they dropped like flies.






Back in my room, Knightmare, Shining, Cadence and I all sat around a fire, warming ourselves while she tended to her husband's bruised eye, a wound she inflicted.


"Come on, you've taken bigger hits than that." Knightmare chided.

"Not from a freaking snowball!" The captain replied angrily.

"You-oo should have ducked theeeeen." Cadence sang as she put on some ointment.

"You have to admit that it was fun." I added.

"Yeah, yeah." Shining said, unable to fully hide his smile.

"I certainly had fun!" The princess giggled.

"Only because you knocked all THREE of the head Captains on their plots!" The bug laughed in turn.

"I have to say, I was not expecting that. Very clever Griffin. You come up with that all on your own?" Armor asked.

"Yep. Never get in a snowball fight with a Canadian." I heard a ding. "Oh! Coco's ready." After passing out the cups, I laid back down in my spot by the fire.

"Finally!" Cadance said, licking her lips. At Shining and Knightmare's grins, she blushed. "What? A gal can't like chocolate?"

"Cadance, me and Shining BOTH know that you're practically addicted to the stuff...." The changeling began to laugh as the princess pouted, all of us joining in.









"You know, it's kinda nice..." I said after finally calming down.

"What is?" Shining Armor asked.

"Having friends."
> And So It Begins Again (15)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


And So It Begins Again
=The Next Morning=



Dear Gilda,

I've officially finished my recovery. I'm being sent to stay in Ponyville for the time being, till your rounds bring you back to pick me up. Please, be careful. I'll see you then.

Griffin.

"Submitto ad Shimmer." In a wisp of smoke, the letter vaporized and headed to it's destination. The little dragon would receive it, and no doubt pass it along. Taking one last look at the room where I had spent the better part of the last few months, I took a deep breath, then closed the door.




"Well, this is it. It was fun I guess." Inkamina blew her mane out of her eyes. "I'm outta here too. Back to the tattoo parlor, but I'll be staying as part of the reserve."

"I'm staying with.. *achoo*." Chilly sneezed, the 'face shield' I taught him how to do earlier catching what would have otherwise been a projectile. He put it in a tissue before continuing. "I'm staying with the guard. I want to be the best I can be."

"I'm headed home too." Daffodil added. "Back to running the flower shop, but I bet everypony will think twice before making fun of me again."

"I, personally, will remain with the guard, lest I slip into my old habits. I will not bring shame to my family, I will make mother and father proud!" Pish Posh exclaimed. "But I will always cherish the memories I have made. I wish you well." He gave me a salute, then marched back to the barracks.

"Go on bird brain, get outta here." Carton finished.

With that, I picked up my pair of suitcases, and climbed onto the chariot waiting to take me to Ponyville. It was a little cramped, considering my size and wingspan, as well as luggage, but I was able to get in, and once the pegasi pulling my carriage were satisfied I was secure, they began flying towards the iconic little town.


"So, um, how long have you guys been doing this?" I asked to the pair. Their reply was a discontented snort and pointedly ignoring me. That was not acceptable, not at all.









Twilight





As I waited at town square for the chariot to arrive, I took the time to ready a new book Princess Celestia had sent me, containing the next level of spells, fit for the most advanced unicorns only. It didn't take long before they arrived, though I heard them before I saw them, and what I heard was, to say the least, confounding in it's very essence.

Laughter, oddly enough. When I looked above I spotted the carriage, and the two guards pulling it were in hysterics, tears spilling out of their eyes.

"So he said, 'What to choose?' and I said 'Why not HORSESHOES?' Baaaahahaha!" The guard on the left stated in between fits of raucous laughter, while the one on the right struggled to catch his breath. "Hold on, let's circle a bit, I gotta compose myself before we land." They circled the town for a bit, before returning and landing in front of the main office. Griffin struggled to climb out of the chariot, being a bit too big to fit when coupled with a pair of suitcases. Eventually, he managed, gave the pair a salute, then began walking towards me.

"Hello Twilight." He greeted me with... unexpected poise and grace. He even smiled at me.

"Um..."

"I was told to talk to you regarding living arrangements." Where the hay was this polite attitude coming from? He MUST be up to something. The only time I've ever seen him act like this is when he's scheming.

"Ah, right. Rarity offered to let you stay with her, since she has some extra room." I explained. He stopped, then seemed to ponder for a moment, no more than a second really, before continuing. "Ah, well, that's very kind of her. I'll be sure to thank her."







Griffin




"Ah, right. Rarity offered to let you stay with her, since she has some extra room." Twilight explained. I stopped in my tracks.

'Rarity? That's unexpected. I was certain she disliked me. For as long as she's known me, I've been conniving, manipulating, uncouth, and pretty much an all around jackass. I was almost certain she had set me up to live with Applejack at the farm. Why would Rarity offer? Most likely is Applejack refused, since I KNOW she doesn't like me, and having nowhere else, generosity took over. Second most likely is that she wants something, perhaps help around the store, or a human perspective on fashion, some sort of service. Most unlikely is that despite her outward statements of refinement, she's actually into the 'rough and tumble' type. After all, I am technically a king at this point, and have a high position in the largest gem export system in the known world, she could be interested romantically. It's highly unlikely, since I already have a partner in Gilda, her personality, as well as my own, being in direct conflict with Rarity's, though she has been known to make poor choices in the past. It's still a possibility however, and I can't discredit it, though I don't need to think of contingency plans.'

"Ah, well, that's very kind of her. I'll be sure to thank her." With that, I continued towards the boutique.

'Now, in the event she does want some form of aid or service, I'd be required to oblige. I refuse to be a freeloader, and since she's giving me a place to stay while I wait for Gilda to return, it couldn't hurt to help out. If she doesn't want anything in return, then that would be me being a freeloader. So, either way, I'll be helping out. Now, how would I assist a dress maker....'

"Griffin?" I was brought out of my reverie by Twilight saying my name questioningly, and a look of worry appeared on my face as I suddenly became aware that she had been talking the entire time we were walking, and I have no idea what she was saying. I really need to not do that.

"Um..."

"The things I would give to know what goes on in your head." She shook her own and let out a sigh of derision. "Anyways, we're here. What I was saying was, try to stay out of trouble, okay?" She made that face people make when they put their hands on their hips and scold someone, but couldn't do the action that goes with it, what with being a quadruped. She knocked on the door, and Rarity opened it.

"Twilight, such a pleasure to see you." She smiled. "I see Griffin has arrived, safe and sound." She said with less enthusiasm.

"Yea, I was a little worried when the guards pulling the coach flew into town laughing. I was afraid they might fall out of the sky." Twilight smirked. "Anyways, I'll leave you to it. I'll come by later to see how things are coming along." With that, she left, heading back to do whatever it is she does.

"Thank you for giving me a place to stay until the ship comes and picks me up. I've already sent the letter, it shouldn't be more than a month before they come to get me. I know you're busy so I'll, uh, try to stay out of your way."

"Mmh." She nodded. "Well, I suppose I should show you around." She allowed me inside. The interior of the building looked, exactly like it does on the show. Frilly, froo-froo, 'haute couture', all those things that make you want to gag. "I know it's not your cup of tea, but this is just the store front. The actual living area is much less... extravagant. It's meant to give me a break from dresses and not have to think about them. Follow me, it's upstairs." And that's where we ran into our first problem. It was a tight, spiral staircase, meant for slim ponies. Attempting to squeeze into it to get upstairs turned into a rather big ordeal.

Noticing my struggle, Rarity raised her eyebrow in question. "Is there a problem?"

"Nothing. It's just that the theme of the day is, 'too big to fit'. I'll be up in a moment, Forma Versus." Having shrunk down, it became infinitely easier to ascend the staircase, and I began to wonder why I hadn't done that in the first place, or with the chariot. In fact, looking back, there were a number of issues that had glaringly obvious solutions that I didn't pick up on. I hope I'm not losing my edge...

"Can I help you with your bags?" The unicorn offered.

"Oh, no, that's alright, they're not that heavy, just a couple odds and ends." She seemed questioning of my behavior, but then let it go as she continued to show me around.


"My room, Sweetie Bell's room, and the guest room where my parents stay on the rare occasion they're not on vacation. Do take care around Opal, she's not a fan of visitors."

"Thanks for the warning." The cat was laying on a pillow, lifted her head to look at me, then laid back down, uninterested. It's simple, cats get ticked off when you don't leave them alone. I just ignore the fuzzball, and she'll leave me in peace.

"So, here's where you'll be staying. Feel free to redecorate as you like, just don't put any holes in the walls. Bathroom is just down the hall. I'm going downstairs to the sewing room to start work. I'll come get you when lunch is ready." With that, she left. The guest room was bland, stale, and had nothing more than a four poster bed, quite a classy one, made of some manner of light wood.

"Not mahogany, drat." Other than that, there was a nightstand and a single large window. Well, at least I know how I'll be getting in and out of this place without using the stairs. Trying out the bed, it was too soft for my comfort, though I'm used to sleeping on what could be considered a blanket and pillows atop rocks. Still, not much I can do about that, and there's no point in complaining.

"Reverti." When I tried to see if it would be any more comfortable to lay on in my other form, something rather strange took place. I heard some creaking. As I shifted around to try and determine where it was, the groaning of wood became ever apparent.

*Crack*

"... Uh oh."

*Whump*

The four posts of the bed, whose solemn duty it was to bear the weight of said bed and it's occupants, apparently decided they had enough of this absurdity, dropped their load, and proceeded to take a nap. The whole thing just fell apart when I laid on it, the pillars clattering to the ground noisily.

"What's going on up he..hehehehaaahahaha...." She began to laugh. I cringed.

"Sorry about the bed. I, well, I don't KNOW what went wrong." I hung my head.

"Oh think nothing of it. I knew that old thing was on it's way out, I just didn't know when it would finally give up." She found it a little too humorous in my opinion, but she wasn't mad so, I guess it turned out. I can only imagine the fat jokes that would come out of this.

"I think I'll just lay the mattress on the floor."


"Alright, well, after that, come down for lunch."



Lunch was hay. Haycakes (like pancakes, but with hay) haymeal, hayhayhayhayhay. Too bad I can't eat it. The parsley garnish was edible though, so, at Rarity's questioning looks, and my explanation of 'I can't eat hay', she let me have a go at her kitchen. I decided some steamed vegetables would agree with my stomach better, so prepared that instead.
> So, What Now? (16)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


So, What Now?



=Twilight=



I sure do love books! They have all sorts of interesting things written in them! For example, did you know that when...

"Twilight! Come quickly! I need your help!" Odd, that sounded like Rarity.

Rarity.

Griffin is staying with Rarity.

"I asked him to keep out of trouble... he couldn't last ONE DAY!" I stomped my hoof in frustration, slapping my book shut and placing it on the table...

I forgot to put in a bookmark.

"Gaaaah! I'm on my way Rarity. Pinkie, you better come too."

"Okie dokie lokie." She bounced along after me from our lunch in the library. Rainbow, Applejack, and Fluttershy couldn't join us because they were busy, so it would just be the three of us dealing with whatever crisis Griffin had caused.

Yes, Pinkie reads. There's nothing odd about that, is there?

Soon, we reached Carousel Boutique. Rarity was nervously running on the spot while Pinkie bounced obliviously.

"Alright, Rarity, just what has he gotten into in such a short time?"

"Well, I gave Opal her favorite cat toy, I stepped out of the room, and when I returned, well... it's difficult to explain. Perhaps you should just look for yourself..."


I tentatively opened the door a crack, just barely peeking inside. When I saw the state of utter disaster and ruin the boutique was in, I was in quite a degree of shock. The door swung open all on it's own, giving us all a wide view of the horror that was taking place within.

Ponyquins were strewn about, deprived of any of their dress coverings, fabric taken off it's rolls and massed in a pile in the center of the room. In the middle of it all was Griffin, flailing around as though he were trapped, the various cloths acting as his net, though he didn't seem very concerned, rather, he seemed quite... happy.

"Oooooh my gooooooosh... These are sooooo soooooft and smooooth. Is this silk? Silk.. silk, ilk, ilkse, kisle. Kissime? Kiss me?"

Pinkie apparently decided that whatever Griffin was doing was fun, so she joined him by wrapping herself in fabric and fooling around with words.

"Pinkie, you're not helping!"

"You're just jealous because Pinkie Pie's a cutie pie!" He responded gleefully before grabbing hold of the party pony and hugging the life out of her, somehow bouncing at the same time. "Pinkie Pie's a cutie pie, Pinkie Pie's a cutie pie!" Then he started rubbing his face against hers and purring. I would not have believed such a level of absurdity was possible if I wasn't seeing it with my own eyes. Griffin began hugging Pinkie a little too tightly, and she started struggling to breath.



"*Cough* Little help here?" She looked at me with a worried expression.

"Griffin, let go of Pinkie." I said to him sternly.

"Can't." He gave a very quick, one word reply.

"Why not?"

He stopped for a moment, lost in thought, before he figured out what the reason was.

"Fluffy." That's not a reason!

"I'm putting an end to this nonsense." So, rather than trying to pry her out of his grip, I just teleported Pinkie to my side. As soon as he realized he wasn't holding his life size plushie, he turned and looked at me with great, big, sad eyes.

"So, what now?"


I ended up keeping him out of trouble till whatever was affecting him wore off. Also, Pinkie let him hug her, as long as it wasn't too tight, while Rarity cleaned up her store. Once we had taken care of everything, and Griffin had fallen asleep holding Pinkie like a stuffed animal, Rarity and I finally went about figuring out what happened.


"Okay, let's go through this again. What happened exactly?"

"Alright. Let's see. We had lunch. Griffin couldn't eat the hay, so he made steamed vegetables for himself. Opal started bothering me, so I gave her her favorite toy. I left to go get more thread, and when I came back, it was how you saw." She explained.

"Alright, so, the only altered factors are the vegetables, the cat toy, and coming in contact with the fabric. I don't see how veggies or cloth could have caused it, what kind of cat toy was it?"

"It's nothing special, just a little cloth bag with catnip in it, why?
...
...
...
...
... oh dear." Her eyes widened as she came to the realization.

"Remember what Gilda told us? She and Nadene gave Griffin catnip once. They said it's different on everyone. I guess it makes him affectionate."

"So, what can we do?" She asked.

"Well, other than keep him away from catnip, I suggest we just let him sleep it off." I turned to look at him, cuddling with Pinkie Pie as he slept, making a soft... it was something between the cheep of a baby bird, and the purr of a kitten. A kind of trilling? Hearing it made me think of a ball of fluff, and trying to give a name to that ball of fluff lead me to the word 'Tribble'.

"He is kind of cute when he's like this." I idly remarked.

"Yes, I'd say a sight better than his usual 'mud and blood', angry, barbaric self. Though, now that I think of it... has he EVER brushed his coat? I mean, look at it, it's all matted and whatnot." Rarity grinned, then pulled out a brush and bottle of 'no rinse' shampoo.





=Griffin=





'So comfy, so fluffy. I feel so good.'

I stood up and stretched out, yawning as I did. I blearily walked over to a mirror and rubbed my eyes to get the crust out of them. And that's when I saw myself. My fur was all silky and smooth, and my feathers were neat and tidy.


I walked into the main room at Rarity's to find she, Twilight, and Pinkie were all relaxing, reading magazines.

"Uh, what happened? And why do I smell like raspberries?"

"Who can say?" They all giggled, before Pinkie bounced over and hugged me.

"Um, Pinkie... can you let go please? This is kind of awkward."

"Can't." She replied with a single word.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Fluffy." She snuggled in closer.

"Okay then? Anyways, is there something you need me to do, or, something?"

"No, you did just arrive today. Try to relax, maybe find something to occupy your time while you're here." Twilight suggested. "Just, don't go doing catnip." She giggled.

'Why do I feel like something hilarious happened?"
> Wingspan (17)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Wingspan




'So, here I am in Ponyville. I've already dropped my meager amount of luggage at Rarity's, and had lunch. I've got literally nothing to do for the whole afternoon. Let's see, testing, testing, what can I test? Testestest. Experiments. I feel like Glados. Space Core is best core. Hmm...'


"Hey! Rainbow Dash!" At hearing my shout, the pegasus was rudely awoken from her slumber. She rolled off her nap cloud and glided down to where I was standing in the market below. Looks like I got lucky. I didn't even know she was there. I just shouted randomly... No, that wasn't the test, though it was convenient... Gotta remember to experiment with that later.



"Uugh, what? I was in the middle of a nap." She complained.

"I've thought of something terrible."

"Yeah? What?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"For as long as I've known you, I've never actually seen a sonic rainboom..." I explained. "I just had a horrible thought that perhaps with your naps all the time, you're losing your edge, and can't do them anymore."

"Oooh no. I'm not falling for that. Twilight told me to be on the lookout for your tricks. What is it you REALLY want?" Damn, manipulation didn't work.

"I just really wanna see it okay?" She glared at me. "FINE. I want to see a sonic rainboom so I can analyze the wind patterns that form so I can improve my own flying through aeromantic pressure synthesis."

"All I caught from that was 'See a rainboom' and 'improve my own flying'. Egghead. Sure, why not."

"I'll need to see it from different angles, so I'll be up there with you for a couple of them, but for the first one, I'll see it from the ground. Also, can you do it like the first time you did it? I need to see how the air pressure builds up around you.."

"Won't that be kinda hard to see?... And how do you know how I did it the first time?" She asked. In response, I just pointed at my face. "Right... alien thing, and you've got eagle eyes. Okay weirdo."


She flew up high into the air, then allowed herself to plummet, pumping her wings to gain the necessary speed before breaking the sound barrier, letting off a grand blast of rainbow colours, before pulling up and arcing her multi-hued trail across the sky, while I hastily drew the important points in my notebook.


"Alright, so, now what?" She asked.

"Actually, I got all I needed from that one run, and I've come across some very interesting points." I replied.

"Yeah? Like what?"

"Here, I'll show you."

I showed her the book, with two drawings. One, a parabola, and the other, the v of the mach cone. Instead of a pony, I just wrote 'RD' inside two parallel lines. I had labeled them 'figure 1' and 'figure 2'.

"RD?"

"Rainbow Dash... I can't draw okay? Schematics? Yeah. Designs? Sure! Anything not able to be measured and put on a chart? Nope. No artistic talent AT ALL. Can't even draw a proper stick pony. Anyways, see the first picture? The air pressure in front of you builds up, and the light from the sun shines off it, which makes the outline visible. It's a nice, round arc. This second one, the v shape, is right before you make the sonic rainboom. The thing I've noticed is that the timing between the two is too close together."

"What do you mean?"

"As your speed increases, the angle of the cone will become sharper, right till you break through it. The faster an object is moving, the more force is required to make it accelerate, but the air pressure goes from an arc to a v in nearly an instant."

"So?" Clearly, the ONLY books she reads are Daring Do and possibly others in the adventure genre. Nothing scientific at all.

"Okay, so, there's only two ways what happened here is possible. The first is that right before you break the sound barrier, you accelerate dramatically. I know you can do that NOW, but what about the first time you tried it? The faster you go, the higher the pressure of the air in front of you, making it exponentially more difficult to speed up." I explained.

"I still don't get it."

"What I'm saying is, when you first tried doing it, you didn't have the strength to accelerate that quickly. You couldn't bring yourself closer to the sound barrier... so you brought the sound barrier closer to you."

"What do you mean?" She asked, confused.

"Pegasi, and griffins, can manipulate the weather. Which means we can control air currents. What I'm saying is, when you do a sonic rainboom, at least when you first started doing them, you unconsciously used your natural pegasus magic to increase the air density around you. This gave your wings more to push on, decreased the drag behind you, and increased the density of the air pocket in front of you. Having a higher density, it would take longer to pass around you, meaning it was easier to 'burst the bubble'. This is why the change between these two shapes is so quick, instead of being gradual, as it would be without air manipulation."

"Are you saying that when I do a sonic rainboom, I'm not flying faster than sound?"

"Oh, you definitely are, once you've actually DONE the boom, since the resistance lowers once you're past it. And, since your magic is keeping the air close, the dense pocket winds up behind you, which lowers drag even more. That's why as soon as you break the barrier, you rocket forwards." I finished my explanation. "It's still just a theory, since I'm not entirely sure how physics work here, but it makes sense given the information I've gathered."

"... and you got that, from watching me do a rainboom, once?" She looked at me in disbelief.

"To be fair, I've actually been practicing with air density for about a year now, I just needed to see the rainboom to make it all work out. I think I can use this. Thank you, you've been a big help."

Her look of disbelief only became greater, which was then followed by a sly smile.

"Oh? Good, cuz you're helping on cloud duty the rest of the week. You can start with the clouds over Ponyville."

"... You mean the ones you were just napping on? You were supposed to have gotten rid of those already, weren't you?"

"You mean the clouds YOU were supposed to have gotten rid of already." She retorted.

"..." I replied.

"... I don't need you to lecture me about procrastination. I'm gonna go take a nap. Have these clouds gone in an hour." With that, she grabbed the cloud she had been sleeping on and flew off with it towards Sweet Apple Acres for some peace and quiet.


"Oh Rainbow... Well, it's not like I had anything better to do... Might not wanna try that out yet, not till I've had some practice with it. Looks like I'm doing this the old fashioned way."





Rainbow Dash





I flew off towards the Acres so I could continue my nap in peace. I mean, who does that guy think he is? Wake up and do a rainboom right away? I mean, I could pull it off cuz I'm awesome, but still. Parking my cloud above the farm, I pulled out my blanket, (since it was not quite spring yet and still a little chilly) and laid down to resume my important task.

"Hey Rainbow!" I heard Applejack's voice call from below. Muttering a quick curse at my luck, I slowly circled down to meet her.

"What's up AJ?"

"Y'all are. You know what ah said 'bout napping above mah farm." She looked at me sternly, then relaxed. "I don't mind it right now on accounta it not bein season an all though. I was jus wonderin what y'all were doin round these parts. I thought ya had cloud duty up in town?" She questioned.

"Yeah... I got Griffin to do it."


"How'd ya manage that?"

"He asked to see my rainboom so he could go all egghead on it and fly better. I roped him into it after. I feel kinda bad about it..." Thinking back, I didn't really give him a choice. I just kinda told him to do it. Ah ponyfeathers, I should have made a deal with him beforehoof. He wouldn't just run off and leave it would he? I mean, it's my hide on the line if the job doesn't get done.

"Ah, well don't. Maybe ya'll can teach that lyin, cheatin, no good scoundrel the value ah good, honest work... though you certainly didn't seem ta learn."

"... just remembered I said he had to HELP with the clouds, not do them all himself. Ah horseapples, he'll probably only do half, and leave the other half for me! Gotta go!" I swear, I'm not feeling guilty at all, and I'm not afraid he'll be mad I just dumped my job, which I'm PAID for, on him. He's not gonna want a cut of my paycheck is he? I'm already behind this month as is! As I turned to start racing back to town, I heard Applejack mutter absently.

"Ah swear, trouble follows that guy everywhere he goes."






Griffin





"Screw the old fashioned way! This is awesome! Pew! Pew pew!... Did I really just say 'pew pew'?" Having thrown caution to the wind, something extremely difficult for me to do, I decided to put what I had learned to practical application with no testing beforehand. What I discovered is, most of my difficulty with my 'air cannon' spell was the compression factor. I didn't have enough magic available to compress the air sufficiently. And that was back when I had been drinking dragon blood. I decided to start with a very simple test. Fly up high, let myself fall with my wings open, and use the compression that naturally occurred in conjunction with my magic to make the air ball, much the opposite of how Rainbow Dash had unknowingly used her magic to increase her speed.

So, I took to forming one air ball under each wing, not nearly so dense as to cause a state change, (as I wasn't using the clepto ignis, perfectum circus, and reverti portions of the spell, nor the control of both my wings to condense it), was however dense enough that when I launched it with 'ramex' the resulting 'air bullet' was sufficient to pop clouds. Since the air balls would just about form on their own as I flew, it took surprisingly little to make a tiny bomb. Clouds don't take that much to pop, but already the gears were turning in my head on how I could weaponize this. So, I spent the last ten minutes shooting clouds out of the sky as target practice. Needless to say, it was freaking FUN! Aaaaaand it got the job done, just in time for Dash to come back.


"Oh, uh, you're... already done?" She looked around as we both hovered above the town square.

"Well, yeah. Killing clouds? No biggie. I mean, you're fast, but that doesn't make everyone else slow you know?"

"Wasn't it, you know, boring?"

"Nah. Oh, missed one!" I pointed my claw at it. "Ramex." Instead of popping and dissipating, it instead hissed and sagged, like a balloon with the air being slowly let out of it.

"... looks like I'm tapped out. Dang." I flew over to it and punched it manually, putting the poor nimbus out of it's misery. "There we go. Anyways, I'm going back to Rarity's to see if there's anything she needs doing. See ya tomorrow."

> The Perfect Morning (18)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


The Perfect Morning


Some time later, I returned to the boutique for dinner. Sweetie Belle was out with her friends, so it was just the two of us, after which, I went to bed early so I could get a fresh start the next day.



I awoke first thing in the morning and headed to the kitchen to make breakfast. As I made my way through the house, I smelled something in the air, something strange, yet familiar. I couldn’t quite make sense of the scent, till I saw the smoke wafting through the house. Rushing into the room, skidding to a stop on the tile floor, I saw Sweetie Belle in front of the stove, using her hoof to try and wave the smoke out of the way.

“Extinguo.” So, first thing in the morning, I’m already burning through magic, dousing the entire kitchen in an extinguish spell, because with that unicorn who KNOWS what’s on fire? I rushed to the window and opened it, flapping my wings to blow the smoke out, and free up some much needed breathing room.


"Uh... Hi. Rarity said you were going to be living with us for a little while..." The tiny unicorn muttered.

"So, you tried to make breakfast..." She nodded. "Okay, so, what caught fire?"

"The juice." She stated blankly.

"And, why were you cooking juice?"

"Well, Rarity complains when her juice is cold, because it hurts her teeth, so I thought I'd warm it up." She explained.

"So, you used the oven?" I asked in disbelief. She just shuffled her hooves around on the floor. "Maybe you should learn to cook before you, you know, try to cook?"

"I've been asking Rarity to teach me, but, she never has the time, and when she does, she's always so finicky. If it's not perfect, it's no good, so she just winds up doing it herself..."

"Okay, well, hows about I make breakfast instead?"

"Yeah, alright..." She walked over to the table and sat down.

"And just what do you think you're doing?"

"Um, you're making breakfast, so, I'm going to wait?" I actually snickered a little at that.

"You know, there's a saying where I'm from. It's called, 'Monkey See, Monkey Do.' Do you know what it means?"

"... You're an alien." Right, captain obvious just pointed out that she wouldn't know that.

"Never mind. It's a complicated explanation that ends with 'You learn by watching, and then mimicking.' So get over here, and watch what I do."

I began by pulling out a loaf of bread, a carton of eggs, milk, vanilla, and a number of spices. I buttered the frying pan, and set it atop the stove. I poured the eggs, milk, and vanilla into a bowl, then mixed it up, followed by adding in some chives, pepper, turmeric, and a hint of chili powder. Then, I added in a tiny bit of various other herbs, rosemary, thyme, basil, etc. Mixing it again, I cut the bread into slices, soaked the slices in the mixture, and tossed them in the pan. Once the sides started turning a golden brown, I flipped them, and finally, put them on a plate. Then I sprinkled icing sugar on top and poured some corn syrup.

"Normal French Toast doesn't have the spices or herbs, but I like mine with a little kick to them. That's one thing you should note, everyone has their own preferences, and the perfect meal has to be made according to what the one who's eating it wants. In Rarity's case, easy on the syrup and sugar so it isn't messy, and a piece of parsley on top to complete the look. I don't know how well she'll take to the spices though, but that's the fun of guessing."

"Alright, so, that's the food, what about the drink?"

"If she doesn't like her juice cold because it hurts her teeth, then she has sensitive teeth, and needs to see the dentist about a special toothpaste. Drinks should be cold as the mountains and twice as fresh, except warm milk before bed, and hot cider, hot chocolate, coffee, or tea. For breakfast, either juice, milk, or coffee is best. Since we have apple juice, we'll pour her a glass and wait for it to warm up."


"Alright, so, I'll go wake her up now. *inhale* RARI--mmpphh?"

"What are you doing?"

"Well, Rarity always takes forever to get ready after she wakes up, so if we get her up now, by the time she gets down here, the french toast will have cooled off and the juice will have warmed up."

"Right, but a heart attack is NOT the best way to start the day. How would you like to be woken up? Picture the ideal way to be woken up."

"Umm... light shining on my face through the window, a slight breeze, and music from songbirds." Sweetie Belle replied.

"Well, we can't help the light, since that's the Princess's department, and it's not spring yet, so it's too cold to open the window, and the songbirds aren't back from the south, but your idea gives me one."








Rarity





I was woken from my slumber by ever so faint music, and the gentle scent of fried egg and herbs wafting up from the hall. As I removed my eye mask and shook off the last dregs of sleep, the music slowly, but steadily built in volume. It was as though there was an orchestra in the boutique. Wrapping myself in my bathrobe, I rolled off the bed, got to my hooves, and trotted to the kitchen to investigate.

As I opened the door, the full force of the smell hit me, and the music reached a crescendo, which I bear no shame in admitting I hummed along with it. I gazed into the kitchen to find Griffin and Sweetie Belle sitting at the table, eating French Toast. I opened my mouth to ask, but they both quickly motioned for me to hush, lest I ruin the moment. Taking my own seat, I first took a sip of the apple juice, which I was pleasantly surprised to find was lukewarm, before I took a bite of the meal which had been prepared for me.

The soft, yet slightly crunchy bread, with the texture of fried egg, the sticky sweet of the syrup, and the harmoniously blended herbs made my mouth water and my eyes close, only to be jolted open as a slight heat assailed my tongue. It was not unpleasant, just unexpected. We three finished eating without saying a word, since the music playing set the whole mood of the meal for us, and to engage in conversation would ruin the experience which had clearly been carefully planned.

And the planners? They were seated across from me, so that I might have my back to the light, warming me, as well as sparing my eyes. At the same time, it shone directly on them. The sun made Sweetie's porcelain coat shine, and illuminated her two tone mane, while it glinted off the steel of Griffin's wing, and made the white of his feathers shimmer, all while giving them both a sparkle in their eye. Over all, I felt like I was eating breakfast next to a pair of angels.

I suddenly became aware of my own disheveled appearance. Mane, unkept and wild from sleep. Makeup, not yet applied. Coat, unbrushed. I almost felt ashamed to be sitting next to them. Clearly I was the unsightly stain on this otherwise perfect morning, yet when I looked into their smiling faces, and realizing that they had done this for me, that how I looked didn't matter, I almost wanted to cry.

As the music died down, and eventually ended, along with breakfast which, I now realized, I had absolutely devoured in a most unladylike manner, Griffin and Sweetie Belle looked to me, and asked me a question.


"So? How was it?"
> The Inevitable (19)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


The Inevitable


Talk less, think more. It stops you from making a fool of yourself, and many of the insurmountable problems that we complain about in our day to day lives have surprisingly easy solutions, so long as you take the time to look for them. -BlackWing



I never did get an answer from Rarity, due to the fact that Pinkie Pie burst in the door, grabbed me by the neck, and hauled me out of the boutique. How she can walk with enough strength to drag me, on only her hind legs, I’ll never figure out, but she seemed to manage without too much difficulty.

“Gah! Pinkie! Can’t breathe!” I cried out in the impressive grip of the pink pony.

“We gotta go! You can’t be late for your ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ party!” At least she managed to loosen her grip enough to allow me to reply.


“Pinkie, I’ve been to Ponyville before.” I deadpanned.


“And you didn’t get a party then EITHER!” She shouted at me angrily, with fire in her eyes. “NOPONY escapes a Pinkie Party, and you're long overdue!”


“Who throws a party at 7:00 in the MORNING! It’s freezing cold, you’re dragging me through snow... is anyone else even up yet?” My question was answered when she tossed me through the door of Sugarcube Corner, making me land on my face in front of all the very much awake and accounted for guests.


“You’re gonna have a party and you’re gonna like it! Now say hello!” Her tone instantly changed from wrathful to perky as she skipped off to enjoy herself. Note, Pinkie Pie is scary.




Looking out at the crowd, who watched as I picked myself up off the floor, was a very awkward experience for me.“Uh... hello.” I said to the dozens of eyes all locked on me. It’s just like that nightmare, all silently judging me, waiting to hear what I was going to say. Standing there, I just wanted to curl up in a little ball and vanish.


“Hey everypony! Lets hear it for the guest of honour, Griffin!” Mercifully, the one who dragged me into this mess decided to help me out of it, her exuberant personality easily riling up the group. Their cheers did little to ease my nervousness however. Sure, they weren’t all staring at me any more, but being that close to that many strangers was unsettling. I preferred it when they were in the audience, and I was on stage. This was too close, too much.


Desperate to make everyone stop looking at me, I gave a meek greeting. “Uh... glad to be here, uh, just, enjoy yourselves?” That appeared to be good enough for them, because they all went about doing their standard partygoer things. Playing childish games, drinking punch, listening to the ‘pony pokey’ and dancing awkwardly. That last bit was particularly awful, considering my own coordination and fancy feet.


Looking out amongst the guests, there was one who hadn’t gone about the party fair. It was, surprisingly, a wolf, with a pair of wings neatly folded up against his side. Something about him, perhaps the way he carried himself, screamed danger, even though in terms of size, I was easily double his. Of course the first thing I did is approach him.

'Odd creature? Looks dangerous? In Ponyville? If he’s not a human I’ll eat my tail.’



“Hey...”


“Well, isn’t it a joy to finally meet the formerly infamous captain of the Griffin Pirates. Allow me to introduce myself, I’m Zeta the cynogriffin.” The wolf replied with a cold smirk on his muzzle, and a voice like ice. What the hell is a cynogriffin? They're just making shit up now. “What brings you around?”


“I’m just waiting for my crew to come pick me up. Shouldn’t be more than a month or so. Or, if you meant ‘right here’ that would be Pinkie strangle-dragging me from breakfast.”


“That makes two of us. My daughter refused to let me sleep, insisting I come meet you cause you are ‘Almost as cool as Rainbow Dash.’ Didn’t even get to go out to catch some deer.” Zeta answered with a slight growl of annoyance in his reply. Already I can tell he's the 'don't give a crap' kind of guy, what with how he casually talks about killing deer in a party full of herbivores. 


“That’s high praise from Scootaloo.” It wasn’t all that hard to put the facts together, 'Almost as cool as Dash', only one filly I know of says that. “Seems nobody in this town has ever heard of ‘sleeping in’. Where do you go hunting, just out of curiosity? I’m more of a fish guy myself.”


The wolf stuck out his tongue at the mention of fish. “Those scaly things don’t satisfy my appetite unless its the size of a large tuna. I prefer red meat in the Everfree, though I’m not exactly above hunting in any of the woods when I travel for work. Speaking of which, I thought you were stepping out of the fight against slaves?” I'm not entirely certain I like him asking all these questions, though I suppose there's no harm in it, as long as I can get some info out of him.


“Yeah. I figure I’ve done my part. Reason I’m sticking around is my girl isn’t quite done yet, and she’s got a baby on board so... ya know. You said Scootaloo was your daughter. Adoption?” I turned the conversation back to him.


“The moment I got here I got one sniff of her scent in passing and knew she needed a place to stay. Took the invasion of Canterlot, a bad job, and nearly dying to make it official though.” His face softened after recalling the memories. “Nothing I wouldn’t do for her. If the only reason you’re sticking around fighting is for your kid, you’re alright in my books.” 


I nodded with a bit of a scowl. He had something to do with the Canterlot invasion by the changelings? And again, being so open about it. This guy is either an idiot, which I doubt, or he's tough enough to deal with whatever comes his way, if he can afford to be so open about his actions. “So, you’re a merc then...”


He barked out in laughter. “What gave it away? The copious amount of scars, intimidating presence, or all of the above?” 


“The way you carry yourself, and a couple other hints, gave it away before I even started talking to you. Same way I can tell that you’re not exactly from ‘this’ side of the multiverse.” I narrowed my eyes. “What is your preference regarding bananas?”


He returned my gaze with one of his own. “If you even try to finish that statement, I may just have to kill you on principal. That meme wasn’t funny even after I was a brony...” Bingo.


“Sorry, just my way of finding out without asking up front. Sounds less crazy than ‘Are you an alien?’ And as for killing me, well, you might find a little trouble if you tried that.” I grinned. “There’s a reason I’m still alive after all this time.”


The wolf just shrugged his wings, looking bored. “You aren’t the first to tell me that, and I doubt you will be the last. Though you will be the first one to stay breathing.” He answered without a hint of malice in his voice. And now we've come to threats. This got awkward fast. *Abandon Thread*


“Welp, I’m gonna see if I can’t hide from this party upstairs. Keep in touch. I may be needing you at one point.” And with that, I walked off into the crowd. ‘I think I like him. Odd, considering he gave me a death threat... Am I attracted to people who cause me physical or emotional harm?’


Before I could get too far, the wolf called out to me. “I didn’t exactly get to thank you for taking care of Scoots while I was out of town. It was nice to take her and the other fillies to Canterlot and to hear her have a new hero. So if you need a job, it’ll be at a discount.” 

I turned my head to look back at Zeta. “I’ll hold you to that.”


Looking around me, I noticed a fair number of the Ponyville crowd I recognized, Twilight and friends, the CMC, who were busy getting into some kind of trouble, Zeta dragging Scootaloo out of it, Stanley Silver, my gem buyer, Filthy Rich, and the pair's brats, still looking stuck up as ever. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. The music was loud, the food was decadent, the mood, jolly. I got the heck out of there, heading up the stairs that, thankfully, were made for 'larger' ponies, (what do you expect in a sweet shop and bakery?) and out onto the balcony.


Taking a deep breath of the chilled air relaxed me, taking in the silence of the still morning as respite from the madness that was taking place within. To my surprise, however, I found that I was not alone. Big Macintosh was already out there, chewing on a piece of wheat as he usually does.

"Oh, didn't see you there. This your spot?"

"Eeyup."

"Want me to leave?"

"Nnnope."

"Okay." So, I sat with my head hanging over the railing, and let out a sigh which turned to mist in the late February air.


"What are ya doing out 'ere anyways? I figured you'd be inside, enjoyin yerself."

...
...
...
Did Big Mac just talk?

"I don't like all the loud and crazy right up close. I prefer to keep it at a distance. You?"

"Eeyup." He nodded. "Sometimes ya gotta take a few steps back ta see the big picture."

We just sat there for a time, in complete silence, the only sound the howl of the wind coming in from the forest at the edge of town, the only sight the gentle snowfall illuminated by both the brilliance of the dawn, as well as the stars and moon who had not yet relinquished their duty to their brighter sibling.

"I don't really get it." I found myself speaking absentmindedly. The stallion raised an eyebrow. "Everyone's down there throwing a party for me, but I just can't find it in me to enjoy it. It feels like, I dunno, like it's all that effort being wasted, since it's on me."

"Ya don't feel like ya deserve it?"

".. yeah. That's exactly it. I know what I've done, and a lot of it was bad. After everything, how can I just sit here and have a party?"

"Do ya regret it?" Those words echoed in my head. Did I? Did I truly?

"I..." I started thinking back to all the things I did that I could have done differently. The mayor of Wethoof, I went too far, but he was a scumbag who needed to be taught a lesson. The changeling invasion, when I tortured 'Drone' to get info about the attack, information which wound up helping us all survive. When I fought Ember.. no, in that state, trying harder to talk wouldn't have helped, and an apology would have been an insult.

"I guess I don't. Sure, I'm better than I was, but all the while, I always did the best I could with what I had. And even before I came here, I had a lot of problems with my life, but I never really complained about them, I just tried to make things better."

"An tha's all anypony can really ask fer, ain't it? We all make mistakes, an we pay the price fer those mistakes, an then they're done. Can't change the past. Ain't no sense dwellin on it." I looked up at Big Mac and saw in his face something strange. Strength, endurance, and an odd calmness, as though he could weather any storm, and carry the world on his back. He stared right into the cold wind, unblinking.

"Thank you. I think things are a little clearer now."

"Eeyup."


"Get back in here!" I suddenly found a piece of cake being crammed down my throat as I was dragged back into the building by miss hyperactive. "How can you enjoy the party when you're outside!"

'Some things, however, are just plain inevitable.'
> Consequences (20)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Consequences


Eventually, the party ended, and I managed to escape unscathed. After having so much excitement that morning, I was looking forward to relaxing the rest of the day, after I helped Rainbow Dash with cloud duty of course. It seemed as though, as Ponyville's newest resident, even though it was only temporary, I was subject to an initiation rite. No, not the Pinkie Party, though that was part of it. No, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie had decided that I would be the target for their next prank.

First came a classic, the bucket of water on the doorframe. Well, fortunately for me, (and unfortunately for everyone else involved) I had remembered my manners and allowed Rarity to enter the boutique first, causing her to be the victim of the ill thought trick. While I was surprised at Rarity's state, my shock did not stop me from noticing a pair of blurs, one blue, the other pink, from vacating the area. This is what set me off to their scheme.

After Rarity had gotten cleaned up, she came into the dining room to have a chat.

"Well, that's certainly enough excitement for today. Hopefully the remainder will more relaxing than this morning. What are your plans for today?"

"Well, Dash roped me into cloud duty, which is fine by me, though between the two of us we should be able to clear it up in a couple minutes, then for the rest of the day I'm free. Why?"

"Well, I thought I should thank you for this morning. Before that little, 'interruption', you had asked me what I thought of it. It was simply divine! The food, the atmosphere, the ambiance, the lighting, the company, the music. I began thinking, 'How DID you come up with all that?' And then I realized it's because, well, no offense but, you're foreign. No, I think the right word is 'exotic'. You must have hundreds of ideas, many of which I could find use for." Rarity explained.

'And there it is. At least now I know what she's after. That's what I get for giving her a taste. I don't mind letting her pick my brain though, it can't do any harm.'

"Don't tell anypony, but I've hit a bit of a slump. The fashion industry is very tense. To make it, you always have to be on the cutting edge of what's new, what's now, and, let's face it, that's you. So, I was hoping we could spend the afternoon talking about your culture, in hopes that it'd give me some inspiration."

"Uh. Okay. Sure. I can't really help with fashion though. I'm not very artistic. I guess I could take a look at what you've come up with, but, that's after cloud duty, which I should probably get to." She nodded in understanding as I left.






"About time. Started worrying you weren't gonna show up. Weather schedule calls for overcast today, so we're only clearing out half the clouds. We don't want to warm things up too quickly and start Winter Wrap Up early." Dash said.

"Yeah. About that, why can't you start Winter Wrap Up early? From what I hear, Ponyville is almost always behind schedule. Wouldn't starting it early fix that?" I asked.

"That's what I thought! But apparently all the animals take their sweet time waking up. If they're not out of their dens first, they'll get flooded and drown or something, and we can't wake them up early, they get ticked off. I'm not too sure about the details, since Fluttershy takes care of that."

"Yeah, but couldn't you dig flood channels? Make all the water go straight into the reservoir, which would increase water supply?"

"Except the reservoir is designed to catch runoff that comes from down from Canterlot, by the river. It's higher than the town, which is why there's a dam, and the slow melt is what's used to water the farms for the first month or so while Cloudsdale gets it's water supply back up after using it on the winter snowfall."

"Oh. Oh well. Guess we do things the old fashioned way. So, where do you want me to start?" Looking at the sky above, it was completely blanketed with dark grey clouds, which let a light snow fall on the town below.

"We need to clear out everything above the town, since it has ditches which run to the ponds and stuff, and the water will help thin the ice so it can be scored and broken later, and about half of what is over the farms and forest areas. Since I know how much to leave behind, I'll take them, while you get the town."

"Got it!" With that, Rainbow flew off to go do her portion, while I started clearing out the airspace above town.

"May as well get to work killing clouds."





"What..." *Punch* "...is..." *kick* "...wrong..." *smash* "...with..." *huff* "...this..." *pant* "...cloud?!?!?"

It was a strange one. While all the others broke with ease, this single remaining one refused to burst, no matter how much I hit it. It just bounced back. I began shredding it with my talons, ripping little bits of it off and tossing them away, only for them to float back to the main body and reform. It seemed to be mocking me. Or, rather, SOMEONE was. That someone was a certain pegasus who thought herself to be completely hidden in the clouds a little ways out, yet was betrayed by the vibrancy of her own mane, a lock of which was in view and catching the sunlight from above the grey sky I was busy beating into oblivion.

'It's like a trick candle, except a cloud? Clever, but even trick candles can be doused. I just need to go about this... differently.'





Rainbow Dash






'Oh, this is too good! I think I actually got him with this one. The pail of water was a kind of lame prank. I should have guessed it wouldn't work, what with his paranoia, but this one really takes the cake. No matter how much he bashes that thing, it won't break. It's just like flight school all over again. Good times... huh? What's he doing?'

I watched from afar as he pushed the cloud over to town hall, then perched atop it and stretched his wings out in front, surrounding my little prank. The cloud began to shrink, being crushed in the air pressure that was gathering between his wings, before it was set alight by flame and launched into the sky as a burning streak. It flew high before smoldering out, no trace of the cloud remaining.

"Oh hey Rainbow Dash." He flew over to me, acting like nothing happened. "You all done with your part? No wonder you wanted help, some of these clouds are really... tricky..." His grin was almost sinister.

'Buck, he knows.'

"I'm heading back to Rarity's for lunch," He frowned. "And then I'm going to try and explain my entire culture so she can use it as inspiration for fashion." He let out a sad sigh. "Well, there goes the rest of the day. That's what I get for giving her a taste. They always want more... See you tomorrow, if I get any sleep tonight from all the questions."


That was, odd. I read... okay, I had Twilight read the doctor's report and translate it from egghead, and it said his mood would change quickly. Now that I think about it, he was gone for a lot of Pinkie's party, and when he was there, he seemed kind of mopey. The papers covered the winter guard challenge. He was all cheery then, and that was only a week and a half ago. At least he's not as bad as the time Pinkie thought we forgot her birthday. I wonder what's got his feathers ruffled.






Griffin





"No, no no no no! Tacky, overbearing, busy, complicated, unsightly. There's feathers everywhere, it sparkles so much it's blinding, this is exactly the kind of thing you'd see on a human runway on one of those awful television shows." I groaned.

"... I don't understand. It has to catch the viewers attention, or it'll never get noticed! It has to be loud! New! Out there!" Rarity exclaimed.

"Okay, let me explain something. Simplicity is elegance. Basic is beautiful. There's a difference between being loud, and just being obnoxious." I pointed out.

"Don't you think I know that! I've been making dresses for years!" She replied.

"Then find balance! Okay, who is the dress for?"

"Princess Luna. She wanted a dress for this year's summer sun celebration."

"Okay, let's go back to the start. Material. Luna has dark coloration. Black, navy blue, and then silver undertones..."

"But that's her usual fare! She needs something new, something to wow all who see her!"

"But then it'll clash! Grey is bland, yellow is too lively, green would just be ugly. Fuschia. Bright enough to stand out, yet classy and goes with her coat. Next, design."

"Loose and flowing." Rarity suggested.

"Good, but impractical. It's not a wedding dress, shorten the body, but give it open sleeves that go half length. Long enough to sway in the breeze, but short enough to stay out of the way and not be the dress's main feature."

She tossed out another paper with a sketch on it, and began scribbling feverishly with the new design. When she finished, she backed away so I could get a good look at it.

"... perfect." We said in unison. "Next, design?"

"I was thinking something floral, to go with the summer theme, and contrast her usual style." She pondered.

"Nah, floral on fuschia won't work, the cloth is already colourful enough, it'd have to be white to make the pattern stand out, which would ruin the entire outfit. She'd wind up looking like Ezio fell into a paint store."

"Who?"

"Never mind. Get rid of the feathers. Luna has her own feathers, so instead of adding, highlight what she already has. Besides, wearing someone else's feathers may be taken as a sign of being romantically involved. Let's see, what else... The fabric is silk so it's smooth and breathes, and is light enough to flow in the wind, but it needs to catch the light."

"Rubies? Sapphires? Emeralds?"

"No, too big, and while emeralds might look good against the colour, it'd take away from the main article, Luna herself. Go with tiny clear crystals, and make a swirl pattern along the sides and down the legs." I suggested.

Rarity gasped. "It's a changing design! At night, it'll illuminate her in the dark, making her look like the night sky. As the sun comes up, it'll shine on the tiny gems and bring attention to her, but once it's risen, instead of shining, the dress will shimmer. It'll grab everpony's attention during the dawn, but afterwards, it'll be easy on the eyes! And since the lines will be drawn to her form, it'll be slimming and show the curves." Much to my surprise, she threw her arms around my neck and hugged me. "Oh it'll be gorgeous! Such pizzaz, and yet classy and sophisticated!"


"Uh... Rarity."

"Oh, I simply MUST get to work straight away!"

"Uh, Rarity...." I struggled to say.

"Oh, and I cannot forget you. You've been such a help."

"RARITY!"

"Yes?" She looked up at me innocently, only to find my face was blue with asphyxiation, even through the feathers.

"You're crushing my windpipe." She immediately released her grip, leaving me gasping for precious oxygen. "Geez, you ponies sure get strong when there's something you're passionate about..." I rubbed my now sore throat. "Since I helped you with the design, does that mean I'm off the hook for the whole 'civilization explanation'? Please say yes."

"Oh, alright. Though I expect Twilight will still demand that from you at some point." She relented. Ahhhh crap. I forgot about that. A while back I promised to help her out with magic. I wound up giving it to Celestia, but she'll probably still rope me into that one... Why do I keep letting these ponies make me do things? "I was meaning to ask however, how do you know so much about dresses?"

"Well... I don't. I don't know anything about dresses, or art in general for that matter. I know what does NOT look good. All I did was let you bounce idea's off me so I could shoot them down. Everything I suggested... well, I was just making it up. Throwing it out there to see if you'd take it or not." Rarity looked at me with an expression that could only be asking 'Are you serious?' With a raised eyebrow and her pouty lips drawn back. "Actually, there is one thing I do know."

"Oh? And what might that be?" She questioned.

"How to make an entrance."

With that phrase spoken, Twilight burst through the door of the boutique, indeed making an entrance of her own, her eyes locked on me.

"I saw what you did over town square, and that reminded me, you promised to help me with my magic!"

'Speak of the devil, and he will appear.'

"Okay, seriously? Now? I just got back from the Pinkie Party, did cloud duty, and got Rarity out of her slump. Can it wait for tomorrow?" She narrowed her eyes. "Please! Have mercy!"

"Alright... tomorrow."
> The Messenger (21)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


The Messenger



The next morning, I had woken the household with a combination of music, a rice and vegetable stir fry, (not exactly a breakfast food but, I digress), as well as burning some sprigs of lavender which I picked from the potted plants on the windowsill. The first one awake, besides myself, was Opal, who lazily wandered into the room and set about finding the perfect position on her own personal cushion. Rarity and Sweetie Belle came down at the same time, to which the former asked. "Is this going to be a daily occurrence?"

"I don't see why not. Just thinking about all the times I could have done this and never bothered to, it seems like such a waste."

"Well, I certainly don't have any objections. I find it quite pleasant."

"Yeah, what she said!" Sweetie Belle added. I turned back to the pair and smiled warmly, before serving their plates, and one for myself. I ate quietly, though Rarity seemed to be curious about something. She decided to speak her mind and find out.

"Is something wrong?" She asked, putting down her fork.

"No, I don't think so. Why?"

"You seem glum."

"Hmm... I was meaning to ask..." I changed the subject. ".. when exactly is Winter Wrap Up?"

"A week from Thursday. Is that what has you bothered?" I nodded.

'Yes, but not for the reason you believe.'

"Oh, don't worry your head over such things. I'm certain that with your many talents, we can find something for you. We won't have a repeat of what happened with Twilight." I shook my head.

"It's not that. I... well, I don't want to participate."

"Why ever not? The entire event is about coming together as a town, to accomplish a common goal. It would be wonderful to take part i..."

"It's a personal reason, okay? Please don't ask any more about it."

"Oh... alright."



We finished our meal in silence, and then I left the boutique to go to Twilight's, while Sweetie Belle went to school, and Rarity got to work dressmaking. One problem I foresaw was the presence of Spike. I may not have needed to watch my magic, but I wasn't too sure how I'd do in regards to cravings. I was about to find out. I knocked on the door to the library, which was opened by Twilight.

"Wow, you're here early. I... was actually expecting you to try and get out of it."

"Hey, I said I would do it, and I may not be perfect, but I don't break promises. Ready to get started?"

"Of course. Spike, come here and take notes." The little dragon came down from the second floor, quill and parchment in claw, ready to transcribe whatever the unicorn told him. Just seeing him there made me flinch. It wasn't anything major, a twitch here, a wince there, but it was enough to be noticeable. I clenched my beak shut and my claws into fists. "Griffin, are you alright?" I shut my eyes tight, swallowed hard, and began breathing heavily. I mean, he was RIGHT THERE. So small, and helpless, and full of life, and it would be so, so, easy and.... no. No. I've been through this before. I can handle this. I've gone for months without, and I don't need it. I'm not going to break now, to throw all my hard work away.

"Yes. I'm alright. I'll be fine. Can we just start? Where should I begin? Basics? Word combinations?"

"Actually, no. I got all the notes on your magic from Princess Celestia. While useful, I already know unicorn spells to do all those things, and if you recall, you offered to help me with my magic." She smirked. Apparently, she found, and is exploiting, a loophole. I did say that...

"Okay, so, now I'm lost. What could you need my help with? I don't know anything about unicorn magic." Her response was to pull out a very large, very old tome. It slammed to the table with a thud, kicking up what must have been centuries of dust, trapped within the ancient pages.

"Princess Celestia gave me an advanced spell book for the next level of my studies. There are spells in here that can only be cast by the highest caliber unicorns."

"Okay, but I still don't see how it involves me." I questioned. I really should have just run away when I had the chance.

"Chapter 1, Transformation spells."

...
...
...

"Oooooooh no. I am NOT being a test subject! No way! Not gonna happen! I like myself as I am."

"But I can't cast it on myself, who knows what could happen? If it's with someone else, at least I can reverse it."

"But why me! Why not someone else?"

"Because YOU promised to help me, remember! Besides, you at least have a magical background, even more so than most unicorns in town. You'll be able to give me a unique, informed perspective."

"Damnit." I cringed, thinking about all the horrible things that could happen. "Okay, let's just get this over with all right?"

"It'll be fine. I'm Princess Celestia's student after all. What could go wrong?" She smiled confidently. Her visage changed when she saw the look of absolute horror on my face. "What's wrong, don't you trust me?"


"I simply cannot believe you just said that. The four forbidden words, which set a curse upon any endeavor." I glared at her. "What could go wrong?" I hissed. "If I die, you're taking care of the baby."

"Oh, stop being such a drama queen. It'll be fine. First spell, age spell. Make the target old or young. Ready?" She brought a mirror into the room, so at least I could see myself, and the changes that would be taking place.

"Just do it."

I closed my eyes, waiting for the inevitable. Several minutes passed with no noticeable change on my part. When I peeked to take a look, everything seemed as it was.

"Oh, look at that, it doesn't work. Oh well. Guess we're done here."

"Your protect spell, Griffin. You have to remove it." The mare growled.

"Uh... fiiine. Try again."

This time, the change was immediate. I felt as though I had faded away, into a shell of my former self. I could no longer see properly, as the majority of my vision was obscured by black spots, and the remainder was blurred out, most likely from cataracts. I struggled to stand, my limbs shaking under the strain, as my entire body drooped. Finally, the nail in the coffin was that almost all my feathers and fur had fallen out, leaving me bald and shivering. The blur that was Twilight was saying... something, but I wasn't able to hear it. I must have gone deaf.

Just as suddenly as the change had taken place, it was gone, and I was back to my normal self. I was laying on the floor of the library, curled up in a little ball.

"So, what was it like?"

"Cold..."

"Cold? That's it?"

"I couldn't see clearly, I couldn't hear anything, I was naked, it's early March, I was lying on a wooden floor. Cold and sore. All my bones and muscles hurt. I hurt things I didn't even know I HAD. Please don't do that again." I whimpered. "Please."

"Okay then. No more age spells." She cringed. It's good she was at least feeling guilty about the state she put me in, even if it was only for an instant. "Next up, species. This one should, at the very least, not be so disturbing."

"Yeah... alright." 

A flash of magic, and the thing I saw in the mirror was... not nearly as bad as I was expecting. An earth pony, the same red as my coat, with a mane white like my feathers. I had a medium length tail, thin and wiry, a muscular build, and some faint scars running along my chest. I turned to look at the mare responsible for my transformation, who seemed a bit distracted.

"Uh... Twilight?"

"Oh! I almost forgot! Spike, camera!" The little dragon reached into a drawer and pulled out the old style device, which Twilight levitated around me, to take pictures from numerous angles, several of which she looked at with a bit of a blush on her face. When she had finished that, she got back to the interviewing process. "Alright, so how does it feel?"

"Weird. I don't like noh hawing fingers oh claws, the teeth are all flat, which feews strange, and my tongue keepth flopping awaound in my mouf. Ith huge compared to mah nowmal one." I stuck it out to emphasize my point. It was a completely different jaw structure compared to a human or griffin, and while larger, there was a lot more control possible with it. "I think... I think I'm getting it. Maybe earth ponies have bigger tongues because they pick things up with their mouths? Anyways, that's enough of that."

"Agreed." With a flash and a pop, I was back to my feathered self. "Just one more, and I'll let you off the hook." Twilight said.

"Alright. That last one wasn't so bad. Lets keep going."

"Okay, next." Another flash of magic. I checked myself over, and didn't find anything fundamentally different. Still had feathers, claws, beak and all that, so I was still a griffin, and checking myself over, I couldn't really find any differences. That is, till I looked in the mirror. My form was, daintier, than before. I was a bit smaller, had leaner muscle, a smaller beak, and definitely more noticeable curves. Checking myself over again, I noticed a distinct piece of equipment was missing, replaced by...


"... I'm a girl?" As soon as I heard my voice, I clapped my claws over my mouth. It was higher than normal, but it was smoother as well, almost like a song bird. I felt a little woozy, and noticed me center of balance had shifter further to my rear. I turned myself around in front of the mirror to get a better look.

"So... how are you feeling?" Twilight asked.

"... I look hot. I sound hot."

"Okay? Um... yeah, I guess you kinda do... But, how are you feeling?"

"Um. Okay. Let's see... I want to braid your mane, which looks FANTASTIC by the way. Seriously, what conditioner do you use? You should really grow it out."

"Griffin.. stay on topic..."

"Griffin sounds so... I don't know, masculine.. I think I like Elise better... Sounds classy."

"Answer the question!"

I turned to look at the now frustrated unicorn yelling at me, and found myself tearing up.

"...do you hate me?"

"Wha... what?"

"All I was trying to do is help you, and you're yelling at me..." At this point, I lost all semblance of control and just cried it out. "You're just like everyone else! All I try to do is help, and then you just get mad!"

"Griffin, I..."

"No.. *sniff* It's not your fault. Maybe if I wasn't such a fuckup..." I buried my face in my arms.

"Griffin."

"I can't do anything right. Nothing I do ever turns out how I want it to! Now everyone hates me and I hate me too." I felt a hoof on my shoulder.

"Come on, it's not so bad... Nopony hates you..."

"Applejack hates me..."

"Why do you say that?"

"She called me a 'lying, cheating, no good scoundrel' And she's RIIIIIGHT! I'm worthleeeeess. I can't get anywhere in life without cheating! I should just die!"

"You know about that, huh..." She began rubbing the outside of my wing to try and sooth me. It didn't work. I threw my arms up in the air in frustration.

"Oh come on! The whole TOWN knows about that! Applebloom heard Applejack, and then she told Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, and if all three of them know something, you can bet that EVERYONE knows it, because they don't know how to keep their mouths shut, and neither do I. I'm just a big, dumb, blabbermouth." I fell back to the ground, crying again.

"Is there... anything I can get you?" Twilight offered, trying in vain to make me feel better.

"Yeah... a tub of rocky road ice cream, a bubble bath, and a stallion with a big..."

"Aaaand that's enough of that." Flash, pop, I'm suddenly back to normal.







"... heart. I was going to say heart." After some time, spent getting over the awkwardness of what had occurred, I finally managed to regain my wit and continue the conversation.

"No, you weren't." She deadpanned.

"... yeah, you're right. I wasn't. Also, if you ever tell anyone what just happened... I can't think of a proper threat right now. Use your imagination. That goes double for you Spike."

"R...right. Anyways. Thanks for the help. This was... interesting. Let's not do it again."

"Yeah. Okay, but if it does happen again, next time, you're the test subject." I began to walk away, but was interrupted by the little dragon chasing after me.

"Oh! I almost forgot. I somehow wound up with a letter for you." He passed me a neatly rolled up scroll.

"Really?" Maybe it's from Gilda. I was wondering why I didn't get a reply, maybe it's because I don't have dragon blood anymore, so I can't receive messages? "Let me take a look."


Opening the letter, I could immediately see that it was NOT from Gilda, as the writing was more careful and elegant, flowing instead of harsh. Clearly the penmanship of someone who takes great care and diligence.

Griffin,
I regret to inform you that you have inspired a group of look-alikes. A number of griffins, all dying their feathers and styling them to match your own, attempted a raid on our airship earlier today. We defeated them, however, during questioning, the surviving attackers stated that they had the 'real' Captain Griffin on their side, and that they would never betray him. I will investigate further.

Aoi Myoujin.

"Son of a bitch..." I looked to Twilight and Spike. "Sorry. I know, language. I did not need this. Especially not with the mood I'm in." I grabbed a spare parchment and quill to write a reply.

Aoi

Dammit... I do NOT need some crazy wannabe's going around and ruining my good name. I do things MY way. If they wanna join, tell em to head to Signal. If not... I trust you'll use proper judgment. Meaning, if they're just misguided, 'guide' them to a correctional facility, and if they're assholes looking to cause trouble, exterminate with extreme prejudice.

The 'Real' Griffin 

"Here Spike. Think you can send this to Aoi?"

"Yeah, sure." With a puff of fire and smoke, the message was on it's way.

"I'm gonna go brutally murder some clouds now."
> Changes (22)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Changes


So often, we work so hard, and pour all we are into a harrowing task, a seemingly insurmountable obstacle. Through our tireless work, we endlessly chip away at the stone. So then, imagine the excitement when the first cracks begin to form.





Gilda



I let out a sigh as I looked in the mirror. Running my claw over my stomach, I could feel the lump that had spent the past several months forming. It was tiny, you wouldn't notice it if you weren't looking for it, but it was there. Nadene had already started me on a prenatal diet to make sure the baby got all the nutrients it needed. I still find it hard to believe, that this is actually happening. People go through this all the time, yet I still find it difficult to fathom. I'm going to be a mother. The very idea of it terrifies me.

Griffin, I'm not worried about. He'll adapt fine, it's what he does, and I've seen how good he is with foals, when he's around them anyways, and now that he's gotten help for his issues, I'm certain he'll be a good father. If there's any consolation, it's that I can always rely on him, and I don't have to do this alone. He was so happy when I told him, at least I don't have to worry about what to do if I can't handle it.

Then, there's the other thing. Why am I out here? To find my parents? The more I think about it, the more what Griffin said makes sense. We've done fine with him out of commission, do I really need to stay on? Am I holding on to some foolish hope that will never come to be? Am I trapped in the past? Or, maybe, I don't feel like I can be a parent till I find mine?

I sighed again and shook my head. All these questions, no answers, and sitting here thinking about them isn't solving anything. I walked up to the bridge and looked out at the horizon, spotting the Hornet hovering lazily alongside the Possibility as we flew. I could see Shimmer at the helm, and she waved to me before bringing the ship into a tighter formation.


Time went on, many days of quiet thought and introspection. That was a bit of trouble. Since everyone knew us, the moment our ship showed up on the skyline, all the activity underneath would vanish.


... or not. As we passed over a hill, we saw a number of diamond dogs all jumping into the air, waving their arms back and forth, and howling, trying to get our attention.

"Land the ship. Tell the Hornet to circle around and keep an eye out."


When the gangplank lowered, a hurried silence fell over the valley. All the shouting stopped as the dogs looked to us. Many of them had desperation clearly pasted on their visage.

"Uh, what's up dawgs?" I heard a series of groans from both them and my own crew.  Yes, I did that on purpose, Griffin was always cheesy and things seemed to work out for him, why not give it a shot? They all seemed hesitant to speak, as though they were worried about something. "Well? What was all the ruckus about?" In reply, every dog present suddenly and immediately bowed, so far as to plant their foreheads on the ground. "Um... okay, that's nice and all, but seriously, what do you want?"

Finally rising from the almost prone position, one hound wearing a pair of gold earrings stood, though keeping his head low, he spoke.

"Please, we beg, help. Alpha is ill. No medicine. We are miners, builders, smiths, warriors. He is strong, he keeps den safe, but he cannot slay sickness. Our enemies will come, overtake."

"Yeah, okay, so, where is he?"

"Follow."

"Just a sec." I walked away from the group and towards the rest of the crew. Trixie, Nadene, Tiras, and Geirmund. We huddled together for privacy, and spoke in hushed tones. "Think it's a trap? It seems almost too easy."

"I do not know. Either way, they could not have known we were traveling in this direction. This is certainly a chance meeting. If it is a trap, it was not meant specifically for us." Tiras reasoned.

"Okay, so, that's a good sign at least. Recommended course of action?"

"Send myself, Geirmund, Starlight, Second Sight, and Surprise's mice." Nadene suggested. "Geir and I can diagnose and treat most illnesses, Starlight and Second Sight can use their specialties in case of emergency to help us escape, and the shadow mice can scout the warren. By the way, she's up to ten now."

"I like it. I'll come along as well. Something about this place feels off to me. I want to check it out." We all nodded in agreement before breaking the huddle.

"Very well. What is your name?" I asked the dog with the gold earrings.

"Smochak."

"Okay. We're ready, show us the way."




We headed east for a time, both ships circling overhead, keeping a eye out for trouble, or signs of a trap. We eventually reached a hill with a cave entrance in the side, which we entered. Despite the cave being fairly large, it still made me uneasy, being underground. The fact that there were hundreds of bats hanging from the cave ceiling didn't help my nerves any. Nadene and Geirmund regarded the flying rodents with interest. As we descended into the bowels of the earth, keeping our senses sharp for anything amiss, I began asking 'Smochak' some questions.

"Smochak, if you needed a doctor, what were you doing before we found you?"

"Ally clan to west, strong, have many slaves. Pony doctor among. Seek help. See ship, call down. Heard of you, friend to legend, you will help us. Lucky find you, help sooner than long walk."

'Friend to legend? Is he talking about Aoi? News spreads quickly. This may work in our favor.'

"So, on your way to your ally's den, you just happened to see us? How did you know we would help you? We have a bit of a bad reputation around here." I asked.

"We know misunderstanding. Ruby Hollow alpha is... was... stupid." He seemed to wince at the fact that he insulted an alpha dog, but continued none the less. "Marble Pillars send word, truth words, not foolishness. Many Alpha's go there, many dens change, much happiness follows."

"You said your allies to the west have a lot of slaves. Does your den have slaves?"

At my question, he stopped walking. He stood motionless, like a statue. He closed his eyes, grit his teeth, then whispered.

"Yes."

"You do know what we do right?" He turned to me, and when he opened his eyes, tears were streaming out of them, running down his cheeks. His entire face was screwed up an an expression of misery.

"Yes."

I couldn't help but feel sorry for him, seeing that face. He knew what he was doing, and knew it was wrong, yet he did it all the same. What was the reason for that? I can see from his tears that he would not be doing it if he had any choice in the matter, so then why?

"There's something you're not telling me." When I said that, he bit his lip. "It's alright, just say it."

"Alpha is.... sick for long time. We trade gems for medicine, make well, but short time only. Need trade many gems, need slaves, or alpha die. Heard Marble Pillars, and Griffin Pirates, and Clan Nanashi help, no more slaves, all happy, we want freedom."

"Then, what's the problem? Marble Pillars has medicine. Why not release the slaves and join them? They'd help you."

"Because, Alpha not make it that far. No more medicine. All out. Slaves sick too. Used medicine to make better, have no more."

"Smochak, where were you getting your medicine before?" He grit his teeth again.

"From Pony."

"What?"

"Pony... Unicorn, Stallion, blue, dark mane, slick like oil. Mark of dagger on coin. He bring medicine, and list. List.... list say where ponies are. We go, we take ponies, make work, get gems, trade for medicine."

'A dagger on a coin? So, he's a hired mercenary. Just a tool used by whoever is really behind the scheme.'

We finally entered the den proper, where we saw dozens of ponies, a few griffins, and a minotaur, digging away, hauling carts, and the dogs working right along side them. There were very few guards. Most were busy digging. Even the ones wearing armor were doing what they could, passing out water, and carrying the exhausted away to mats so they could rest. The most distinguishing feature however, was the chamber we were brought into. Laying on a mat was the Alpha dog, easily the size of Steelhorn, and all around him were a number of slaves, as well as hounds. They were all coughing, several of them coughing up blood, and many were sweating and shaking. Most were emaciated, and a couple were vomiting.

Geirmund activated some sort of mechanism, bringing a steel plate up in front of his mouth, while Nadene donned a medical mask to avoid catching whatever was afflicting them, and set about their work.

"I try... so hard." Smochak began. "Even though slaves, we try be kind. No whipping, much food as can, always water, resting, care for sick. No foals here. Not take foals. Young are... future. To take innocence... too great sin. We told pony that we no more have slaves. He... angry. Yelling. Leave, no return. No medicine. Alpha is kind. Too kind. Won't let them suffer. I not let him suffer."


Hearing Smochak's story, it was truly heartbreaking. I found myself crying as well. A den that took care of their slaves? The alpha who decided his medicine should be given to others, and let himself fall to his illness? And when they found that there was another way, that they could all be free and happy, they were punished for pursuing it. So now, the reason why they didn't have any guards, the reason that the ponies, despite no longer being forced to remain, still worked, was so they could try and make enough money to convince the pony to come back, enough to afford medicine to cure them all?

When I looked behind me, I could still see, through misty eyes, Trixie, Starlight, and Second Sight were crying as well. Geirmund and Nadene returned, removed their masks, and sighed.


"Histoplasmosis." Nadene stated. "It's a lung infection caused by fungus, which grows from bat guano. There are bats all through these caves. This entire den is a dead zone. Everyone down here needs to be put on medication, us included, and especially you Gilda. Nobody can live here anymore." She turned to Smochak. "We need to get everyone ready to leave. We'll send word to Marble Pillars to prepare a massive quantity of antifungal medication. We'll use what stores we have on the ship, but, we're not prepared for such a large number of patients. I'll be honest. Not everyone is going to make it. And your Alpha... What's his name?"

"Herdran the mighty."

"His case is... he went too long without treatment."

"What do you mean?"

"Even if we gave him the medicine now, he has irreparable lung damage. He's not going to make it."

"No..."

"*Cough* Smochak. Listen." The giant dog hacked and wheezed from his bed.

"... I serve."

"Listen. I will not live. When the pony who brings medicine denied us, I chose to give what remained to those we took, to try and undo the damage I had done. This is penance... for my crimes. So listen well, and do as I ask. Leave me here."

"What? No, I not leave you to die alone!" He barked.

"... you are a friend, but a fool. If you stay, you will die. I will not command you to leave. You served for years. As my friend, go. Live. Many among the hound clans still believe these griffins to be invaders, conquerors. Tell all who will listen what you have seen, and what they have done. Then, with my death, there will be change." Herdran was crying now as well, and all his people, as well as the ponies who had been working, stopped to listen to him, and wept.

"Come on, we have to go. Starlight, go ghostly and go straight up, through the roof. Tell the Possibility to dump any cargo that isn't food or medicine to make room for passengers, that means repair supplies, ammunition, etc, and for the crew to meet us outside the den. Take Geirmund with you." I turned to the mecha pony. "Take the Hornet to Marble Pillars as fast as you can, and get as much medicine as you can, then head straight back here with it. You'll meet us on the way." Then, finally, I cast a sonor spell on myself and shouted. "Listen up! This place is a death trap. If you stay here, you'll die. We're all leaving. Come with us, and you'll get food and medical attention. We'll treat as many as we can, and we'll have to ration everything, but it'll be better than staying here! Anyone who is well enough, help with the evacuation. Let's get the hell out of here! Make sure nobody is left behind." I turned to Herdran. "That means you too bub. You may not make it through this, but I'm not gonna let you die here all alone. You at least deserve some comfort and a proper burial."



Everyone able helped to clear the den of those unable to move themselves. When we reached the surface, the Hornet was gone and there were boxes laying everywhere, all with labels written on them, such as 'Cannonballs' 'Planks' and 'Decorative Knick-Knacks'.

We helped everyone get on board, finding them room anywhere we could. The mess hall, the cargo hold, many of us shared bedrooms to make more room for our passengers. Nadene and anyone else with medical training went about triaging our patients, members of the crew included. In total, two hundred and seventeen ponies, thirteen griffins, and one hundred and thirty nine diamond dogs, including Herdran, who took up quite a bit of space.

The least ill went to the top of the treatment list, since it would take very little medicine to cure them, and since it would prevent them from getting worse, we were saving medicine in the long term. Next were the pregnant, and those with medical training, so Nadene and I got our medicine right away, considering we had both been in the den for less than a day. We didn't want to take chances, with me being pregnant, and her being our chief medical officer. Trixie opted out of treatment, stating she could wait till we reached Marble Pillars, and she might not even be infected. Second Sight and Starlight Wisp claimed the same, as did a number of slaves who didn't have any symptoms. Next on the list were the most seriously ill, those in danger of dying if they didn't get treatment, followed by everyone else.

Finally, those who didn't get treatment. Anyone who opted out. This included a large number of diamond dogs. It became a matter of pride for them. So many excuses. "We are not weak like ponies. We live in caves all our lives, we are strong. We can wait." Or, "If Alpha will suffer so another may be saved, so will I!" Or, "Please, let another have my treatment. They deserve it more. They didn't choose this, we forced it on them." Also, were the cases like Herdran, who were too far along to be saved. We did all we could to make them comfortable, but, as expected, along the way, a lot of them didn't make it.


In a week and a half, we had lost sixteen of our patients, Herdran included. Nobody slept that night, since the mournful howls of the dogs on board kept everyone up. The Hornet returned a few days after with a cargo bay full of medicine, meaning we didn't have to ration anymore. Everyone got their treatments, though we still lost another three who had been on the edge for a while.

Finally, we reached the town, where we were greeted by the three leaders. They had us come to dinner, saying that the ship was too crowded, and we needed to get off it for a while. I explained the situation to them, and their expressions turned grim.




"I see. So, the state of poverty in this warren occurred naturally, but a pony took advantage of the situation, and made it worse by betraying his kin." Yellow reciprocated for clarity.

"Greed is a terrible thing." Mer'na, the blue dragon, stated. She, (I could tell by the voice) sighed. "It drives us to madness and poisons the soul." As a dragon, greed is usually a chief part of the lifestyle. For her to say that, she must be speaking from experience.

"Unfortunately, whoever is behind this scheme was working through a proxy. Since the proxy bailed, there's no way to find out who it is." I added.

"Yes, that is unfortunate. Who could have believed that ponies, who are said to be the kindest of all in this world, could be capable of such cruelty?" Blue pondered.

"Just as Griffin always said. This world looks like a haven from the outside, but just under the skin, it's rotten... Anyways, I trust you'll take care of everything? Make sure the dead get proper burials. Herdran was well loved, and let Smochak tell his story."

"Of course." Red nodded. "You have done well, as usual. I am glad to see our faith in you was not misplaced."

"Thank you. If that is all, we'll be on our way."

"Actually, there's one more subject to address." Yellow began. "There's somewhere we want you to go. It's in the old Dominion. It's a location known as the 'Earth Scar', a massive chasm with cave systems and bridges crossing it. It's highly defended by overlooking artillery. It's also one of the biggest hotbeds for slavery and organized crime, the other being Fowl Feather Cove. If information about the pony behind these atrocities exists, you'll find it there. I wouldn't suggest force however, given it's defenses."

"I agree. Thank you for the information. The sooner we 'chop the head off the snake' the easier bringing other dens into the fold will be, since they'll no longer be manipulated by outside sources."

"We'll give you a map to the location. Just so you know, this isn't a den. At least not anymore. There was a slave revolution years ago, and since then it's become a thriving city for the dregs of society. However, don't bother with a disguise. Our sources tell us they'll receive you better if they know who you are, considering the Griffin Pirates are rather popular there."

"Very well. We'll be on our way."


> Heartless (23)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Heartless



It took maybe two weeks of uneventful travel from Marble Pillars to reach Earth Scar. We restocked, and then stopped to pick up the supplies we had left when we made room for the sick, before continuing into the Old Dominion. Earth Scar was, admittedly, very hard to miss, because it lived up to it's name well. A massive gash in the land, the dim light of lava from beneath illuminating the walls, keeping the entire settlement warm even throughout the harshest winters as the heat from the bowels of the earth rose.

All along the edge of the cliff there sat dozens of defenses. Stone guard towers, ballista, cannons and the like, all of which looked worn, but still in good condition, which said only one thing. They were used often, and maintained. Set into the cliff faces, along each side, were houses. Cracks in the walls became streets, with homes carved into the stones themselves, while earthen bridges crisscrossed the chasm. The entire place was abuzz with activity, mostly griffins flying around, with many airships moored at stone spires, several of them bearing a very familiar insignia. Ours. Of course, none of them matched the absolute opulence of the Possiblity, which put them to shame in terms of size and aesthetics.


"When they said we were popular here, they weren't kidding." Nadene pointed out.

"I don't think they are fans or followers." Growl stated. "This is a wretched hive of scum and villainy, if anything, they are likely using our reputation to further their own goals."

"Impostors." Maria scowled, remembering her own time in the jungle.

"We'll jus have ta be careful then." Steelhorn said in his typical 'Scottish' accent. "They already seen us, so, we jus gotta prove who we really are. I think the ship does that job pretty well."

"Just in case, I think we should fly down separate. Maria, Nadene, Trixie, you're with me. I don't think we should bring Growl with, considering who's all flying around out there." Everyone nodded in agreement before we geared up and disembarked.


It was easy flying, using the hot air from the volcanic vents below to glide down while the Possibility and Hornet were moored at a spire. We landed on one of the stone bridges. We looked around for a bit before we were greeted by a group of slutty looking... everythings. Ponies, diamond dogs, and griffins of both genders, all fully clothed and swaying their hips and tails as they walked. "Hey there... looking for a good time?" One of the hounds wrapped his arm around Nadene, making her hiss.

"Easy there kitty. You're so tense, you need to relax..."

"We are looking for something, actually." I spoke up, interrupting the attempted, and miserably failed, seduction of Nadene, something for which she was thankful. "We're looking for someone, someone specific."

"Hmm. You'll wanna talk to the big boss then. No one comes in or goes out of this city without him knowing about it, but you can't just waltz in. You gotta have an appointment."

Just then, a burly griffin with bloody red feathers walked by, and in his drunken swaying, bumped into me.

"Hey! Watch where ur walkin whore!"

I grit my teeth at his insult, but ignored him, since I had more important things to deal with.

"Hey, I'm talking to you!" He got right up in my face. "I said 'Watch where ur walking, whore. Ya nearly pushed me off the bridge, now are you gonna apologize?"

I rolled my eyes. "Sorry."

"That ain't good enough. You don't sound too sincere. Don't you know who I am? I'm Captain Griffin, of the Griffin Pirates! You best be showing me a little more respect." He slurred drunkenly.

I fought back a groan. "Sorry, sir. Can I go now?"

"Hmm.. I dunno, I think you ought to make it up to me." He looked at me with lust in his eyes, wrapping his tail arund my hind leg and using the coarse, brushlike tip to try and move my own tail out of the way.

"Oh for fuck's sake. Ignis." Running lightning through my claws, I poked him in the shoulder, wing joint, and thigh, followed by a buck to the head, knocking him on his side. He laid there twitching through all the joints I hit.

"What did you do to me?" He demanded.

"Just a little trick the REAL Captain Griffin showed me. I ran electricity through my claws and hit your joints, causing a forced contraction of your muscles, which in turn causes short term paralysis. Is that the part that's confusing you? Or is it the part where I kicked you in the head that you don't understand?"

"Who the fuck do you think you are? I AM Captain Griffin!" He insisted, which was quite foolish for someone in his position.

"I'm Gilda, and I'm carrying the real captain's child." I rubbed my stomach. His drunken eyes were filled with recognition, most likely remembering my face from a wanted poster.

"Oh shit..." Was his response. 

And then I kicked him off the bridge. He fell and landed on the platform below with a crunch. I looked over the edge and saw him slowly limp away, with what looked like a broken leg and wing, and maybe a rib. "Eh, he'll be fine."


When I turned back, I noticed all of the prostitutes had taken several steps back, with their heads lowered slightly. In fact, everyone had. All the bystanders, the guards who were watching, everyone, they were all bowing. I have no idea what's going on.

"Um..."

"Please forgive us Lady Gilda. You see, we have so many claim to be the legendary captain every day, we did not recognize you." So wait, what? Now I'm some kind of queen or something?... Oh yeah, I guess I kind of am... I mean, it's just two islands right now, but the New Dominion is officially a nation... That, and Red, Yellow, and Blue weren't lying when they said we're REALLY popular here.

"Uh yea, no problem so, about meeting the 'Big Boss'?"

"I don't think that'll be a problem." A newcomer flew up from below. He looked clean and sophisticated, with all his feathers in order, and a pair of bookish glasses perched on his beak. "My name is Frindle, the assistant. He saw your ship arrived, and has been meaning to meet you. If you'll follow me." We nodded, then took off after him down the crevice. Around halfway down, there was a large structure that had been carved out of the wall, bearing an flag. The flag was the howling face of a diamond dog, with a red 'X' over it.

Running, hiding in the dark, shivering in the cold, yet not drawing near the heat of the flame to avoid being seen, an image, hanging on a wall above the flame, surrounded by dirty, smelly dogs, armed with crude iron weapons as the corpse of a pony was roasted on a spit above the flame, sending shivers through my spine before I turned away, scrambling up through a narrow tunnel of dirt, cramped on all sides, muddy, stones and roots lashing at my face and wings and I clawed in desperation, trying to escape from being buried alive under the cold, cold ground.

"Gilda?" I gasped in shock as I was broken from my thoughts by Trixie, who rode on my back. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, let's keep moving." 


We entered the building...cave...thing, where we walked past entire lines of armed guards, to an office at the end of a hall. Frindle motioned for us to enter. There, sitting behind a wodden desk, sat a griffin. He had a harsh look in his eyes, a crack through his beak, and was missing both his wings, which were instead stitched stumps. His feathers were slightly in disarray as he looked through various papers on his desk.

At our entry, he looked up, and his eyes widened. He smiled as he stood, waling towards us inquisitively.

"Well well, if it isn't the acting captain of the Griffin Pirates." He tilted his head in a kind of short bow. "My name is Atran. To what do I owe the honour of this visit?"

"We're looking for information."

"Information's a valuable thing. It can make or break a person. I hope you aren't just expecting a handout." Nothing is ever that easy, is it?

"What do you want in return?" I replied.

"That would depend on what you want to know." For fuck sake, give me a straight answer! No... I have to keep cool and collected, not let him play me.

"Names." I stated simply.

"Names?"

"Specifically, the names of ponies who, in the northern territories, have been selling the locations of travelers to Diamond Dog Slavers. This is one of the biggest crime centers in the world, and you know everything about everyone who goes through this place."

"I can't deny either of those claims, as much as I'd like to." He stated as he narrowed his eyes.

"So... you do have the information I want. The question is, what do you want in return?" I matched his glare. He seemed to smile a bit at that, before he began circling around our little group.

"I understand that you have an innovative weapon. A 'Laser Rifle' I believe it's called. This is something nobody has seen before in these lands. Something like that could be very..." He paused, seemingly for dramatic effect. "...useful, to a someone like me.


I had to stop to think about it for a moment. On the one hand, Atran has information we need, or so he claims. Getting ahold of it could be a major step in ending slavery in the north, by hitting those greedy bastards in their wallets. Make it unprofitable, and punish the ponies who have been selling out. On the other hand, giving a crime lord access to advanced weaponry could do just as much harm. What did Griffin tell me to do in this situation? Oh, that's right!

"First things first. The information. How do I know what you're giving me is the real deal? You could very easily rip us off and leave us with nothing." He smiled, a bit sadly, but then his visage regained it's chipper tone.

"Well I can't say I'm flattered that you don't trust me to honor a deal. But then again I wouldn't trust me either so I suppose I owe you some credit." He reached under his desk and I heard the click of a lock. Some papers were ruffled and he pulled out one sheet. It was placed on the desk in front of me. "Consider this a free sample."


Inspecting the sheet, I saw the name at the top 'Mr.Feldspar' along with a photograph of him. On the page were various names, some belonging to ponies, other to zebras, and some to diamond dogs. No griffin names however. Beside each name was either a value in bits, or a quantity of goods received for the individual, most of it in low price minerals, nice the most popular, gems, now had their import and sale closely monitored.



"No deal."

"I am sorry to hear that. Is there a reason? I will do my best to correct whatever problems you have." He replied all too quickly.

"Simple. There's no griffins on this list. Out here, we're the most easily accessible. Tend to live lives of solitude, very few know magic, and not far away. I expected to see some, but there's not a single griffin name on this list."


"The ones who sell griffons are already taken care of. At least the ones I've caught." He laughed. "The boys love a good execution." Hold on... there's something here that just isn't quite right.

"That's an odd behavior for a crime lord. You allow slavery, but kill anyone with griffin slaves. What's the reason behind that?" At my insistence, he grimaced.

"I don't wanna talk about it."

"Then I'm afraid we'll have to decline your offer."

"Then I'm afraid we have no more business to attend to. Mr.Frindle, if you'll kindly escort them back to their ship?"

The bookish assistant showed us the way out, and ensured we got back on board, then the city guard on their artillery ensured we left quietly.




Once we were away from the city, Trixie confronted me.

"So, we're going back to rob the place right?"

"Well yeah. I just wanted to make sure he had what we wanted before raiding it. I don't think he'll move the information since we made a point of calling it no good, and it's in a safe somewhere under his desk, most likely built into the rock. Still, we want to attack as soon as possible. We'll hit hard and fast so he doesn't have a chance to move it, so we'll be taking the Hornet."

"What happened to not using force? Won't this place rip us to shreds?" Nadene asked.


"What do ya think I been trainin Shinner fer? I been teachin her nautical maneuvers all tha time, and that ship 'as a good crew. They can do it. Besides, with that ship's range, I doubt they can even hit it before it moves out of the way."

"Let's get on the other ship. We'll make our plans there."







"Okay, so, Atran has a safe under his desk, containing the information we need. We won't have the time to crack the safe, and opening it with thermite will damage the contents. SO, we'll be going the phantom thief route. Starlight Wisp, you'll use and intangibility to steal the contents of the safe. The ship will hit the defenses and focus on not getting shot to run distraction. I'll fly you down before the attack begins, on the premise of having changed my mind, and take care of any guards that might get in the way, including Atran, once the shells start falling. After we've got the intel, we'll fly out using full invisibility, through a blind spot in the defenses caused by the Hornet blowing them up, and meet up with the Possibility, while the Hornet loses anyone tailing it. We'll meet up at Manehatten and turn the papers over to Equestrian Authority so these assholes can get arrested."


"Sounds good to me, except won't he be suspicious?"

"That's why we'll bring a laser rifle with. I'll use it once to show him, then when the bombs start dropping, use it ON him. That'll also let us check to make sure they're still where he kept them.







"My my, Gilda, back so soon?" Atran said in his usual, sleezy calm. I don't like this scumbag calling me by name, as if he knows me.

"I've changed my mind. I want the intel."

"What made you change your mind? I thought the intel wasn't any good?" He narrowed his eyes. I nodded, reaching into Starlight's pack, pulling out the rifle.

"My strategist pointed out a... crucial flaw, in my reasoning. Even if these are fakes, I can't take the chance that they are real and have just lost my best lead. I suppose you'll be wanting a test fire?" He nodded, seemingly accepting my excuse. One of his guards removed his armor and set it up against the wall.

"Lumen. That's the activation keyword." I cranked the handle, overcharging the light gem inside. I took aim at the breastplate leaning against the wall, and fired. The white hot beam fired for about a second, before melting a nice little hole in the iron, about the size of a coffee straw, right above the heart. "There are a number of different caliber rifles. This is the smallest one, designed for light armor and unarmored targets, as well as flammable ones. One of these can sink an airship if it's made primarily of wood and cloth, simply by setting it on fire." He nodded in acceptance.


BOOM

The office-like cave shook as the first shot landed, followed by three more in quick succession. Immediately, I turned and shot the guard not wearing armor, before turning on another one who was. I quickly smashed the rifle on the ground, shanking another in the throat with the sharp edge, and leaving it buried in his neck. He grasped at the object protruding from his body as blood spurted out, all over his claws and my face, before slumping down dead. I drew my sword and shield to clash with the forth, who was quickly incapacitated via electric charge, all while Starlight had jumped on Atran's back and pressed a dagger to the back of his skull.

I quickly wiped the blood from my eyes and used a strength spell to shove his desk out from atop his safe, up against the door as a barricade, all while Wisp continued holding Atran at knife point. He struggled a bit, but the pressure of her dagger prompted him to hold still. I could feel a pounding coming from the door, through the desk I was holding up, indicating that reinforcements were already 

"Wisp! We don't have time for this! You need to grab the intel! Just kill the bastard!" His eyes widened in shock as I commanded the pony on his back to end his life.

She hesitated for a moment before ramming her knife point into his medulla, instantly ending his life. I felt a strange sensation come over me as his corpse dropped dead to the floor, but shook my head to clear it. I had a job to do. Wisp removed her dagger, cleaned it off, (We couldn't have cerebrospinal fluid dripping on our papers) and sheathed it, before turning intangible and reaching through the thick iron trapdoor. She fished her hoof around inside it for a moment before pulling out  stack of five papers, and a small, leather bound book. She threw them all in her pack, then grabbed hold of me.


We both turned intangible, and invisible, and as I was no longer holding up the barricade, the desk went flying across the room. The goons were rightly confused, as they all came barging into the room to find that no one was present, besides their dead boss, his corpse guards, and a single, living one, twitching about on the ground. I smiled as I walked right through them, then flew off with Starlight on my back.





"CHEERS!" We all clanked our glasses at the successful raid. Due to minimal ground deployment, and the Hornet keeping out of range of the enemy guns, the mission was a flawless success. It almost felt too easy. Checking over the info, we had enough to put two Canterlot nobles, and a trio of other ponies, away for life. We had also killed one of the biggest crime lords in the world. Over all, I was feeling pretty good about myself, despite the fact that the liquid in my mug wasn't alcoholic. Hey, baby on board, I've gotta show some responsibility.


So then despite all of our success, why do I get the nagging feeling that I'm forgetting something important?


The book. The book he kept in with those files, in a place meant to never be seen by another person. It was just a simple journal, probably containing nothing more than the ranting of a crime boss, but for some reason, I felt like it was important, that I should read it.

"Hey you guys... I'm gonna turn in early."

"Good idea. Make sure you get plenty of rest." Nadene piped up. "You're getting further along, you need to relax for a bit."


So, I headed to my quarters and and opened Atran's journal.
> This is not an update, but you should read it anyways.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


23e7^4-629^3


So, a while ago, someone (More Dakka) sent me a sketch art height scale which, having forgotten about for some time, I suddenly remembered I had, and I think would be of use for reference.






As you can see, Griffin is quite a bit taller than Gilda, and his griffin form is approx the same size height when standing. Back in 'Griffin the griffin' he remarked that everyone else looked so much taller after his first transformation, but that was due to him sitting on the ground, where as when he sits as a griffin, his head is at nearly the same location as standing, since quadrupeds just drop their rear ends, the head remains still.





Great monkey sprinkles! Nadene is tall! But yes, that's what I had envisioned for the character. In fact, many Bast (the name has been referenced in Through Feline Eyes) are this tall, though the average height does vary based on tribe, and from individual to individual. Growl is approximately the size of an average human, when standing, though a lot thicker. In this case, "I'm not fat, I'm just big boned." is accurate. Etch, on the other hand, is a fair bit shorter, around the size of Rover and his gang, as seen in the actual MLP episode, "A Dog and Pony Show".





Finally, ponies. Goodness, it really is "My Little Pony" isn't it? This isn't entirely accurate, as Twilight Sparkle and her friends, fully grown mares, are around four feet tall, and this diagram shows the larger as being around 3"3'. The foal, (on the right) is about the size of Applebloom, or maybe a little smaller than her, so this gives a good reference.


Princess Celestia (Not Shown) is even taller than Griffin (who is about the same height with both forms, but the griffin form on the hind legs means he can be even taller), not counting the height added by her horn. Luna should come up to his chest approximately.

So, I hope this clears up any misconceptions you may have about height ratios between species, and specific people. By the way, Zeta Chi is the size of an average wolf, he just has wings, which means that a couple chapters back, when they met, Griffin felt trepidation on seeing him, despite the fact that he basically towers over him.

Discord's size changes based on flabaloodle, a cosmic force that none understand, and as such, cannot be registered accurately. I also made that last part up.

Thanks again to More Dakka for sending me this.



> Rebellion (24)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Rebellion


Gilda


Entry One.

I've decided to keep a journal, to record and remember the events that have transpired. For the past eight years, I have been a slave, in the Diamond Dog den known as 'Earth Scar'. For the past seven, I have received a far more brutal treatment than the other prisoners. The reason for this is that seven years ago, My wife, my daughter and myself made an escape attempt. It failed. I was captured immediately, and my wife acted as a distraction to let our daughter escape. She... died fighting them off. Three days later, the hunting party sent after my little girl came back empty pawed. The alpha was furious, till they told him it was because there wasn't anything to bring back besides some gnawed bones. The bastards ate her. Even though it was seven years ago, my heart still aches for my baby girl, only nine years old at the time, and it burns with hatred for the ones who took her away. As punishment for the escape attempt, and to make an example of me to the others, they tied me down to a table, and cut off my wings, then threw me back into the mines.

For the next seven years, whenever the alpha was particularly angry, they'd haul me, and a couple other attempted escapees into his chambers, where he'd torture us. He'd slam my face into the rock over and over, which is how I got a crack in my beak. There was a pony, an earth mare, who he'd ravage constantly. She died after a year, from internal bleeding. For seven years, my heart ached with loss, a pain far worse than the beatings he bestowed. After a time, my body no longer felt the pain. All that there was, is rage. I hated him. There was no more room in my heart for anything but hate.

Nine days ago, I found my way to all his 'torture dolls' and conspired to murder him. We'd always be chained up as he brutally beat us, so there wouldn't be any guards inside his chamber. Most of them didn't like the screams. To loud, too high pitch. Three days ago, when he turned his back to me, we jumped him. I wrapped my chains around his neck, and strangled him to death. I screamed to the heavens,  if they could even hear me from inside this hole, as my fury was finally let loose. I scratched and clawed and beat his corpse for well over an hour, then I left it in his chambers to rot. He would get no burial. He doesn't deserve it. The alpha's death tore the fear from the hearts of the other slaves, as well as some of his own pack. A full revolution took place. Three days ago, we won. Yesterday, we rounded up all the mutts who fought against us, and I personally executed them by tearing their throats out with my talons. Still, my rage has not been quenched.


I still remember their faces though. The pups, I mean. I remember the fear in their eyes as I slaughtered their fathers, as I coated myself in their blood. I feel no guilt, nor any pity. None was shown to my child, why should they be any different? One of the pups bit my ankle to try and stop me. I smashed it's head into the ground, cracking it's skull open like an egg. It was so... easy. So fragile, so weak. I had a point to prove. I would not tolerate anyone, and I mean ANYONE who defied me, especially not some piece of crap mutt who thinks they can just off me and put us all back in chains. I hate them. I hate them so much. I want to kill them all. Every hound, bitch and pup. I want them all dead, but right now that's just not practical.


"So... he lost his family too...He became heartless. Can't really say I blame him. He might have gone too far, but if I was in his position, can I say I'd have done any different?" I shook my head, then kept reading.


 Entry Two.

Something came up that I hadn't thought of before. Now that we're free... what do we do? It's a strange feeling. For all this time we've been shackled, forced to do another's bidding, and suffer their mistreatment, and now that the yoke is gone, we all feel lost. We need a leader, someone to guide us. We're all getting together later this week to decide who we want in charge.



Entry Three.

I don't believe it. Me! Of all people, they decided that I should be the one to lead us. After all, it was I who conspired to kill the alpha, and who organized all the rioting prisoners into a proper revolution. I declined, but they all insisted. Maybe this is the break I was looking for. I could take over this damned cavern and raise an army to wipe those fucking mutts out. Unfortunately, I'm going to need their help to make this happen, so I can't kill them off just yet.



Entry Four.

It's been about a month since my last entry. I've been sick lately, so I had one of the slaves former slaves, a doctor, take a look at me. I have an infection, but it's nothing big. We just need some medicine, which we don't have. We'll have to raid a pony town, since we don't have money to buy any. I can't have them knowing it was us, so I'm sending the dogs. After all, who cares if the guard kills some of them off? They'd just be doing me a favor.


Entry Five.

The raid was a success. Six of the raiders got captured. I don't care, they were just dogs. They can rot in a pony prison. What matters is I got my medicine. I already feel better. I have some architects working on expanding the infrastructure to turn this hole into a proper city, as well as building more of the stationary defenses. I've seen dragons flying around on the horizon, and I'm getting worried all the activity might attract them.


Entry Six.

And a good thing I did! A dragon flew over today, two weeks after the previous entry, but we managed to drive it off with concentrated artillery fire. A couple of us got burned to death, and my heart goes out to their families, if they had any, but still, it was a success. We're building more ballistae and cannons, as well as digging further into the cliffside so we're not nearly so open being right at the edges.


Entry Seven.

There was an earthquake today, a couple of our newly dug 'houses' collapsed on their diggers. Again, they were only dogs, who cares? There were a couple ponies too, I only feel for them slightly more than I do the dogs. It was ponies who tore our government apart all those years ago, and put us where they are today. Of course, that was their ruler, Empress Bright Ass, and despite being their ruler, she doesn't represent the ponies who live here. The ones who live here have lost faith in her, rightly they should! They looked to her to protect them, and they wound up slaves. They looked to her to save them, and rescue never came. They all look to me now. Urgh... maybe I should hold a funeral for them.


Entry Eight.

They're all idiots! I held the funeral, and now everyone thinks I'm some caring, benevolent leader! I don't care about them. A dog and a pony showed up today. They both had slaves, and were looking to trade. The dog had ponies, zebras, and other dogs. The pony had griffins. Seeing my brothers in chains, weeping, it pissed me off so damn much! It brought back all those memories of my own shackles. I still have them, sitting on a shelf in my room, to remind me. I cut his ugly head off and freed his prisoners. I killed the dog too, because he was a dog. The dog at least got a burial. I can still hardly believe it. Ponies, happy joy filled loving caring harmony BULLSHIT! They're part of the problem!


Entry Nine.

It has come to my attention that there are worse punishments than death. Being turned to stone, for one. You spend eternity freezing cold or baking hot, forced to hold your breath still your lungs burn for air, unable to move and let it out, watching the world go by in complete solitude, having only your own thoughts to keep you company. It has also come to my attention that killing slavers dissuades future business transactions. I have decided to allow slave trade. It will bring in funds which we can use, and let me keep track of everyone involved, so I can either turn them in, or at least blackmail them. I still won't allow anyone to have griffin slaves however, and will kill anyone who puts one of my kind in chains.






"I don't believe it..." Nearly everyone was in shock when I told them.

"After all that time spent in chains, that he would so easily put others in them, it's sick." Trixie grimaced.

"That he would be so cruel as to kill pups, it makes me ill." Growl looked like he was holding back tears.

"It sounds like he only cared about griffin lives, and getting his revenge." Nadene pointed out.

"Well... he was right about one thing. As horrible as it is to say, him allowing slave trade means we get to bust all the ones responsible. We have a lot more than if he hadn't. I'm not defending him or anything but..."

"I get what yoor tryin ta say lassie." Steelhorn added. "As sad a thing as it is, tis fortunate for us, t'would be wrong not to take advantage."

"My only qvenstion is, vat vill ze people do now? Zey looked to him for guidence, und now he is dead." Geirmund did raise a good point.

"Hopefully they'll find someone who can be a better leader."


> Winter Crap Up (25)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Winter Crap Up


Griffin


=Two weeks before the raid on Earth Scar=



This morning, I slept in. I did not get up at the crack of dawn. I did not make breakfast. I did not play smooth jazz, or orchestra, or music of any kind. I did not set a pleasant atmosphere, nor did I create ambiance. I did no such things, and instead opted to stay in bed until Rarity delivered a knock on my door.

"Griffin, are you coming for breakfast?"

The reason for my moping was because of what day it was. It was the day before Winter Wrap Up. Now, it's not like I have anything against the holiday, in fact, I've always been this way, around this time of year.

"Yeah, I'm coming."

Before I knew that it was Winter Wrap Up the day after, before I knew MLP, before becoming a Brony, this day was special to me. It was a very special, especially special day, with the speciality of being quite possibly my least, and most, favored day of the year. It was a day that would make me full of anger and misery, one that I would intentionally spend it alone, and use to vent those very feelings, leaving me calm the next day, which I would spend relaxing.

I ate breakfast quietly, a meager meal of an omelette and toast, prepared by Rarity. She didn't ask any questions. I had already told her that I wouldn't be taking part in the festivities tomorrow, and to not grill me about it, so she respectfully kept out of it, and my mood came at no surprise.

After eating, she went downstairs to work straight away. She apparently had a mass order of dresses, the theme being last year's 'King and Queen of the Prom' being Aoi and Rainbow Dash, and with Winter Wrap Up tomorrow, she was short on time.

I heard the door open from upstairs, and what sounded like the prismatic mare's voice. They chatted for a bit before Dash asked, "Are we alone?"

"I can leave if you want..." I called down the stairs, to which Rarity gave a bit of an annoyed reply, indeed asking me to leave. I didn't mind, after all, I had intended to spend the day blowing off steam, and I couldn't do that indoors without blowing off the roof.

I flew out the window, not bothering to change form to go down the stairs and use the door like a proper person, making sure to shut the glass pane after me to keep out the cold, then flew off to where I intended to spend my day. Someplace I could let it all out without worrying about who else might be nearby.



"Ghastly Gorge." Normally, a long, but comparatively shallow canyon, the river beneath was frozen into a slick of ice, and giant snow piles perched precariously on the edge of the ravine. Massive, meter wide icicles hung down from the outcrops on the cliff face. All in all it was eerily beautiful, like an empty castle, haunted by an ice maiden who would lure travelers with her siren song. I felt a slight chill from the cold wind blowing on me from up on my perch and shuddered slightly. I narrowed my eyes, grit my teeth, and jumped off the edge.



Using the momentum of the fall to my advantage, I leveled out right above the frozen river, I began the now familiar process of pooling air into little balls under my wings, compressing them as best I could.

"Condense Ventus... You always had to work... You weren't there....Mother." I dropped and skated along the river, my talons acting like neat little blades while I used the pads on my rear paws for propulsion, and pushed my way through the windy tunnel, using the great gusts to push the condensation in the air balls even further.

"Klepto Ignis... You were there, but you were always drunk. May as well not have been....Father." The heat was pulled from the spheres, aided by the cool wind, pushing the pressure even further. They began to become visible under my wings.

"Perfectum circus... Claustra...You threw me away when I didn't fit in. Friends. John, Allen, Dane, Mary, Alexis... Some friends you were." I continued skating, building the pressure until it reached it's breaking point, right before the field of snow covered cacti, each needle covered in a thick layer of ice.

"Reverti..." I continued pushing forwards as the air spheres became alight with flame, leaving small luminescent trails behind each of them as I slogged on, straining to keep the mini bombs under my wings under control. I slammed my wings together in front of me and combined the spheres into one large one, a liquid core beginning to form in it as all the cactus bits where tossed away and burned by the flaming wind ram in front of me, clearing a path through them as my velocity slowed to a crawl, forced to spend almost all of my strength keeping the mini nuke in front of me from going off.

"I DON'T NEED YOU ANYMORE!" I kicked the ground, spinning myself so I was facing back the way I came, and screamed to the heavens. "I HAVE NEW FRIENDS! A NEW LIFE! My past...." I narrowed my eyes at the glistening, shimmering orb in front of me. "I'LL BURN IT ALL! RAMEX!"

In that instant, the shot went off with a small sonic boom, (not nearly so large as the one over Canterlot mind you), shaking the icicles from their lofty heights and tearing through the cacti, turning them all to ash. I widened the release, so instead of a far reaching shot, it was a wide gust of burning wind. At the same time, the opposite force of the detonation sent me careening through the quarray eel nesting area, causing a few of them to groggily poke their heads out to find the cause of the commotion, having been awoken from hibernation a day early. Mid acceleration, I turned my body forwards again, spreading my wings out like sails to make the most of the thrust as a cone began forming around my head.

"RRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" I roared into the oncoming breeze as I rocketed through the gorge. The rock pile that had fallen when Rainbow Dash had done her pet race through here was still in place, though the fallen snow and ice had turned it into a nice little ramp, allowing a certain high speed griffin to go flying off it, up, and out of the canyon.


The rise in altitude, as well as the diminishing thrust from the burst lowered my velocity considerably, allowing me to come to a reasonable stop in mid air. I looked around to survey the area. Snow piles had fallen from the top of the cliffs, icicles crashed down onto the ground as the heat from the burning cacti rose and melted them. Rising air currents mixed with falling frost and made the smoke twist and swirl in tiny cyclones, dust devils and the like. I slowly lowered myself down, landing at the edge of a cliff. I cleared an area out, used magic to set a flame in the center, and let out a deep breath. as I began to sing.


"Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday dear Griffin, happy birthday to me."

I looked out over the burning gorge...

Just like candles on a snow frosted cake.

... and I smiled.






I sat in the warmth of my magic flame and relaxed, waiting for the blazing cacti to go out before dousing my own flame. The gorge has gone back to it's eerie beauty, thought it was a little less haunting than before, as much of the snow and ice had melted, bringing spring to that area early . By that point, it was well into the afternoon, so I decided to return to Carousel boutique. When I arrived, I grabbed hold of the outside of the building, shook the loose snow from my feathers, then climbed through the window like it was a hole in a birdhouse.


"You're back." Rarity remarked, stating the obvious. She looked at me quizzically when she saw the grin on my beak.

"Yes, I am, and you know what? I've changed my mind."

"About what?"

"If it's not too late, I'd like to take part in Winter Wrap Up, that is, if you'll have me."

She smiled and put a hoof on my shoulder.

"Of course we will."



=I don't think I'm going to spend my birthdays alone anymore.=


> Quest Complete (26)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Quest Complete


=Gilda=


"Let's see, blah blah blah, economics, strategy, running the city, self important drivel about why this is all necessary and egomaniacal statements about taking over the world." I continued skimming through Atran's journal, looking for anything of interest. "He actually sound a little like us. He brought a bunch of former slaves together and made a successful community. Difference is his was twisted." I gave a light laugh as I read aloud to myself.

"Hmm? Here's something..."


Entry 684

Impossible. Unthinkable. It can't be. Scouts have reported that out in the badlands to the east, a pair of griffins were beset by an ancient dragon, and managed to slay it. Over eighty feet tall and black scales harder than diamond, and they were able to kill it. One of them investigated the corpse (by climbing inside it, brave fellow) and determined that it died by choking to death on it's own blood. It must have swallowed one of them, and they carved it up from the inside. They're not too far off, so I'm sending a group out to try and locate them, and bring them here. I want to meet them. I'm also sending a team out to scavenge what's left of it.


"That's... us. It's us. I wonder... how long has Atran had his eye on us?"

Entry 689

The griffin pair flew to Equestria, killing a group of dog slavers, and rescuing drunken ponies, while they were at it. My scouts talked with the four who were rescued, and from their account, it appears that these two have a sense of humor. Being able to kill and instead of letting it eat away at you, laugh it off, those are good qualities if you're going to be a soldier. I've recalled my scouts. Since they're in the pony lands now, I'll most likely see them in the paper. The question is, will it be because they're in prison?

As I read through the entries, almost all of them became about us. Our passing through Manehatten, the ruckus Grif caused in Ponyville, our arrest and subsequent breakout in Stalliongrad, our rescue of Prince Blueblood... they were all there. We dropped off the radar a bit while we were in the jungle, with the last entry being the most prominent.


Entry 714

I don't believe it... after all this time. Wanted. The griffin named Griffin has been taking the world by storm, and at his side... The letters became sloppier, written with harsh lines, almost like frantic scribbling. At his side... Gilda Oro. I don't believe it. I can't believe it, but the photo on the wanted poster, those golden eyes. It has to be her. The eyes, the face, the likeness is incredible. After all this time... they lied. Those dogs in the hunting party, they lied, they LIED. For all these years, I've been living in misery at the loss of my family, but she's alive! She escaped! I... I can't help but feel that maybe, all those years of pain... weren't in vain. The loss of my wife wasn't pointless. Our daughter, MY daughter, escaped. She lives, and even without me, she's following in my footsteps, all because of him. That griffin. That wonderful, incredible griffin.


"... I... no... it can't be... he... he..." The journal shook in my claws as I read it, no longer able to just skim, I had to read every word. Almost frantically, I read, my eyes darting across the pages with fervor and intensity, as though my gaze could burn a hole in the page and absorb them directly.


Entry 758

Six. It's all over the papers, in the news, on the streets, it's everywhere. 'Griffin the griffin', with an airship for support, and a single unicorn on his back, (I'm still confused as to why he lets her ride him, but I digress) slew SIX dragons at once. He's.... he's impossible, he's incredible, and he's with my daughter. All the pony cities are talking about it, and Earth Scar is abuzz. I... I could not be happier with the company my daughter keeps.

Entry 762

Could I have been wrong this entire time? Yes, I was wrong, but I'm still not sure what about... I found out that Griffin, captain of the self proclaimed 'Griffin Pirates' has diamond dogs on his crew. They're not his slaves, nor are they spies. They're... they're a legitimate part of his crew. They're sophisticated, and intelligent and... it makes me sick to my stomach to see those mutts acting like they're people, like they actually have souls but... I'm torn. When I hear the news, when I look at the reports, I still can't decide. Was I wrong about him... or, was it ME who was wrong this entire time? So far, all the dogs in Earth Scar are either diggers and miners, servants, or prostitutes. They're not allowed any form of station other than menial labour and service. Is it possible that... he trained them? Or, perhaps... he changed them... Can they truly be something more than stupid hounds?


I continued reading Atran's entries, and with each day, he became even more fanatical. He became obsessed with Griffin and me. He constantly stated how proud he was of me for doing what I was doing, and... his opinion of Griffin only grew with each entry. Declaring war on slavery brought a tear to his eye, quite easy to see by the clear stains on the page. The only other thing that arose was his own guilt. He began to feel badly about what he had done to the dogs. After all, the whole time, they were just as much slaves as he was. In the end however, he still couldn't get over his hate, and he still blamed them for what happened, just... a little less.

I continued following us through his journal. The events of the gala, Grif's injuries at the hands of Ember made Atran furious. Then, at one point, it just became creepy.


He is beyond comprehension. Griffin declared that he is from another realm entirely, and that he was brought here by 'an indistinct old man' I'm assuming 'man' is the species, which matches lore from children's stories and myth. He has proven himself to be one of these beings, having allowed a photographer to take his picture when in that form. He also states that he was brought by a higher power.


It all makes sense. Having the strength to topple dragons, the endurance to withstand the wrath of one who turned an ancient mountain into a pit of fire, the determination to crush slavery... and the... kindness to forgive them, those blasted dogs, to FORGIVE them and give them a chance to redeem themselves. The wisdom to uncover the long lost ancient magics. There is only one work to describe him. Divine. I say this not in any metaphorical sense, but literal seriousness. He is an angel, sent by a god long forgotten in favor of the pony princesses, to bring change. To lift up those who have been trodden on. I've compiled a list of ponies who have been dealing in the slave trade. I'm going to send assassins after them. But I'm saving the high profile targets for him. I want to watch him smite them, to set their estates ablaze, and turn their ill gotten gains to ash. He is going to make an example of them.

My daughter... she is with him. He stated at a gathering of refugees that until she releases him, he belongs to her. I am certain that they are together. To think, right now, my daughter could be carrying the child of an angel! If I am certain of anything, it is that Griffin of the North Sky is to be the king of the new world, the one he will make. It seems I was wrong about the dogs. He has found a group of them that are civilized and sophisticated and defy everything that I have come to know, and hate, about them. He is directing the survivors of clans he conquers to Marble Pillars, while a wolf he calls friend, the Blue Stranger, as his name translates from Neighponese, establishes his own clan. Aoi Myoujin is also one of these beings sent from above. They will burn this world and make it anew from the ashes. It is my hope, perhaps a foolish one, that there will be a place for me in this new world.

I am not alone in this sentiment. Many in the city feel this way as well. We feel it in our hearts, and we know it must be true.


".... he's fucking crazy.... he is BONKERS. No wonder they were all wacko at Earth Scar! They're like a cult, and I'm the high priestess!"


Entry ....

It has been a long time since I've written, and longer still since I kept track of the number of entries. My daughter... I saw her today. She came to my office, asking for the names of the ponies who deal in slave trade. My soldiers have already found and killed a number of them within our borders. Only five remain on my list, those that live in Equestria. They know I'm after them, and they think they're safe. Just as the foolish princesses were unable to protect their precious ponies from the hunting hounds, they will be unable to save these criminals from 'his' divine wrath.

I couldn't tell her. I couldn't admit to being her father. After all that she's done, to help ALL the races of this world, and with her knowing what I've done, I couldn't let her know who I was. She didn't seem to recognize me, what with my scars and lack of wings, and, perhaps, my face that no longer holds the warm smile it did when she was a child. I remembered her though. Those eyes, so full of wonder, the joy of just being alive, and... she's pregnant. I want to tell her. I want to tell her so badly, I want to say 'I love you' and 'I'm proud of you' and 'I'm so glad with what you've done'. My heart aches, but I couldn't do it. I couldn't bring her shame like that. I'm an embarrassment as a father.

I couldn't just give the information away, so I offered a trade. One of those laser rifles that the ponies have. They don't have any use for them other than on ships, as they have unicorn magic, but for us, they'd be useful, which makes it a fair trade for the knowledge. She didn't know that I already have several of them. She turned the deal down, rightly she should. I wouldn't sell me weapons either, but I saw the look in her eye. She's going to come back and take them. I've ordered 3/4 of the guards off duty, to have paid vacation, and moved the majority out of my office to defend the city in the absence of the regular guard, and I also ordered maintenance on the artillery, so they'll be offline for a day or so.

"He... LET us take them?... He..."





=Atran=


"My my Gilda, back so soon?" I said in a sleezy tone. I can't change my image now and let her on to who I am.

"I've changed my mind, I want the intel." Good girl. Now, what do you have planned?


"What made you change your mind? I thought the intel wasn't any good?" I put on a show of being suspicious. She pulled one of the low caliber rifles from the backpack on the unicorn next to her.

"My strategist pointed out a... crucial flaw, in my reasoning. Even if these are fakes, I can't take the chance that they are real and have just lost my best lead. I suppose you'll be wanting a test fire?" I nodded. I can't turn it down, after all, a crime lord would want to see what he's buying. She tested it on a chest plate I conveniently ordered one of my guards to remove.

"Lumen. That's the activation keyword." She cranked the handle and fired, burning a hole in the armor. "There are a number of different caliber rifles. This is the smallest one, designed for light armor and unarmored targets, as well as flammable ones. One of these can sink an airship if it's made primarily of wood and cloth, simply by setting it on fire."

Alright... right about... now.


BOOM



My office was rocked by a series of explosions while my daughter quickly and expertly made short work of the guards. It's a shame they died, but that's just four more to the list of deaths I'm responsible for. I'm going to Tartarus when I die anyways. The unicorn jumped on my back and pressed a dagger against my skull. I shifted a bit, but made no struggle. She'll probably force me to open the safe now. I heard a banging on the door, the few guards I had posted were trying to get in and safe me.

"Wisp! We don't have time for this! You need to grab the intel! Just kill the bastard!" And there it is. I suppose I should have expected this. After all, they declared war on slavery, and while it may not be griffins, I'm just as much a part of the problem as they are at this point. This is the end. I opened my eyes to get one last look at my daughter, on her own barricading a door to prevent the guards from entering, and as the knife point was jammed into my brain, I smiled.


I looked down to see my corpse laying below me as the unicorn dug into my safe and took the files. I looked up to see a skeletal pony, wearing a black cloak and carrying a scythe. He tapped the ground with his hoof impatiently.

"I love you Gilda." For a moment, she seemed overcome by confusion, distracted from her task of holding the barricade. She shook her head to rid herself of the sensation before her unicorn friend touched her. They both turned ghostly and walked right through the guards who burst through the door.

"Go... fly..." I walked over to the reaper and smiled at him. "Welp. I haven't got all day. Let's get on with it. I'm pretty sure I'm going to hell for what I did, but it doesn't really matter anymore. My daughter is alive, and she's strong. That's all I can really ask for." He held out a skeletal wing, laid it across my back, and then, I was gone.






=Gilda=


I slowly left my room, closing the journal and putting it in my desk, next to the picture of my parents. Remembering the crime lord, his face kept shifting to that of my loving father in my mind. I walked up onto the deck, where I saw Nadene and Trixie.

"Well? What else have you discovered about Atran?" Trixie asked innocently.

"His journal... told me what happened to my parents. They're both dead."

"Gilda... I'm so sorry." Nadene ran her hand through my fur, petting me. "Are you gonna be okay?"

I turned at her and smiled. "You know what, yeah. I think I am. Mr Steelhorn! Set a course for Ponyville! I'm gonna get Griffin, and then I'm gettin off this boat!"
> The Itch (27)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


The Itch



Act 2

=Griffin=


Winter Wrap Up came and went, and, for once, nothing went wrong. There was no problem to be solved, no sense of urgency, no immediate issue to be solved before the event could progress. I moved the clouds without the use of magic, (well, not really, since natural pegasus/griffin magic is what lets us do it in the first place, but without active casting, kind of hypocritical when you think about it, to shun the use of someone's natural abilities based on tradition, Rarity forced to make baskets by hoof, a task difficult even with fingers.) and overall, the event was a success.

Thing were quiet, well, as quiet as things could be in a town like Ponyville. They were quiet for me anyways. The mane six had their usual bout of trouble. Applejack saving Spike from Timberwolves and him blowing it out of proportion JarJar Bink's style in the 'My life belongs to you' kind of way. I, of course, didn't intervene, though I did keep an eye on things so that I could if things got out of hand. Of course, they didn't, and life went on.

I got a letter from Gilda, oddly, through Spike instead of my usual, unpleasant method, a nice change, despite it's possible implications. The letter said that she had found what happened to her parents, and, in light of having accomplished her goal aboard the Possibility, would be leaving it in order to raise the child...our child, with me. The letter said she should arrive in two weeks, a month at the latest, since they had to do the usual runs, trading goods, bringing people home, that sort of thing, and it all depended on how long it took them. So, rather than me leaving to catch up with them, they would be coming to me.

I informed Rarity of the extension to my stay, and to say she was ecstatic was an understatement. Apparently in the short month we'd been living under the same roof, she'd become accustomed to being awoken by home made breakfast, classical music, and a warm atmosphere, and was dreading the day when I'd leave, saying how 'cruel I was, to give her a taste of the high life, only to take it away.' She was of course, joking, and knew that I would eventually leave, but it's good to be appreciated.

Among other things, there was the day I woke up to find a dozen or so Pinkie Pie's bouncing down the street all saying 'Fun'. I slept in that day, and made no attempt to discover her method of cloning herself, despite the possible military applications.



I flew down to market to buy some groceries with some money Rarity gave me, as well as a pie from Applejack using some of the stipend I got from Celestia for my contributions to the field of magical research. All I did is give them words. Words, their meanings, and how a few could be used together. Twilight was correct when she said that most of the spells I provided could already be performed by a unicorn. I'm sure it would be helpful to the guard for bolstering defenses and the like to make the equestrian buildings durable enough that they won't fold like cardboard at the first disaster or some such.


"Well howdy Griffin, the usual?" Applejack asked. Since I had been coming here twice a week for a month, we had gotten into a kind of rhythm, and she knew I always wanted one of her pies.

"Of course." She put one of the steaming baked goods on the counter, and I took a whiff of the sweet apple and cinnamon before reaching into my coin purse to find...

"Huh? Aww nuts, I forgot, my next payment won't be here till next week. Guess I'm not getting the pie. Sorry AJ."

"Aww shucks, tell ya what, y'all come down to the farm this afternoon and help me with a little job, and it's all yers."

"What kind of job are you talking about?" Of course, I wouldn't just blindly accept, I always need to know what I'm getting into.

"Don't be like that sugarcube. It won't take no more than a half hour, and it's easy, ah promise, it's just it's not somethin ah can do myself, and you're really the only one I can ask to do it." She looked at me with those big green eyes, and with that pie sitting there all steamy and warm, I couldn't resist.

"Alright, deal. So, seven o'clock?"

"Yeah, seven's fine."

So, I went home, dropped off the groceries, and enjoyed my pie.








"Oh, by the way Rarity, dinner is going to be a little later tonight, since Applejack asked for my help down on the farm. Shouldn't take me too long." I thought it would be best to inform her of where I'd be. She's the kind to worry.

"Of course darling. I'm busy with dresses anyways. Take your time.


So, I headed down to Sweet Apple Acres where Applejack was waiting for me. She scuffed the ground with her hoof nervously, and her face was flushed red.

"I'm here AJ, so, what do you need?"

"Follow me, here, in ta the barn."

"Alright."

I walked into the barn, and she closed the door behind.

"So, what did you need help with?"

"Well, ya see, it's a mite bit embarrassin, which is why, before I tell ya, ya gotta promise not a word to anypony, or anybody, else, ya hear?"

"Um... okay? I swear, I won't tell anyone." What, did she have mice in her barn or something? That would be awful, and could ruin her business's reputation if word got out that there were mice in the apples.

"Alright, ya see, each year, round this time, it starts gettin hotter, ya know? What with the weather changin an all. An, well, I really start feelin the heat ya know? And then, I get this... Itch, and, well, I jus can't get it myself."

"Um, okay? I mean, have you tried getting it?"

"Oh, I tried everythin, I tried using a brush, a broom handle, and it just doesn't go away. I get it every year, but this year, well, I can't take it anymore. I need somethin more satisfyin."

"Uh... okay... um... why haven't you asked someone else to help?"

"Well, seein as how in this whole town, you Spike an Zeta are the only ones who ain't got hooves. I can't ask Spike ta do it, and I don't trust that Zeta feller. I'm just lookin fer some relief is all, no strings attached. It'll only last a couple weeks, and then ah'll be alright, but right now, I jus can't take it. So, will ya help me? I mean, I know I can't force ya to, and don't feel like ya owe me nuthin, just you comin out here and swearin not ta tell anyone has more than paid for the pie."

I let out a sigh and sat next to a hay bale. I shook my head and sighed again.

"Applejack, you shouldn't lie, it's unbecoming of you."

"I, uh, wha? Are you callin me a liar?"

"You said you couldn't ask Zeta to do it because you don't trust him, but you asked me to do it, which implies you trust me. That's the lie. You don't trust me."

"Now what the hay would make ya say that?"

"It's simple, because I'm untrustworthy. I'm a lying, cheating, no good scoundrel, and trouble follows me everywhere. Upstanding folk like yourself shouldn't even associate with me. Is that why you asked me to do this? Because I'm some unscrupulous character you can just use?"

"So, ya heard about that, huh?"

"Applejack, the WHOLE TOWN heard about it. Your sister heard you, and she told her friends, and when the three of them know something..."

"Yeah, the whole town knows it. How many times I gotta tell Applebloom not ta eavesdrop?" She finished my sentence dejectedly.

"You're changing the topic. So, which was the lie, what you said then, or what you said now?"

"Neither. It's... well, that's what I thought of you, at the time. But, day after day, hearing Rarity go on about how you're 'the perfect gentlecolt' and you make breakfast in bed, and play fancy music, well, I had to look inta it. And, well, the truth is, you work tirelessly. I know you only do all that stuff cuz you're terrified that if you don't she won't like ya, and won't accept ya. Heck, that's probably why you're being so brutally honest with me now. Fact is, I was wrong." She admitted.

"You were?"

"It's true, you're a lying, cheating scoundrel, but you ain't 'no good', not by a long shot. At first, I didn't want to believe it but then, mah second cousin Maple Sugar showed up at the farm. She'd been missin Apple family reunions fer years, and nobody knew why. Turns out, she got taken, whole family did. Her husband, an her two foals. You rescued em Grif, you did. They watched you put the beat down on a hungry dragon, all while shinin like Celestia's sun, and since then she's been goin all over Equestria and tellin the family. She showed up here last week. I guess that's when ah realized, well... you've done a lot of good. Ah may not approve a yer methods, but, it ain't me goin out there an savin folk, well, beside the whole element bearer thing. An trouble don't follow you, you hunt it down, and ya fix it. It's what ya do."

I looked at Applejack through teary eyes, unaware that I had started crying.

"You... have no idea how much that means to me. I..."

"Ah know, ya don't feel appreciated. Ya work all day long an not a single soul tells ya 'good job' er nuthin. It just kinda becomes expected, and nopony realizes how much yer hurtin inside. I can see it in yer eyes, and I can tell when Rarity gushes about ya. Yer doin all those things because ya just want to be appreciated."

She knows. She understands. I didn't think she would but, she does. She knows all about it. She's been working this farm for years, raising her little sister, with only Big Mac for help, and he's not much of a conversationalist. She feels alone, bearing the weight of the world on her back.

So, I wound up hugging her. She seemed surprised as first, but then just went with it and hugged me back. After we broke the hug, her eye twitched, she scuffed the ground with her hoof, looked at me and said,


"NOW can you scratch my back?"
> In Which I Finally Get Back To The Plot (28)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


In Which I Finally Get Back To The Plot 


=Rarity=


Two weeks passed since Griffin got the news that Gilda would be returning, and rather than coming to pick him up, she was going to stay. This is fantastic news! Griffin decided the best thing he could do would be to borrow as many books about babies and griffin anatomy as possible from the library, and spent most of his time cooped up reading them, in between his sessions of helping Rainbow Dash with clouds when she was feeling lazy, and putting in some extra hours over at Applejack's farm. Oh, what a fiasco that was. Twilight was convinced that they were doing 'very adult things' together, (her terminology, as bright as Spike may be, he is still a baby dragon, despite knowing all about that from reading books). Eventually, Applejack wound up spilling the beans that she had just been itchy and he had claws, and the reason behind her embarrassment. We all had a good laugh, she wrote a letter about honesty, Twilight wrote a letter about not jumping to conclusions, and that was it.

Since Griffin was spending a great deal of time in the library, Twilight was hard pressed to find time to herself. The constant company was starting to grate on her nerves, despite Griffin and Spike getting along rather well. It seems as though he's mostly gotten over his addiction, and Spike knows was glad to have another boy around, poor thing spending all his time stuck with mares, considering his potential male conversational partners in Ponyville consist of Big Mac, Snips and Snails, Mr. Cake, and an eccentric clock maker. Big Mac hardly speaks, Spike will get fat if he stays at Sugarcube Corner, the clockmaker is nice, though always rambling, while the pair of colts aren't good influences.

Speaking of rambling, there I go again. Back to the point. Twilight was hard pressed finding time to herself to relax, so I invited her on my weekly spa trip with Fluttershy.


"So, Rarity, how has it been living with Griffin?"

"Oh, simply wonderful. I expected him to be a crass ruffian, but he's been a perfect gentlecolt... err, bird. So polite, so helpful. Always cooking meals, even going so far as to help Sweetie Belle with her homework and keeping her out of trouble, with is a godsend if you ask me."

"So, he hasn't been any trouble? At all? I always thought he was kinda scary." Fluttershy added meekly.

"Well, I suppose he is, but then he isn't. I guess it's like how he hugged you when he dropped us all off after that fiasco on the ship when we tried catching him. He's a very nice person, he just has a hard time letting it out." She blushed at the memory.

"I was actually doing some research on the crystal empire. It turns out that wealthier families used to have griffin live-ins all the time. Griffins escaping from the poverty and warmongering of the Old Dominion would live with pony families. They were friends, guardians, babysitters, cooks, maids, everything. All around house servants, and everyone got along well. It's why there are crystalline statues of griffins there, and why most of the houses and architecture is bigger than in Equestria. Entire griffin families were living with ponies. It fell apart when Sombra took over and the griffins fled to escape slavery." Twilight explained.

"How interesting. Too bad the boutique isn't larger, I could have Griffin, Gilda, and the baby live with me."






We finished our time at the spa and left feeling refreshed. We headed back to the library just in time to find Griffin barrel out the door, almost hitting Twilight in the face with it. I didn't get a good look at his face, but by the way he took off into the sky, he was frantic, desperate. We entered to find that there were maps strewn about all over, and a rather large one laid out flat on a table with a certain location in the Old Dominion circled.

"Spike! What the heck happened?" Twilight nearly shouted at seeing her home in such a state of disarray.

"I don't know! I burped up a letter that was from Gilda, he read it and started freaking out."

"Where's the letter?" She demanded.

"Right here." The little dragon quickly passed it into her telekinetic grip. She unfurled it and began reading immediately, with the rest of us looking over her shoulder.



Hey... It's Gilda. Um, we're in a heap a trouble. And I mean deep shit. They were waiting. They outsmarted us damn it. You trusted me to handle this on my own, and I fucked up. I don't... I don't know what to do Griffin. I don't know what to do, there's too many of them, they're too well armed, too prepared. They've been planning this for a while... I don't know what to do. We're holed up in the ship but we're not going anywhere, and we can't stay here forever, our food supplies will run out in about a week. I... please figure something out. We're here...


"The paper looks like it got wet and dried out. Was she crying when she wrote this?" Fluttershy asked with a gasp.

"The map on the table came with the letter." Spike pointed out. As we four looked, we saw that marked in deep red was a location called 'Ancientwell'. I turned to look out the window, and saw a black speck moving rapidly towards Canterlot.
> Im-Possibility (29)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Im-Possibility


Gilda



We're finally on our way. After a quick supply drop at an Old Dominion refugee camp, where we convinced a number of squatters there to head south, we began the journey ourselves, making a bee line for Ponyville to meet up with Griffin. I don't know whether we'll live in that little town, live on Signal, or somewhere else entirely, but what I do know is that things will be all right. We'll figure it out together.

The Hornet was off doing a small trade run, apparently clam shells were in short supply in Marble Pillars, due to an increase in population and unexpected popularity of the delicacy for the dogs, so the faster ship went off to make a fast supply circuit. This, however, meant that the Possibility was running without an escort. Not that it mattered, it's not like anything could pierce the hull short of a dragon attack.


*Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrn..... Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrn.... Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrn*

"All hands to battle stations!" Came over the PA system.

"What the hell?" As I clamored off my bed, I was forced into a face plant on the floor when the ship lurched from a sudden impact. I rolled to all fours and made a dash to my weapons and armor in the corner, hastily fasting them on when the ship lurched again, this time more forcefully.

I eventually got geared up and rushed out of my room into the hall, where the crew was scrambling to counter whatever had attacked us. Considering most weren't airborne, I opted to fly in the halls to get where I was needed, the deck. I opened the door from the galley leading up to the top, only to find the scene before me one of utter horror.


Arrows were whizzing past constantly, the crew forced to keep their heads down to avoid losing them. It's not that they were that accurate, but the sheer number of projectiles coming over meant at least some would hit. Crew members hugged the railing occasionally popping their heads up to shoot back, only to fall down dead with the shaft of an arrow sticking out of an eye, or their throat.

"What.... raise the deck! Raise the deck! We're taking too much fire! Use the side guns!" I shouted into the PA. Shortly afterwards, the telltale sounds of gears grinding were heard as the lower half of the ship lifted into the upper, sealing us off from the outside.

"Get medical staff out here pronto! I want a casualty report, and the wounded in the med bay asap!" I ordered, then made my way over to the main gun.

"... Tiras...." He was hardly recognizable, hanging limply from the beam cannon. He looked more like a pin cushion. The cats of his tribe didn't wear armor because it hindered movement. Now they were paying for it. Most of the casualties were his people, all laying on the deck, bleeding out as the medical teams tried, and failed, to patch their wounds.

"I've failed my people." That was it. No grand speech, no apology, no raging against death as it came for him. Just a simple statement, an admission of failure. And then he died. I shook my head as I gently shut his eyes, then made my way up to the bridge.





"What the FUCK happened out there Steelhorn?!"

"We got our asses handed to us, that's wut." He replied angrily. "Diamond Dogs, and they took a page outta our book. They were ridin griffins lass, and judgin by the chains, they weren't willin. Bout a hundred archers showed up outta nowhere and just started raining arrows on the deck. Soon as we shut the deck, they flew off."

"They knew what they were doing." I said, half to myself, and half to everyone else. "Hit and run tactics, do as much damage as you can, then leave before the enemy can shoot back. Any idea where they fled to?"

"Dunno, just saw em go up, into the clouds." The minotaur replied.

"Urgh... and we can't clear the clouds without sending people out there. They're probably just waiting for us. Let's just get out of here, get to Equestria. They won't follow us there."

"Can't lass. Ya felt the ship shake earlier, didn't cha? That ain't from small arms fire. They jammed our propellers with steel rods and made the fan blades shred themselves. And as ya said before, they're waiting fer us. We can't clean em out or fix em unless somebody goes out there." He grimaced.

"What about using it like a hot air balloon? Let the wind take us?"

"We can try it, but we'll have to try different altitudes to find one taking us in the right direction."

"Get on it."

*Thunk*

"...What was that?" The entire ship lurched again. Looking out the main viewport of the bridge, I could see that we were slowly descending.

"What the hell is going on out there!?!?" I screamed into the PA.

"*Bzz, chrrt* "Looking out a cannon port now... they've got harpoons, and they're launching them over the ship, then tying them down on the other side. They're reeling us in ma'am. They're bringing us down to..." The PA was cut off by a sickening squelch as a harpoon went through the open cannon port and pegged the crewman in the head.


"This isn't happening... this isn't happening... we need to go up! Put everything we have into getting us some altitude!"

"We're already pouring everything we've got into it Gilda." Steelhorn sighed. "We can't do any more without..."

"Yeah I know, going outside the ship. Damnit! They know exactly what they're doing! Once they ground us, they can just starve us out! How are they this prepared? Normally attacks by diamond dogs aren't this well thought out." I growled in frustration. "Okay, here's what we're going to do. I'm going to send a letter to Shimmer and Growl on the Hornet, have them come here and rescue us. The ship is fast enough to get here before they starve us out, and maneuverable enough to avoid their attacks. Damn... if only we were set up to send mail to Marble Pillars, they could send a whole fleet of ships out here... no... even then, it's too far away, on the far side of Gem Fido, while we're in the middle of the Old Dominion. Fuuuuuuuuuuuck."


So, I made my way back to my room and sent the letter to Shimmer. Shortly after that, the Diamond Dog tethers managed to pull us to the ground. With a great bang and a lot of shaking, we were grounded. As I left my room, I looked around to see what expressions the crew wore. To put it bluntly, they were miserable. Friends had died. A lot of friends. Even some lovers, and here we were, stuck, unable to escape, just sitting here, waiting. Looking out windows, we could see diamond dogs scrambling around the ship, poking at it, scratching at it, some even gnawing at it, trying to find a weak spot to break in. Of course, Steelhorn built this ship so that when everything is locked up tight, it's impenetrable.

I made my way over to the PA system, took a deep breath, and gave a situation report.

"Listen up everyone. This is the captain speaking. I'm not really sure what you're all feeling, scared, angry, frustrated, and depressed maybe. We lost a lot of friends today, we're stuck here, and enemies are crawling all over the ship. They outsmarted us. They knew exactly how to hit us, and now we're grounded. We can't go anywhere unless the ropes tying us down get cut, and then we'd have to ride the air currents to get us out of here since the engines are shot, but that means going outside the ship, and doing that is suicide with all the dogs waiting out there. I've sent a letter to the Hornet, and they'll be here in three or four days to bail us out. Since we just dropped off supplies, and haven't filled up in a while, we're running low. We'll have to ration out what we have. While the Hornet will arrive soon enough... if they fail, and I don't want to think that they'll fail, but if they do, we have to hold out as long as we can for rescue to arrive. That is all."
> Crushed (30)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Crushed


Gilda


We waited three days for the Hornet to arrive. We kept resource use to a minimum while we waited, and at some point the dogs gave up trying to get inside. They were still out there though, and we couldn't risk trying to escape on our own. and we were all very glad to see the black and yellow ship zooming towards us on the horizon. It slowed slightly as it made it's approach, then took up a position on the far side of a ridge to get proper aim...

BOOM...BOOM...BOOM...BOOM

With a quick volley of shots, the harpoon guns holding the ship down were obliterated, and we began to rise while the Hornet circled around, looking for hostiles. One of the communication specialists on board received a letter, stating that they were going to attach tow cables to us and pull us to Equestria for repairs. We quickly sent a reply, and our thanks. Some crew left the Hornet to attach the cables, but then the oddest thing happened. They vanished.

"What the heck? Hey... anybody else see that?" Most missed it, but being a griffin, I have sharp eyes. On the top of the ship, near the engines, the sunlight was glinting off something that wasn't the hull. I gasped when I realized exactly what it was, but I was too late to warn the other ship as their engines were jammed by an enemy using an invisibility spell... our invisibility spell. Since the Hornet was a propeller powered hover unit and did not have a balloon, it began spiraling out of control and slammed into the ground. It wasn't very high up, but the impact was enough to tear holes in the hull, ripping off the fins. Suddenly around two dozen armed Diamond Dogs appeared as their spells wore off and piled into the ship through the gashes in it's shell. Another several dozen popped up from underground and rushed the downed vessel as well.

"Steelhorn! Can we lower the deck? We need to help the Hornet."

"Aye lass, but ain't ya forgettin somethin?" The wise old bull quipped. I let out a sigh.

"That's what they want us to do... but we can't just sit here and do nothing!"

"What would ya have us do?! Either we let the dogs take em, or we go out, try and save em, and let them take us too!" He growled.

"I... I don't know! I don't know what to do... I... don't know..."


So, we sat there and watched as they dragged the survivors of the crash out of the ship, and one by one, using laser rifles Griffin designed, executed them. Then, they lined all the corpses up, both those who died in the crash, and the ones they killed, and laid them face down on the dirt.

"I don't see Growl or Shimmer in there. You think maybe they escaped? Dug underground?"

"Aye, I hope so lass... though I hope they weren't taken." Steelhorn, being the young dragon's father figure, was visibly relieved that she wasn't among the bodies, though not much relief could be had, given our rescue had just been killed. Just as we were starting to get some real altitude, six airships flew in, tied ropes around us, and dragged us back down again.


"And zere goes zat noble sacrifice."

"Geirmund..."

"Listen, Trixie Starlight und I have come up vith a plan to escape zis fiasco."

"Let's hear it."





"The first phase of the plan is an attack of our own. I'll cast a wide range rage spell to make them fight each other, which will disorganize them and make them unable to respond to our movements."

"Phase two of ze plan is I vill destroy ze airships vith my enhancements." Geirmund flexed his mechanical wings, which made a pair of laser guns align, before folding them back up. "Vith zem broken, zere vill be nothing holding us down, und we can escape."

"What about the airborne troops? They're still flying around out there."

"Once we're in the air, we can open the cannon ports and fire our rifles at them." Starlight added.

"Okay... let's try it."




Trixie stood at one of the open cannon ports, looking out at the army camped around the ship. She closed her eyes and concentrated, her horn flaring up and drawing the attention of the crowd below.

"Furia!" Just as quickly as she cast the spell, she shut the hatch as the army below... did absolutely nothing. She opened it once more and cast the spell again, only to meet the same outcome.

"What the heck Trixie, why isn't it working?" I asked the distraught unicorn.

"Protect spells Gilda. They're using protect spells. It's shielding them from my mental magic."

I sighed. "That's it then. We're trapped here. We can't kill them, we can't make them kill each other, we can't run away. They must have gotten the rifles and spells from somewhere. Probably a pony in Canterlot who deals in slave trade. I don't know how to get us out of this. I... I don't know what to do...That's it. I'm sending a letter to Griffin."

So, I wrote the letter. I guess I kinda broke down when I did. It's just been so long since I've seen him, that combined with the fact that we were trapped here, and maybe a little bit of my hormones making me moody because I'm pregnant, but I couldn't take it anymore. I just want him to come here and make it all go away.


"You know he won't make it here in time, don't cha?" Steelhorn huffed as the letter went out to Spike, since Griffin couldn't receive them personally anymore. "Even with an airship, it's two weeks away. With our supplies, we've only got one. We passed over this place before, and they never attacked. They waited for us to be running low before they caught us."

"Yeah... which means they want us to surrender."

"Yer not really thinkin about doin it, are ya?" The old bull asked.

"I'm not seeing much of a choice Steel. We'll hold out as long as we can with the supplies we have, rationing it out as much as possible and hoping Grif gets here in time with reinforcements, but when we run out, I'm not just gonna die here starving to death. If... if it comes to that... I... we might have to give ourselves up. I mean, they knew EXACTLY what they were doing the entire time. They knew how to bring down the ship, they knew how to deal with the Hornet when it showed up, they waited for it to be slow enough to catch by standing on our hull, they know how to protect themselves from our mental spells, and they've got way too many that are too well armed for us to win in a stand and fight situation. It's their turf, so they have nearly unlimited supplies, while we're running low. They outsmarted us on every point Steel. Really, the only thing we can do now is hope help arrives in time. If it doesn't... if it doesn't... I'm..."

I closed my eyes and let out a sigh. When I opened them, they were clouded by tears. "If help doesn't arrive in time, if we run out of supplies... I'm calling it. People's lives come first. We might be slaves, but we'll be alive. A lot of the crew members were slaves until they were rescued by Griffin. We have to hope he'll save us again. If I know him, he'll be headed straight for Canterlot to ask for an army to come and save us."
> Schemes (31)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Schemes


=Griffin=


As soon as I got the letter, I flew to Canterlot as fast as my wings could carry me. My mind raced the entire way, formulating ideas as to how this could have happened. The letter stated that the crew had been outclassed on nearly all fronts. They were clearly outnumbered, which means a large army, likely in the hundreds. The letter stated that the enemies were too well armed. To take down the Possibility, that would mean artillery or other advanced weapons. It also meant they had air capability, most likely airships. Finally, there are a number of highly skilled spell casters on board. I'm a firm believer in the phrase 'In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is a king.' A great deal of our success stems from the fact that we have magic, and our enemies do not. In order to be a contender, that means that they almost certainly had magic as well. But then how would they get it?

"Oh SHIT!" Me. They got it from me. That whole time I spent in recovery in Canterlot, I was giving the research department my knowledge of magic. Of course, only the basics, but those basics would be enough to at least compete with a highly trained group, especially if they were heavily outnumbered. I had already heard reports of some ponies participating in the slave trade, if anyone had the resources to do so... it'd be the nobility. Which means in Canterlot. Which means it would be a simple matter to get their hooves on the outcome of scientific and magical developments under the guise of discovering new business opportunities or whatever the nobility actually does. Then they'd pass it on to whatever den they've got in their pockets. I can't believe I hadn't thought of that before.


Or, I could just be thinking way too much. I mean, I get that she's panicking, but she really should have sent more information than just, 'We're here, help us.' I'll have send a message when I get to Canterlot and have her send me more details.





When I arrived at the castle I was stopped by the guards at the entryway. They say my approach and immediately crossed their wings to deny me passage.

"Halt. The princess has declared she will have no visitors toda.. *Clang*..." The moment they started talking I did the only reasonable thing and smacked their armored heads together. They were knocked out easily, and should stay out long enough for me to get to the princess unhindered. In the main hall, I came across a servant who was carrying a platter. Good.

"Excuse me, do you know where I could find Princess Celestia?" I asked the unicorn.

"Oh, I'm sorry. The princess said she won't be taking visitors today." The mare replied kindly. I rolled my eyes.

"Oh, well, you should take a break. Dormire." I poked her on the nose, and she passed right out. I quickly grabbed the platter before it fell out of her telekinetic grasp. On opening it, I found that it contained a slice of cake, the vanilla with lemon filling kind. "Oh, I know who this is going to, but where is she, and how do I get there? Rrrrrr." I wandered around for another ten minutes, my frustration building with each passing moment. Admittedly, I could have followed the servant straight to the princess. Oh well, here's someone.


"Oh! Good. Listen, I have a... uh, special delivery for Princess Celestia. Do you know where I could find her?" I asked what looked like an elderly musician with a cheery demeanor.

"Ah! The lady's cake. I'll show you the way at once. We probably shouldn't keep her waiting." I followed behind the old stallion for another ten minutes, becoming increasingly frustrated as we appeared to be walking in circles.

"Um... are you sure you know where you're going?" I asked the old coot.

"Oh of course. I might be blind as a bat but I know these old halls like the back of my hoof... wait... where'd I leave my instrument..."


"Oh for FUCK'S SAKE!"

"Griffin, there's no need for that kind of language." Celestia stated as she opened the door on the right and stepped out, with her main all up on the top of her head and wrapped in a towel. She had clearly just gotten out of the bath.

"I told you I knew where I was going." The geriatric gent chided me with a hoof to the side before wandering off.

"Ooh, you brought me cake." The princess smiled as she took a nibble. "Delicious, though what brings you here? I doubt you came all this way to bring me baked goods."





So, Celestia and I walked to the throne room. She took a seat, Luna next to her, while members of the court gathered around as well, and I stood on the carpet in the middle of the floor.

"I came here today because as much as I hate to admit it, I need your help. My crew, my... family, is in danger. The letter Gilda sent me stated that there's an army of well armed and trained soldiers, diamond dogs, that have them trapped within the airship, which has been downed. Eventually, they'll run out of supplies, and they'll either die trying to escape, starve to death on board, or they'll have to surrender." I explained.

"I see."

"What's more, given the number of magic users that are on board, these dogs may possibly have magic of their own that they used to gain the advantage."

"Well then, what would you ask of me?"

"I..." I let out a sigh. "I can't fight them, not on my own. If they were able to beat my crew, I won't be able to do this myself. I know it's a lot to ask but... I don't know how to make this gesture in this form. Forma versus." Wit that, I turned human, dropped onto my hands and knees in front of all the Canterlot nobles, and hung my head. "I humbly beg you to help me rescue them."

"No." Her answer was short, simple, and to the point. It also made no sense to me at all.

"Wha... what?"

"The answer is no Griffin. I can't help you."

"Wh.. why not?"

"Look around. What do you see?"

"I see you, your sister, the nobles of the court, and the guard."

"Exactly Griffin, the guard. Not the army. The guard. Their purpose is to protect Equestria from threats within it's borders. They are numerous, and they are well trained, but most have never experienced combat, at least not the type you're proposing. Given the sheer numbers we're dealing with, for certain success I'd have to commit almost the entirety of the Equestrian defense force to a bloody campaign that would leave this nation undefended against an attack from outside sources. The dogs have already increased the frequency of their attacks as of late, and I cannot afford to leave any part of Equestria undefended. I will not send legions of ponies to their deaths just to save your crew."

"Then what about you?"

"The answer is still no. The reason I don't go now is the same reason why I haven't gone before. I may be immortal, and I may be powerful, but I am neither infallible nor omnipotent. If I were to fall into enemy hands, Equestria would be doomed. The same goes for my sister."

"You have to have some kind of military force, maybe a strike team that can help me to..."

"Griffin, the team you're talking about are the very ones you're asking me to rescue."

"Please... don't make me do this alone." She seemed a little surprised that even if I had no help, I'd still go, despite it being hopeless. She knows that if she doesn't help me, I'll go anyway, and it's basically a death sentence.

"I'm sorry Griffin. I truly am." She shook her head sadly.

"Thank you for your time." At that, I stood, and walked out of the throne room into the foyer.





"Okay, so, first I'll have Spike send a letter to find out all the tactical details, uh, then uh... damnit... there's just no way for me to take on an army entirely on my own. Every fight we've had so far has been on our terms, because we always picked the time, the place, and hit them when they we're at their weakest, but now they've got the upper hand. GRAH!" I slammed my fist against the armrest of the wooden chair.

"Why hello there, I couldn't help but notice that you're in a bit of trouble." I heard a sophisticated, pleasant voice with a smooth tone, lacking the haughty air pretty much everybody had around here.

"Hmm? Fancypants? How can I help you?"

"Oh it's not that you can help me, more like... helping each other, so to speak."

"I'm listening."

"I was present in the courtroom during your... display. Nasty bit of business there. It's truly a shame that the princess can't help, but I believe I can, in return for a favor."

"Go on..." Now he had my attention. Fancypants has always been a clever stallion, able to read the ebb and flow of the world. If he had an idea, I was all ears.

"Now, not that I'd condone such an action, but there are military elements in Equestria other than the guard who are more than willing to engage in dangerous activities... for the right price. Rather unscrupulous individuals."

"You're talking mercs. I happen to know one, a particularly good one, by his reputation."

"Now, unfortunately for you, this kind of assistance is quite expensive, and you can't possibly afford it unless you take a great deal of money out of the New Dominion however, that's where I come in. Now, it's no secret that since your debut, griffins have become a rather 'hot item'. Popularity soared, and, as the owner of 'Fancypants Fancy Pants' as well as being partnered with several other influential clothing companies, having the Griffin model our wares would be... very beneficial, not to mention the increased consumer base from all the griffins flocking to the safety of Equestria, well, they're probably going to want something to wear." Fancypants explained.

"So, I model for you, you pay me, I hire mercenaries and save my family. Too bad I don't have that kind of time. Only a week before their supplies run out."

"Oh, don't worry about that. I'm willing to spot you the cash ahead of time. Family comes first after all."

"And what happens if I don't make it back? You'll be out quite a bit of money."

"Oh, I'm confident you'll return. You're the kind of fellow that even if they sent you to Tartarus, you'd climb your way out kicking and screaming and then beat the stuffing out of anything that followed you. If you don't make it back, well, I guess I'll have a winter home on Signal, won't I? Still, I'm certain you'll return, and you can pay me back when you do."


"..."

"Well, what to you say old chap?"

"Fancypants you magnificent bastard. You've got a deal."

"Excellent. Get in contact with whatever ruffians you will, and tell me how much you need."

"Will do." And with that, Fancypants left.





"Hehehe... poor Griffin, you look so lost." I heard a voice that sounded like many from the air around me.

"Chrysalis..." In that moment she appeared in a flash of green fire. Apparently she knows invisibility too. She likely listened in on my conversation with Fancypants, and was just waiting for him to leave before making her presence known.

"I heard you could use some help." She smiled a fang filled smile.

"Hmm, having shape shifting spies is always useful. The only question is what do you want in return?"

"Straight to the point. Oh, it's nothing much. You see, right now you're the king of a nation, and I'm queen of the changeling swarm, it's not too far gone to think an alliance is reasonable, is it?"

"You want me to let changelings have a free run of the New Dominion." I stated plainly. She simply looked at me with that same smile.

"No kidnapping, no replacing. Take unique identities and live your lives. Same deal as Equestria, except none of the lousy inhibitions, like having to check in every week and that nonsense. Done."

"That easily?" She looked genuinely surprised. "Aren't you even a little bit suspicious?"

"Come now, as allies you can just consider it a gesture of good faith. Besides, I don't think you'll stab me in the back, not after you'd have gone through so much to help me get my family back. Besides, you remember what happened at the wedding." It was not a question, it was a declaration made with a sinister smile, because how in the world could she ever forget? Then she looked at me and she gave a slight giggle.

"Finally, someone who knows what a proper alliance is. You make it so your ally can't afford to betray you. These ponies are far too trusting."

"I trust you know the location. Ancientwell. It's on the map, you can't miss it. Get spies inside, replace the important folk, for example, the quartermaster, the armory keeper, pretty much anyone with keys, and make sure to keep my people alive as well as you can without giving yourselves away."

"I've been at the game a lot longer than you, but that look in your eye says you have a plan, so I'll trust your judgement."





Back In Ponyville


"Oh, hey Griffin, you're back." Rarity called as I flew into the library. "I hope you don't mind, but I read your letter, I.."

"Please, Rarity, not now." I interrupted. "Spike, you in here?"

"Uh huh, yeah." The little dragon replied as he came down the stairs. Thankfully, Twilight had enough tact to leave everything where I put it.

"Okay, listen, I can use my magic to send letters, but I can't receive them. I've got a unicorn on my ship specialized in this kind of thing, so I'm going to send letters, and I'll need you to receive them alright?"

"Can do." He replied with enthusiasm. I quickly wrote out a letter asking Gilda for all the tactical details and sent it off. She sent a reply almost immediately, confirming my suspicions. They had magic, and they had laser rifles, as well as artillery, and standard weaponry such as bows, and were advanced enough to use steel for the majority of their weapons and armor. She also confirmed that they were using enslaved griffins as mounts, and at the very least knew how to use the low level protection spell that I always keep on myself.

"Griffin, what's going on, you need to..."

"Shush, I'm trying to think." This time it was Twilight I interrupted. "I'll explain it all later, but right need to think. Hmm... If the timeframe is a week till supplies run out, travel time on foot between the dens here, here, and here is about a week, airship time is three days, that means... a week, a week, another week give or take, then another week, okay, so, got it. Have any of you seen Zeta around? I'm not sure where he lives." Twilight looked at me strangely as I muttered time frames to myself.

"Ooh! I know! I know!" Pinkie Pie shouted as her head popped out of a flower pot. "He's in town because he's in between jobs right now! I'll show you!" She pulled herself the rest of the way out of the pot, then dragged me out of the library and zipped down the street.







I knocked on Zeta's door, which was met my grumbles and mumbling from within. I stood there waiting for a couple minutes until it was opened by Scootaloo. She took one look at me before shouting into the back "Dad! It's for you!" She ran into the back and was soon replaced by the wolf himself.

"Hey, What's up?"

"Zeta. Lets talk in private... I'm calling in that favor."






Elsewhere


He gave me a toothy grin at the prospect of a business. "So..." He paused. "Who do I have to kill for you?"

"Not that kind of favor." He seemed surprised at that. After all, that's the kind of thing you normally go to a merc for.

"Then I have no idea how I can be of assistance. What do you want?"

"In one month, I'm going to need a diversion."

"Well, I could do the job for you. Break the speed barrier and I'll light the place up like the 4th of July. And that's not even me pulling out the big guns. I can even give you a discount." 

I let out a sigh. "No. I can't hire you."

"Hey I know I'm out of your price range and all, but its called a discount for something. Or we could work out a payment plan for an extended period of time, say a couple months..."

"You misunderstand. I'm planning to do something VERY bad. If I make it out alive, I don't want you trying to kill me afterwards, because you're probably one of the only ones who could succeed." He narrowed his eyes and turned his head away slightly.

"Just what are you getting at anyways?"

"In one month's time, I need a large group to attack a diamond dog warren... and lose."

"Ahh..." He suddenly realized what I was planning. "Thus, the diversion. But what's you're reason?"

"They have my family."

"Good enough for me. Since you're sending them to their deaths, I suppose you don't intend to pay them, and don't want any survivors."

I smiled sadly.

"You can read me too well. They're a distraction, but they have to be committed to the attack, so they can't know they're a distraction. If they pull out too soon, I'm screwed. The entire plan relies on the attack going poorly, straight to the end." The wolf seemed to ponder before grinning evilly.

"I might know a group that'd do the job for the rep as much as for the cash. A little merc company in the south that barks as much as they bite. They wouldn't risk losing their reputation by fleeing if they were already paid a downpayment. I could brooch the deal for ya, and then steal everything back later. In our business, once you're paid, you either succeed, or you die trying."

"Sounds good. I've already got a deal set up to get me enough for a down payment. For completion of the job, I can 'pay' them with land, servants, noble titles, whatever I want, with some pocket change upfront to ensure loyalty."

"How much pocket change are you talking about here?" Zeta frowned. "That'd determine the commitment to the attack."

"Hmm, I could probably get a million and a half or two million. For the whole group, that way, when they see their comrades dying, they'll only get more motivated since the reward would be split fewer times every time one of them dies or gets captured."

"Shit! You call that pocket change? That's more than I got paid for BOTH sides of the Canterlot Wedding job." Zeta literally jumped back in surprise. "And if I know these mercs, they won't be able to shut up about being hired by a king. That's more than enough for the job."

"Good. I'm glad to hear it."



There was a moment of awkward silence between us before Zeta put on a sly grin. Apparently, he thought of something devious.

"So... after they're dead, you won't mind if I raid their hideout and steal it all, would you? You're not going to want the money back?" He seemed very hopeful that I'd say no.

"Nah." He practically lit up. "It's yours. Just make sure you don't let slip what we're up to. If word gets out, I'm a dead man. A million or two is a small price to pay for my own life, not to mention that of my family. Just hope they don't blow all the cash before you have a chance to rob them."

He laughed loudly.

"I'm not worried about it. These guys will probably just leave it around their home so they can look at it, or buy expensive shit to feel fancy. Anyways, I'll get in touch with the Wild Hogs and let you know. I've got some letters to send." And with that, we both left, having plotted a betrayal and mass murder.

'I have some letters to send myself.'







I returned to the library where Twilight, Rarity, and Spike were waiting, along with the rest of the mane six. Apparently, Twilight must have called them in. I'm not sure why. There couldn't be much help by the way they were just milling about the library, at a total loss about how to deal with the situation. Some days, it blows my mind that these six mares, who are barely into adulthood, and have almost no tactical sense, are responsible for defending Equestria against incredible threats, and they always succeed by the skin of their teeth.

"Alright, Griffin, I've had just about enough." Twilight began angrily. "You've made a mess of the library, stormed off, came back, and haven't told anyone what's going on! I get that you're worried right now, but you need to tell us what you're planning!"

"Don't worry about it. It's all taken care of. I just need to send one more letter, get some supplies, meet somebody in Canterlot, and everything will be fine."

"What?!?"

"I'm going to send a letter, and in two months, Gilda will be sitting in this library."



Gilda,

Read carefully, this is important. What I want you to do is to hold out for five days on the resources you have, and then try to contact the diamond dogs outside. Find out what they want. It's likely they'll want you to surrender. Negotiate for the next two days, see what you can get, and when supplies run out, surrender. Don't try to escape, don't make a break for it, don't risk anyone's lives, and don't try to hold out and starve yourselves in the process. It's going to take me longer than a week to get to you, but when I do arrive, everything will be alright. I have a plan. I can't tell you in the letter because it's fairly complicated, and part of it relies on you not knowing what I'm up to. I'm sorry I can't tell you everything, but you're just going to have to trust me.

Griffin.

"That takes care of the letter. Now then. Rarity... I need some clothes, and LOTS of gemstones."
> Fool's Aid (32)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Fool's Aid



"Well Griffin, I'm not exactly sure what you expect of me." Rarity began. "I'm a dress maker, after all."

"I need a tight fit black shirt and pants, durable, with gems sewn into pouches in the cloth at locations that won't impede movement."

"And why do you need this exactly?"

"Because I use gems to store magic and I don't want them falling off."

"Um... okay."

"It'll be really easy, because this is a matter of function over form. It doesn't have to be pretty, it just needs to work. Style them after the clothes I'm wearing so nothing is missed and it'll be fine."

"Um... anything else?"

"They need to be warm, but not bulky."

"Okay then... Let's get those measurements."

After a very awkward session of Rarity measuring my human body and biting her lip the entire time, possibly a nervous habit or something, she set to work on the clothing while I went about setting up one final experiment with Twilight. We made a quick trip to the hospital to borrow some of their expertise.



"So... what do I need to do?"

"Just use my protect spell on yourself, while the Doc here keeps a constant check your heart rate at your leg.."

"Um... okay. But what's the purpose of this experiment?" Both unicorns, the student and the doctor, asked.

"The enemies I'll be facing are using my version of the protect spell. That means they know about gem magic. The fact that they're gem miners means I can't just smash my way through their barricades. I need to find a loophole in my own spell. Now, I've used it quite a bit, and am fairly familiar with it and how much it can protect from, and I've got something I THINK will work."

"Isn't that dangerous?" Twilight asked.

"And that's why we're in a hospital." Came my reply. She gulped, but never the less cast the spell as the doctor began using a  stethoscope to keep taps on her pulse.

"Now, normally, I'd do something like... Domine Sanguis." Being a 'touch based spell' something I have to have physical contact for, I tapped Twilight on the side. "So, did you feel the resistance as the protection cancelled out my spell?"

"Yes, I did." She replied.

"And Doc, did her heart rate change at all?"

"Nope."

"Okay... now, Protego vena de sangui." I tapped her again. After a moment I looked to the two of them. "Well?"

"Nothing." Twilight replied. "I didn't feel any pressure from your spell."

"Nothing on my end either..." The doctor answered.

"Dang... looks like it didn't work..."

"No... I mean nothing, as in there's no heart beat. I can't find her pulse." The doctor checked her heart. "It's here..." And then her leg again. "But not here. It vanished when you did... whatever you did... what DID you do?"

"And now my leg feels numb." Twilight mentioned.

"... hehehaha.. oh this is brilliant. I thought it might work like that... but I didn't know for sure. Oh, that makes things easy." I released my spell, letting her go back to normal.

"Griffin... what did you do?" The purple protegé looked at me with a great deal of concern.

"A protect spell acts like a shield. You cast a protect spell, you pick up a shield. I cast an offensive spell, your shield blocks it, but what if I give you ANOTHER shield? You can only hold one, right? The protect spell doesn't trigger because I'm not attacking you. In fact, I'm helping to try and protect you, so it allows it. I discovered this when I tried to layer protect spells. The second one doesn't strengthen the first one, nor does it add any form of protection. It's an entirely separate spell. When used defensively, it's pointless because all the energy you're pouring into the second spell could simply be used on the first one. You wind up with two shields, both half the strength of what you could have, and if they get struck, they'll both shatter at the same time since they don't guard each other, and giving you twice the wicked headache."

"Griffin, you're not making any sense." She looked at me very worriedly now.

"I read a story once about a woman who loved nature, but did not understand it. She once found a turtle, stranded on land. She decided to help the poor thing by putting it back into the water. She watched as it sank to the depths of the pond, then went on her merry way. Little did she realize that it was not a turtle, but a tortoise, and a tortoise cannot swim. She caused it's death, not by malice, but by misunderstanding. Like an untrained surgeon, performing a delicate operation."

"Please get to the point." She begged.

"I cast a protect spell on you, instructing it to 'protect' the arteries in your leg from the blood that was 'attacking' it. This caused the blood being pumped through your cardiovascular system to go elsewhere in your body, as it was blocked from going to your leg by the shield. It doesn't get blocked by your shield, and it doesn't get added to it either. It's completely separate."

As soon as I gave her the explanation, both the faces of her, and the doctor, turned very pale.

"Imagine if I wanted to 'protect' something other than a leg? What about something vital, like a heart, or a lung or a brain? All I have to do is change my perception of how things work. Now, if you change your understanding, see my attempt to help you as a threat, and cast your protect spell to reflect that, then you should be safe from it. The enemies I'll face are using the magic I discovered, but they don't truly understand it. They can't bend their minds to adapt to what I'll be throwing at them, mostly because they don't know how I changed my own way of thinking."

The pair merely stared at me with blanched looks.

"Oxygen is a poisonous gas. I better cast a spell that makes it so you can't breathe. Wouldn't want you to inhale any. Look at all those sharp swords you're carrying, that's dangerous. I better take them away so you don't hurt yourselves. That tooth looks sharp, you might bite your tongue, I should take them out. I've got dozens. Thanks for the help."






Meanwhile
=Gilda=



"Is he insane!?!" Nadene exclaimed. "Surrender? You all saw what happened when the Hornet got downed. They dragged everyone out and slaughtered them! They couldn't fight back or anything, and they'll do the exact same to us."

"He said to hold out for a week first." Trixie piped in. "That means he has a plan, but we have to take a risk for it to work. If we just sit in here, we'll starve to death. If we try to fight our way out, they'll slaughter us, but if we surrender, make NO attempt to fight them at all, they MIGHT take us as slaves, which means we'll still be alive, and he can come rescue us. They might just kill us anyways, but at least theres a chance they won't, which is better than our odds if we try one of the other options. The fact that he told us to wait a week means that it's something based on timing."

"He is terrible at chess, yet, he is un wunderkind ven it comes to combat strategy." Geirmund pointed out. "He has likely set up un series of events und zey require un certain timeframe for success. It vill take longer zen un veek for him to arrive, vich means he is vill attempt to infiltrate zem."

"We're just going to have to trust him on this." I finally joined their discussion. "I think I understand what he's trying to do."

"And what's that?" The cat asked.

"I'm not so conceited as to think this is about me, or any of us. This is about him. These dogs were well enough prepared to know where we'd be, and have a mole in Equestria. They know that he's been out of action for a while. So then, why the attack now? Taking us out of the picture would just piss Griffin off, and it wouldn't stop the revolution. It's obvious they're trying to get a reaction from him, force him back on stage. For a den with resources like this one, I can think of a number of reasons why they'd want to do it. The most likely is reputation. These dens operate on a 'strongest rules' basis. So far, Griffin has proven himself to be an incredibly resourceful opponent, and has made himself into a kind of modern legend. So, if the leader of this den can beat him, they'll instantly have the respect of the entire world, and THEN they might be able to compete with the different factions that are all gaining momentum."

"They'll fail though, right? I mean, we all know Griffin. He'll rip whoever this guy is to shreds." Maria said optimistically.

"And that why they need us alive. Because they won't play fair. They can force Griffin to hold back if they've got a knife to our necks." I replied.

"But... he knows that if he loses, if he lets them beat him because they're holding us hostage, he won't be valuable because of his reputation anymore, and they'll just kill him. And then since they won't need us as hostages anymore, they'll just kill us off too. It's not like they're just going to release us." Trixie reasoned.

"Which is precisely why their plan won't work. He's not a weak willed fool. He knows that surrender, for him, isn't an option. Once they get what they want, we're all dead, and he's not going to let that happen. It's also why they won't kill us. The crew of the other ship, to them, don't matter. They were just some random crew put together by Marble Pillars to fly the Hornet. We've got reputation, and we've got a connection to him. I'll be honest though... We're probably not all going to survive."

"What do you mean?" Nadene asked warily.

"They'll want to keep the ones Griffin has a personal connection with. You, Trixie, Steelhorn, the Freuds, Maria, and myself. The rest of the crew... well, they're his crew, but he doesn't have a personal, vested interest with them." I gulped. "They'll probably get executed." Every one of the non-core crew members was listening in on this, since we had called a meeting to discuss Griffin's letter, and they we're more than a little upset. "They'll probably keep anyone they think could be a useful slave, so the earth ponies, and the surviving cats, because they're strong, and the pegasi might be useful for weather control, seeing as how this den keeps griffins, they might use weather manipulation as well, and they'll definitely want unicorns for recharging their gems, since they seem to really like using our magic in a fight. If you survive, it'll be a mix of luck, and how useful they think you can be, weighed against how much trouble they think you are."

"THAT'S why he told us to make no effort to fight back or escape!" Nadene exclaimed. "Because anyone who runs or fights is trouble, they'll kill them off right away. If we act like good little prisoners and work hard as slaves, make ourselves worth more than the meager rations they give to keep us alive, then they'll have a reason to keep us around."

"Exactly. So, everyone agree? We follow Griffin's plan?" A chorus of 'Aye's rang from the crowd. "Good. Well then, I suggest we relax. Take a load off, play a game, mourn our fallen friends, spend some 'quality time' with your lovers, whatever. I wanna see a bunch of bright eyed, eager to work crew members when we try to open negotiations. Dismissed."

With that, everyone went off to go do whatever the hell they felt like, with the exception of Geirmund, Cable, and Nadene, who I held back.

"Listen, you three. Cable does not have a degenerative nerve disorder." I turned to the mecha mare. "If they ask, you do not have to have an injection every two weeks. Nadene does not have to make medicine to treat you, because she cured the disease outright three months ago. You're a hardworking mare in the prime of her youth, ready to work, and are in no way frail, or in any kind of pain. Do you understand me?" The weight of my words sank in, and they all nodded solemnly. "Listen, once we're in that den. You blend in with everyone else. Do whatever you can not to draw attention to yourselves. If it looks like Griffin won't be here in time to save Cable before her next injection, you three do whatever you can to escape. I don't care what it is, but the three of you get out. Geirmund... I suggest you build a tunnel bore into your body so you can dig your own way, and collapse the tunnel behind you. Don't worry about us, Griffin will get us out. You worry about yourselves." They nodded again, and then went off to prepare however they could.


Once everyone was gone, and I was alone, I let out a sigh, and rubbed the bulge of my stomach. "It's just you and me kiddo. This job sucks. No wonder your dad went nuts."
> Disgust (33)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	
Disgust



=Griffin=


It didn't take long at all for Zeta to get in contact with the 'Wild Hogs' mercenary group. We set up a meeting just outside Fillydelphia to discuss the job. I already sent the details to Fancypants, who agreed to meet us there. It would happen in two days, so I asked Rarity to put my clothes on rush order. So, of course, she had already finished them by the time I came to ask her. Making a single shirt and pants from a model and measurements isn't really that difficult, especially for a skilled seamstress, and since she didn't have to come up with anything spectacular or fancy, it took less than an hour. I didn't care if it was machine stitched, and it didn't need any frills or whatnot.



"And here you are. It's a double layer cloth. I made the first layer a 'T-shirt' like the one you're wearing and put pockets all along the outside. I filled them with some cut gems I had laying around as treats for Spike, though I'm certain he'll forgive me for using them. Then I sewed on the second layer, giving it longer sleeves, down to your wrists. The inner layer is made of silk, for comfort, while the outer layer is cotton for warmth and durability. It is rather bulky in some spots, given the gems I packed into it. Try it on."


I put them on and found that it fit alright, though not perfectly. The gems did press against certain spots, namely the shoulders and forearms, bringing a slight discomfort if I bent them a certain way, but for the most part, it was fine. They didn't clink or flop around, instead staying where they were put, which meant I wouldn't have to worry about losing them or get bruises from them whacking against my skin or something like that. The long sleeves also had button cuffs, so I could do them up around the wrists of my gloves.

The pants were a simple pair of black jeans, no pockets, but gem pouches running all down the outsides of the legs. I was already wearing my special shoes, but I put on my gloves as well, and hooked my scale knife through my belt loop, wrapping it in some scraps of cloth to keep it secured at my left side.

I quickly did some stretches and took some various combat stances, running through the motions to see how well it worked. I was happy to find that it didn't restrict my mobility at all.




"Thanks Rarity. I'll pay you back when I get the chance."

"Oh darling, don't you dare do such a thing. You've already done quite enough with making every morning perfect, I think it's safe to say that now we're even. If you still won't accept that, then you'll just have to make me breakfast again when you get back as payment." She smiled at me warmly.

"Deal. I guess I better get going. I don't really know when I'll see you again, so, uh... take care I guess."

"Well, I should be saying the same to you, but I know you well enough to know that you will." Rarity sighed. "Make sure you come back."

I waved goodbye to her and Sweetie Belle, then stopped off at each of the mane six's houses to bid them farewell. There were no teary goodbyes, no last minute confessions. I haven't a doubt in my mind that they were all certain I'd be coming back. So, just like that, when Fancypant's carriage arrives, Zeta and I hopped in, and headed to Fillydelphia. Neither of them seemed too surprised to see me walking around as a human. If they were curious, they didn't say anything. We made good time, and arrived in the city early. Zeta's part in the plan was simply to introduce us, where as Fancy Pants had a different role, which I explained to him in the hotel room where we were staying.



"So, listen Fancypants. I have no idea who these guys are, so I'm gonna have to trust Zeta on this, but we need to have a plan. When we meet them, you're going to play the role of my financial advisor. I'm going to have to convince them to take the job, despite it's... confusing goal."


"I don't understand. What's so confusing about the goal? You're hiring them to rescue your family, correct?"

"I'm afraid it isn't that simple. I'm not hiring them to rescue Gilda. I'm hiring them to rescue me."

"Hmm... I think I know what you're planning, though some details are a bit hazy to me. Would you mind clarifying?"

"It's going to go like this. I'm going to go to Ancientwell alone. I'm going to let them capture me. I've already got a plan in motion to make sure they capture me, and not kill me instead. Then, once inside, I'll escape and make some chaos. This force is meant to spread the enemy too thin, which will grant me the freedom to move around unhindered and tear them apart from the inside." Actually, my escape is during their attack, and is made possible because of it. I'm not exactly certain how well Fancypants morals would deal with the fact that I'm throwing their lives away to buy myself some time, so I'll just not tell him.


"Aha, so, it's a pincer maneuver then. Clever. The reason they're rescuing you is because by the time they get to you, the battle will have been won. Or, if you can get to them, you will have escaped, which means you will have brought  your family with you, and they can cover your exit. It leaves both the fight and flight options available, so you can go with whichever is most likely to succeed at the time. If they were to rescue your family, or a specific family member, there's a risk that some get left behind. If they're after you, and you won't leave till everyone is safe, then it means that only with a complete victory will their job be considered complete."

"Good, so you understand the plan then."

"Yes, you intend to throw their lives away to save your own." At that moment, my heart started a boxing match with my stomach, both of them threatening to leap out of my body and continue their fight on the table.

"Wha... what?"

"Oh come now my boy. I know I look young but the fact is I've been around a lot longer than most care to believe. You intend to use them as a diversion so you can get out the 'back door' with your crew while the mercenaries get torn apart at the front gate. I don't appreciate being lied to, though I do understand your need for secrecy, and the reason you're doing it."

I shook my head. It was clever, but what he stated wasn't my plan. It doesn't matter anyways. "Well, so long as we're clear. Let's just get some shuteye."






Morning came on the day we were meant to meet the Wild Hogs. I quickly changed back to being a griffin and went with Fanypants and Zeta to the location we agreed upon. Waiting for us was the mercenary band, and their pet hydra. A group of around 250-300, dirty, smelly, disgusting...

"Pigs. The 'Wild Hogs' are pigs."

"Boars, actually. They're the 'meanest, toughest band of mercs to ride out of Black Marsh', or so they claim. Best keep your thoughts to yourself when talking to them." Zeta explained. Upon closer examination, they weren't wearing any form of standard uniform. Most of them were wearing bits and pieces of different sets of armor. A steel, full-faced helmet, (with the snout and tusks sticking out, since it wasn't designed with their species in mind) and leather body armor. A dented pauldron, a pair of mismatched combat boots, one of them even wore a cast iron cooking pot on his head, held on by some rope that dug into his skin, as could be seen by the red mark on his chin. And all of it was covered in a thick layer of swamp muck. At least that explains the smell. Either these guys made their armor out of stuff they raided from the trash bin, or they've seen a LOT of action.

The cavalry units, if you could call them that, in a bizzare irony, rode pigs, the unintelligent kind. Boars riding pigs. Albeit very large pigs, each of which could easily win the town fair three times over, but still. I found it very hard not to think about making pork chops. Instead, I focused on the task at hand.

"Hello. I take it you're the wild hogs?"

An incredibly large and grotesquely fat boar wearing what looked to be three sets of leather armor, all worn on top of one another, rode forward on an equally large sow. He towered over me, and on looking at me, began to speak.

"Higgin terrgin burgen, hinga dinga ringa *squeal* Hermanermanturp *snort* himbu *burp, erp, scurrze mer, himaburbenterman."

"Um..." He talked like Boomhower from King of the Hill, mixed with old, and very drunk. A younger, somewhat cleaner pig strode forward, wearing a pair of frayed overalls.

"Name's Billy Bob. Sorry bout pops. Most folks can't uh, compreyhaaand his axe-ant. He said, 'How ya doin? You'z King Griffin? I herd ya gotta job for us." 'Pops' looked a little ashamed that he had to have someone be an interpreter.

"Yes, I do." I pulled out a map, showing the location of 'Ancientwell' on it.

"In 16 days, exactly, I want you to attack this diamond dog warren. I want you to crack it open, and rescue me from it."

"Uh, that don't exactly make sense hoss, on accounta ya not exactly bein captured an all." Billy-Bob pondered. I let out a sigh.

"By the time you attack, I will have been in captivity for about a week and a half. So, I'll need you to come and get me out." I explained.

"Well, ah don't mean ta sound critical, but if ya know's you'z gonna be caught, why don't'cha just avoid gettin caught?" Trying to convince them was starting to get frustrating.

"Okay, let me try and explain this. They have my family, which is a whole bunch of people. They're using them to try and get me. Now, is it easier to rescue one person, or a whole bunch?"

"Urn." Pops replied.

"They want to get me. If they have me, they don't need my family anymore. So, I give myself up, in return for their release, and then you guys come in and get me out. They won't kill me right away because they want to make a show of it, which means you'll have lots of time to get me. I'm basically putting my life in your hands here, so no matter what, you HAVE to get in and get me."

"Rr gurr irt."

"Pops says he understands. Now, for the matter of payment." Billy Bob continued.

"For that, I'll refer you to my accountant, Mr. Fancypants. He is handling my funds at the moment. I'm prepared to offer you a million bits up front, and another 8 million once I'm back, safe and sound." At my mentioning those figures, the entire group of swines started squealing and snorting in excitement.

"Hooo weeee! That's enough ta get my uncle-brother outta jail fer public copulation, an it wouldn even use a... Billy Bob, ur good with math, how many times a hunderd go inta nine million?" One of them exclaimed. 

His uncle-brother. That means he either slept with his daughter, or his brother slept with his aunt. And public copulation? I turned to Zeta with a look on my face that could only be interpreted as 'Are you fucking serious?' He looked at me and nodded sadly, while face-pawing. I now understand very much why he chose this particular mercenary band to go get themselves slaughtered, and to be honest, I can't argue with his choice. What can I say, I don't exactly have the best morals in the world. As far as I'm concerned, the ones who realize it's a death trap and decide to bail,instead of being overwhelmed by greed and pressing on, will live instead of winning the 'Darwin Award'. Besides, if they're as skilled as they say, then they'll succeed, and there isn't any problem.

I turned to look at Fancypants, who nodded back to me, before looking to 'Pops'.

"Well? Do we have a deal?" Though I could barely be heard over all the hooting and hollering, Pops the boss hog nodded.

"One more thing. It might be summer up there, but it's still way up north. It'll be pretty chilly. Dress warmly."

"Aww, sorry Wilma." One of the swines said to the massive friggin hydra that had just been sitting there the whole time. "Ya know what tha cold will do to ya. You'll hafta stay at the hideout. Just make sure ta guard the loot akay?" The hydra whimpered, then gave him a big sloppy lick with all four tongues, before nodding to say it understood.





So, Fancypants brought the bits out from the city for the down payment, which is the only payment they'll actually be getting, and the hogs headed to a safe spot to stash their cash and plan their attack, while I set my sights on a much grimmer task.

"Well, Zeta, Fancypants, thanks, but it's time for me to go. I already packed up supplies and rations to last me the couple of days it'll take me to get there after I get off the train. If all goes well I'll be back in about a month. Take care." They said their goodbyes as well, while I hopped on the next train headed north.

"Don't worry, I'm coming for you."
> Thaw (34)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	
Thaw



=Gilda=


"Well everyone, I guess it's time. Griffin said he wanted us to start negotiating for our surrender today, so we're just going to have to trust him on this." The lead crew members all looked to me and nodded. "So... how should we do it? It's not exactly easy to just say 'we give up'. Any ideas?"

"Lets go with our normal, crude method." Trixie suggested dejectedly. "Just, stick your head out one of the gun ports and shout it or something. They're out there."

"This sucks." Nadene grumbled in the corner while pouting.

"Hey, didn't I say we had to be happy, cheerful little would be prisoners?" The cat merely looked at me with an eye twitch.  The rest of the crew had fared alright, but a couple just couldn't keep their spirits up. Nadene and Trixie among them.

"Well, here's hoping they don't shoot me when I poke my head out."





So, that was that, I opened one of the sealed cannon ports, stuck my head out, and shouted.

"Hey! We're uh... ready to surrender! Uh, or, something." The small camp that had sprung up at the base of our ship, where the dogs had been milling about, no longer wasting the effort of trying to keep themselves hidden with camouflage or invisibility spells, had everyone look up all at once. A particularly large dog, couldn't really tell the breed or gender due to the bulky armor covering them, strode forwards and knocked on the hull. It was clear what s/he wanted us to do. So, I went to the main deck, and told Steelhorn to open it up a crack. In response, the chains that had been holding the ship down went slack slightly, letting us open up a bit. It was about a head's size of an opening, not enough to fit through, but enough to speak and be heard.



"I am Ringo, third beta of Ancientwell." Apparently he, spoke with a deep, strong voice that was surprisingly devoid of hostility, and all together, not unpleasant to hear. He seemed bored, though not annoyed by his boredom. Well, considering we made them wait about a week before opening up... At least he spoke intelligently, almost skillfully, as though he had been trained to talk that way. It was altogether odd, given the massive steel club he was lugging around giving him the impression of barbarianism.


"I'm Gilda, of the Griffin Pirates. I am prepared to negotiate for our surrender."

"There will be no negotiations." He stated plainly.

"Why not?" I asked, understandably confused.

"It's simple, if you surrender, then you'll be in our grasp, under the power of Ancientwell. Regardless of what we 'negotiate' you would be in no position to argue your treatment, and have no means of ensuring we fulfill our end of the bargain. Negotiation would be pointless." He explained in that same, bored tone. It's almost as though he were miserable about having to be out here as well.

I sighed. "You have a point. Can you at least guarantee that if we surrender, you're not just going to line us up and kill us? I mean, we're not going to surrender if you're just going to slaughter us. I suppose it would be more apt to ask what your intentions are."

"I am tasked with bringing you and your crew into captivity. What happens after that, I am not responsible for, have no say over, and do not care about. All I can be certain of is that if you do not resist, you will survive at least until I transfer you. After that, it will be up to our leader to decide. Before you ask, I do not know her motives, nor to I care enough to hazard a guess."

"I uh, suppose that'll have to do. Um, okay, uh, well, we'll surrender, but give me three days to inform the crew, pack our belongings and such. I imagine your leader will want the valuables stored onboard as well."

"That is acceptable. Take your time." And with that, he walked away. The ship closed back up, and I went on to tell everyone what had transpired.






=Griffin=


*Tatuk*tatuk*tatuk*tatuk*

The sound of the train running on it's rails with a steady clinking was starting to get to me. I had been on board for several hours already, and while the rest of the passengers who were in for a long trip had settled in for a nice nap, I was rather on edge, and I found every little sound the train made extremely irritating. As for distractions, I had a couple fillies and colts ask for my autograph, after about an hour of hushed whispers as to whether or not it was really me, I had a hot chocolate for refreshments, and spent most of my time looking out the window. So, that was okay I suppose. The snow, at least what hadn't melted yet due to it being out in the countryside instead of cleaned up by a town patrol, was slowly turning to slush, though I expect that the snow up in Gem Fido and the Old Dominion wouldn't melt for another couple of weeks yet, barring the mountain tops that were in permafrost.

There was still a few days left of travel before I could get off the train at the station in the Crystal Empire. That was the farthest it would take me. I'd have to fly the rest of the way. In the meantime, I figured I'd eat well in both my forms, and spend some time charging all the gems in the outfit Rarity made for me. After all, I had no idea what I would find when I arrived, and I'd have to be prepared.

Overall, there was this incredible sense of anticipation, as though looking at something massive on the horizon as it slowly but steadily approached.






=Gilda=


A couple days passed, and the mood had degraded even more. As if it weren't bad enough that we were surrendering, there wasn't even any guarantee that we wouldn't be killed when we arrived at Ancientwell. Trixie and Nadene had spent an awful lot of time together recently, apparently working on something. I didn't see any need to intervene. If there's anything Griffin taught all of us, it's to always have a backup plan, and if those two come up with something, I'm not going to argue.

Then, Starlight Wisp came up to me with a request.

"Gilda, I need to talk to you."

"What is it?" I replied, not much in the mood for conversation.

"Well, I've been thinking. You know what I'm capable of. Invisibility and intangibility, at least for as long as I can hold my breath. While I may not be able to help anyone else... I'd... I'd like to leave."

"What?"

"I'm fairly confident that if I time when I turn spectral, I'll be able to escape. I.. I know it sounds bad. Cowardly even, just abandoning everyone to save my own hide, it's just that I..."

"I think you're forgetting something Wisp."

"And what's that?"

"We're pirates. Dirty, low down, cowardly tactics. Honourless cheaters. You may not be able to save anyone besides yourself, because having too large a group will get you caught, but if you can save even one person, even if it's just yourself... I say go for it. You wouldn't be abandoning us. After all, if any of us were in your position, we'd do the same thing. If you come across Griffin on the way, point him in the right direction, will ya?"


The unicorn looked at me with tears in the corners of her eyes, her bottom lip quivering.

"Yes ma'am!" She grit her teeth as she turned away. And just like that, she was gone. I looked out through the windows to try and see if I could spot her, but no matter where I looked, I just couldn't find her. I suppose thats a good thing, since none of the dogs camped out down below saw her either.





The day came for us to disembark. We had all packed up our belongings and prepared to leave. We formed a neat line on the deck, leading down into the ship, (since we couldn't all fit up top), and opened the ship up. Ringo was waiting there, still wearing that massive suit of armor, still holding that massive club, that was more like a curved iron rod with a small metal boulder on the end. I can hardly imagine the titanic strength needed to even lift that thing, let alone swing it.


"Ready to go?" Ringo said in that same, bored voice. I turned to look back at everyone, friends, family, people whom I'd come to care for, all with their belongings packed on their backs, ready to give up their freedom, all because they believed. Not in me, but in Grif. He said he'd be coming, and each and every one of them had no doubts in their mind that he would. They all had faith... so then why was I dreading this? Was it a declaration? An acceptance of my failure to perform the task he had given me? Or, maybe, it's because I've been there before, down in the depths, and I know what awaits? Or worse, could it be, that even after everything we'd been through together, I don't think he'll succeed? I can't tell what. I turned to look back at Ringo, swallowed the lump in my throat, took a few breaths to try and steady myself, then answered.

"Yes."

"Alright, put the supplies down here in a big pile. We'll go through it later, but for now we don't want you carrying anything. If someone has something hidden on them, it might give them... ideas."

We did as he asked, throwing all our valuables into the pile, and then we were marched off, single file, under watch by both dogs flanking us, and riding griffins above. I could see in their eyes no sense of hope, or despair, or even disappointment. It's as though they were dead and dark, and the only light and life to them was obedience. What had been done to them to make them so? To totally crush their spirits so that they would do whatever was asked of them without complaint or question? Is that what awaited us? When Griffin arrives to rescue us, is this what he'll find? Will there be anything left of us to rescue?

"Please." I whispered. "Hurry."







The Next Day
=Griffin=


After finally settling down to sleep somehow, despite the anxiety I was feeling and the grating noises of the train, which, by the way, I now hate trains, at least old ones like this, because of the infernal click-clacking. Anyways, I somehow managed to sleep, although uncomfortably, since the booths, which can fold out into beds, were meant for beings of 'pony' size, and regardless of which form I was in, I was larger than that. I awoke to the blaring whistle, stating we had reached our destination at the Crystal Empire.

I clamored out of bed, folded it back into the sitting booth, collected my belongings, and with a quick 'reverti' got my wings back before climbing off the train.

First impression of the Crystal Empire...

"GAH! MY EYES!"

Everything was made of crystal. (Duh) And in the rising sun, everything was made of glare. Each building, decoration, and inhabitant became a focus that turned Celestia's oppressive orb into a bajillion tight bandwith lasers aimed directly into my retinas. Clearly, they need to have PSA posters around talking about the dangers of sunrises.

After rubbing my eyes and making sure there was no permanent vision damage, I was finally able to take in the full beauty of the city. For one, everything was SO SPARKLY. Including the pair of foals, one filly, one colt, that made a bee-line for me, jumped on my back and proceeded in their adorable attempts huggle the life out of me.

"Um... do I know you?"

"Mom! Can we keep him? Please please please!"

"Uh... what?"

"Oh... sorry mister." A mare came running up, which prompted her foals to jump off and scurry towards her. "They just got so excited. We haven't seen a griffin around since before Sombra enslaved everyone."

"... and do you normally hug-attack them in the streets?"

"Well, the foals do, yes."

"Um... any reason for that? I'm not exactly from around here."

"Oh, excuse my manners, I'm Misty Morning, these are my children, Sunny day and Cloudy Day. The reason they were so excited is we used to have a griffin living with us, a thousand years ago, before... well, you know. He was our live-in. Took care of them if we needed a foalsitter, kept things nice and tidy, and he made the BEST hay fries... out of potatoes! Can you even imagine? Well, then things went south and he had to go. I can hardly blame him though, trying to escape enslavement is what brought him to us in the first place... Oh, there I go rambling... I haven't even asked you for your name."

"Uh... it's... North. Anyways, nice to meet you three, and I appreciate the history lesson,  but I really must be on my way."

"Aaaawwwwwwwwww. Does that mean you won't be staying with us?" The pair pouted.

"We truly wouldn't mind having a griffin in the family again." Misty added.

"Well, as tempting as the offer is, I have my own family, and I need to rescue them before I can do anything."

The three gasped, and immediately began fauning over me. "You poor dear, they were taken by those awful brutes weren't they? And you're going to try to get them back all on your own? You're brave, but foolish. You can't do it yourself."


With that, I looked at them and gave them a smirk. "You clearly don't know who I am." Then I turned and flew off, headed towards Ancientwell.


"Mommy, why did that griffin have a metal wing?"

"Mommy, why did he have scars?"

Misty Morning turned from her foals to look at a news stand, with the headline on the paper reading,



'Griffin North Begs Princess Celestia For Help,
Is Rejected..'


	All of Canterlot was in uproar as the famous, (or perhaps infamous) Captain Griffin North got down on his knees and begged our fair princess for help. After getting word of his crew being captured, he saw no alternative than to ask for Equestrian assistance, only to be turned away. The court is divided. Many believe her actions were unjust, due to the service he has done for the nation. After giving so much to Equestria and her people, to be denied assistance, it appears to be a terrible betrayal. The other opinion is that Princess Celestia was indeed just in her actions, though the reason for this is widely varied. 

Some have stated that it was 'Too much of an undertaking' for the guard to handle, which raises all sorts of new questions regarding the competency of the guard, and the faith Equestian citizens have in them, while others state that 'It is not an Equestrian affair', though, if assisting a knight of the court to reclaim what may very well be the most potent defense force on the globe from enemy paws is not a worthy cause, then what is? What does this spell for future relations between Equestria and the budding New Dominion? Will hostilities result from this? What of those he has already rescued? Would he have been denied if he were a pony? Is racism running rampant in the capitol of a land founded on friendship? These questions, and dozens more, are running through the minds of leading politicians. Prince Blueblood himself has stated... (Continued on page 12.)

"North... he said his name was North..."
> Roll The Die (35)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Roll The Die


So, Griffin, I guess what I'd like to ask, is why you act like that? Laughing and spouting nonsense I mean." Mind Mender asked.

"Well, I suppose it's a coping mechanism. The things I do are things that no sane person should ever do, or ever have to do. But I have to do them. I'm compelled to help people, and that means I have to bite the bullet on that one. Sure, when you look around, you can see the good I've done in the world, but that's an effect of me doing what others may consider to be an atrocity. You all may not get what I'm saying, but to me, it's hilarious given the context of what I'm doing. So yeah, I sing silly songs, and say one-liners and catch phrases, and spout nonsense, because it makes me laugh. And I have to keep laughing."

"Why?"

"Because considering what I've been through, as soon as I stop laughing, I'll start crying, and crying is for people who've given up."





After leaving the Crystal Empire, it was a couple day's flight still until I'd reach Ancientwell. I can hardly imagine what it would have been like to have to walk that, as the frozen ground was turning to slush and mud, which would make any travel on foot exceedingly difficult as well as painful given that frostbite would be a very real concern. So instead, I flew, leaving the mushy, hilly terrain far underneath. That's not to say the air was perfect. No. it was still horribly frigid, and only my thick winter coat and feathers kept me warm.

When I had traveled for about a day, I spotted something on the horizon, gleaming in the setting sun. Having a hunch as to what it might be, I flew towards it. It seems I was correct. There, tied down by ballistae with chains, which were unmanned, was the Possibility. It was open, and while the wrecked hulk of the Hornet lay nearby, with half rotten, half frozen corpses laying in a line beside it, there was no sign of a struggle around the flagship.

"Well, it seems surrendering worked."

Further investigating the scene, there was a large area that was devoid of the snow and slush, as though there had been a pile there, that was then moved. I entered the ship, and on investigation, I found that everything of value that wasn't nailed down or part of the ship, was gone. Most likely they took all the supplies that were on board, as well as anything of value. The laser cannon on the top deck, in particular, had been pulled up, and there was a long streak in the snow where it must have been dragged away, next to some prints, belonging to various species, but all distorted by the thaw. Not that I was a tracker by any degree. Even if the prints were immaculate, I wouldn't be able to tell if the ones who left them had departed three days ago, or five minutes. What it did tell me, however, is which way they went, and that's the important part.


I went back inside the ship and wandered through it's empty halls for some time. I could still remember the laughter that once echoed through here, the experiments and training we conducted, the meals we ate, the funerals we held. They were good times, but they were over. No sense dwelling on them. I went to my old room and as the sun set, I closed the door, had a bite to eat, and settled in to get some sleep. Luckily they hadn't ripped out the gem system, so I still had heating, and I slept comfortably.





I woke in the morning, and after eating the remainder of my rations, I pulled out something special I had been saving. A ruby, shining with an inner light that told me of it's charge. I took a deep breath, opened my mouth, and swallowed it. It hurt as it went down, scraping along my esophagus, and it sat like a... well, a rock in my stomach. It would be too big to pass through my system, not that I'd want to, and I'd have to have it removed once I got back to civilization. I know that most birds have gizzards, and they actually swallow rocks to help them break up the seeds and whatnot that they eat, but the stomach is in the lion half, and after a bit of research, I learned that I didn't have one. Which is unfortunate for me. Still, this was necessary, so I'd just have to put up with the pain and discomfort until I was able to implement my plan.

Taking flight again. I followed the tracks, and while the prints were pretty much gone by this point, the large skid mark from where the loot was dragged from my ship was still quite obvious. They hadn't bothered to cover their tracks at all, which made me think they wanted to be found, which further supported my hypothesis that it's me they're after.


I continued on my path till I found a large open area, cleared of snow. There was a lone mountain in the middle of the large plains area, with some kind of stonework building around the base. It didn't appear to be any kind of diamond dog construction, as on closer inspection, It seemed to be some form of ancient castle, built right into the rock. It had a number of holes in the walling, clearly for archers to shoot out of, and a number of great stone gates blocking entry into some kind of archway structure. Perhaps landing strips for flying troops, or an artillery platform, up away from the ground, but guarded against air assault as well.

The castle also had several bits that had clearly crumbled away from weathering the tides of time, as well as deep gashes that could have only been caused by war, but had been repaired, as there was newer looking stonework, a different colour than the rest, patching various locations. That means that the place was maintained. I landed to take a better look and pulled out my map. The location matched what the map had labeled as 'Ancientwell', the tracks lead right into one of the now closed gates of the fortress, but truly, the only way to be sure would be if... oh, wait, I'm trapped in a net. Yep, this is the right place!

Several dozen dogs in armor sprung out of the ground, each holding a tether to the chain net they had just wrapped around me. Several dozen more came when one of the stone archways opened it's gates, letting griffin riders fly out and point their laser rifles at me, while the ground dogs aimed bows and spears, all of which were of quality craftsmanship, as compared to the 'do it yourself' gear I've seen some of the less advanced clans using. That means they have, at minimum, a patronage or guild system for passing on skilled trades. They might even have standardized education.

"Oh.. uh, hi guys..."

"Shut up!" One of them, likely a commander due to his larger size, commanded as he poked me lightly with a giant steel spear.

"What?"

"Don't say another word! We know all about your magic. Just keep your mouth shut, no tricks." Well, I didn't want to get impaled, so I did as he said. He walked up and tightly tied a cloth around my beak, then around the back of my head, so I couldn't open my mouth. He didn't make me walk, rather, they tossed my tied up body on a sled and dragged me inside before sealing the door shut. Once inside, the leader of this particular group opened a vial and waved it around in front of my face. As he did, I felt myself becoming fatigued. My vision went hazy, and all sounds became blurred before I fell asleep.



This, of course, had been a calculated risk.  I was almost certain that they wouldn't just up an kill me after having gone through such effort to capture me, which is why I let myself be captured in the first place. In fact, my entire plan hinged upon being caught, and not being executed instead. That's part of why I had Chrysalis send her changelings in, to improve my odds of survival.


When I awoke, I found myself in a large, circular chamber, which was quite lavishly furnished. Silk rugs, red carpet, gold chandeliers, all that jazz. I was of course, still tied up, and while my beak was no longer clamped shut, I was missing my pack, my prosthetic wing, and my amulet, as well as any other gems I had on me, with the exception of the one I had swallowed. After all, I knew if I was captured, they'd try to take away my means of using magic, so that's why hiding a gem inside my body was necessary.

I was, at the very least, allowed to rest. I was set on a rather comfortable pillow, though I still had chains tied around all my limbs and secured to the floor, the cuffs that actually held me were padded, and I was able to turn my head and look around. There was a hole under me with a steel bucket, obviously for 'waste disposal' so they wouldn't have to untie me. This right away told me that they intended to keep me here for some time.

As for who 'they' are, I spotted two distinct figures. One, was an earth green unicorn stallion, who intentionally kept his cutie mark hidden under a cape, and the other was, to my surprise, a red fox, of course diamond dog style, with razor sharp teeth and cruel looking eyes, long, slender legs, a moderate bust, all wrapped up in a tight, form fitting garb that could only be described as 'regal'. Black satin, with gold hem, and inlays set in a kind of vine pattern. If she didn't look like she went around ripping throats out with her teeth, I'd say she was gorgeous, silky fur, fluffy tail and all that.


"Well well, look who woke up. I hope you're comfortable." The pony spoke with a hint of cruelty in his voice. "You and your little crew have caused quite a bit of trouble for me, but that's all at an end."

"And... you are?" I asked obliviously.

"Oh no, do you think I'd give you so much as my name? Let me guess, you expect to escape from this place and report me to the authorities? Despite the security here, diamond dogs have proven... incapable, of dealing with you in the past, and I really don't like taking chances, which is why as soon as I heard from my spy that your crew raided Earth Scar and made off with sensitive documents, the kind that could find me in prison or at a gallows, I fled the country. And just in time too. One of the servants at my estate has informed me that my estate was raided by the guard, mere hours after I left. Your little whore Gilda magic-mailed my slave trade records."

He stood there for a moment, waiting to see my reaction at his badmouthing. I didn't bite, so he continued.

"Well, I lost everything in Equestria, but, that's okay. It's given me a chance to make a new start. You know what your little revolution has taught me? It's taught me that it's really not all that hard to take over the world. Just get a bit of a following, a couple secrets, a promise of a better tomorrow, and you'll have half the planet eating out of your hoof. So, I came here. I've been selling all that gem magic to Ancientwell for a while now, helping them advance their already considerable military. All that's left is you." He sneered.

"Man, you REALLY love to talk. Oh yes, this is the part where the villain has the hero in chains, and he gloats, revealing his plan."

"Ha...hahahaha. That's right! I've worked hard for this, I deserve some time to gloat. After all, this isn't going to be like in those fairy tails, you see, rather than making a daring escape, and, with knowledge of the villain's plan, thwarting it, you're going to die here. In chains. With the rest of your crew. I'm inviting the leaders of all the remaining clans here, those who aren't under the banner of Marble Pillars, or that blasted Nanashi clan and their wolf. I'm going to kill your crew members, one at a time, right in front of you, until your will has been shattered, and then? When the clans arrive? I'll make a showing of it. I'll put you out there, in front of them, sobbing over your dead 'family'," He grabbed my head and looked me dead in the eye. "...and then I'll kill you."


I couldn't help but laugh at this.


"What do you find so funny!?"

"Well Mister Hitler, you do realize that once you kill me, every dog and their grandma will be after your head right? Do you really have what it takes to live like that? Sleeping with one eye open? Knowing that around every turn, someone is going to try and kill you?"

"They'll bow down! I will have slain the great and mighty Griffin North!"

"In a public execution, after he was chained by REAL warriors. They're going to look at you and think 'THIS guy is the strongest?' and the first thing they're gonna do is rip your head off because they want to be the next 'top dog' and then there'll just be a massive bloodbath as the leaders from all the clans compete to become the head of the next global power. Sure, you'll have all the remaining diamond dogs under one banner, but it won't be yours."


"Shut up!" He punched me in the face with his hoof. "What you're forgetting is that I have magic. All those spells you so conveniently came up with? Fia and her clan have access to them. That's what'll set us apart from the rest of the rabble. Isn't that right?" He stroked her chin with his hoof. She smirked at him, with that same, hate filled glare which he apparently didn't notice, at he was too busy looking at her with a lustful gaze. As the pair began to walk away, I decided to try one last thing.


"Last chance. Let me and my family go."

"Bah! Or else what?" Came his mocking reply.

"Or else I'll burn everything."

"Big talk for somepony in chains. You're in no position to make threats."

"I'll remember you said that when your head is on a pike."

"Whatever. Fia, start bringing them in. I want him crushed before the day is over." She nodded, then looked back at me with a gaze that... I couldn't exactly tell what was in it. It wasn't malice, or bloodlust, like when she looked at him. It was something... different. Remorse? Fear? It was something.

'Fifty bits says she stabs him in the back.'


> There Will Be Blood (36)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


There Will Be Blood



They say an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind, and I suppose that much is true, but it begs the question, if you're going to go so far as to gouge out someone's eye, why not take both? That's the problem with revenge. The reason it doesn't work is because people only go half way.




The unnamed unicorn stallion responsible who orchestrated my capture, who shall now be known as Gerald, (Generically Evil, Reject Asshole who Loves Dick) returned shortly with the first of my crew members. A cat named Trek. Admittedly, I never got to know the guy other than his name, he had tiger stripes, carried a hand ax and shield, and had an odd fascination with leaves. He was brought in, bound by chains, and forced to kneel.

"Now then, Griffin, apologize to your crew member for being such a stupid reject and getting him killed." Gerald demanded.

"Fuck you."

"Wrong answer." With that, he drew a short sword out of a sheath he had strapped on him, under the cloak, and cut his head off.


I stood there, oddly fascinated by how the headless body slumped to the ground, still spurting blood from the neck until it became a slow leak, turning into a thick, viscous puddle. Though, I think the thing that surprised me most is that the bastard actually did it himself. Most pony folk can't stand the sight of blood, and tend to have less 'respectable' individuals carry out their bloody deeds. That was, obviously, something I handled with my crew, using fake blood and gore to adjust them to what they'd be seeing. Which tells me that Gerald here has seen an awful lot of blood.

"Do you see how cleanly that cut? I was top of my class at the Canterlot sword academy. Never made it as a guard though, something about 'questionable morals'. Hmm, not much of a reaction. Well, that's a shame, I had a whole group of crew members lined up, but if you care as little about them as you did about him, then I guess executing them won't serve any purpose. You there, guard, just slaughter the rest of the cats, maybe that'll get more of a rise out of him. Oh, make sure that one harlot, Nadene was it? Make sure she's with them."

"No... NO!" But it was too late. The guard left. And I was alone with Gerald.

"Well well, it's a start..."

"You fucking bastard!" I raged against my chains, only to receive a whack on the beak from the flat of his sword.

"Ah ah ah! You're lucky I'm in a good mood today. After all, even if I lost all my assets, with you here I can get back tenfold what I lost. In fact, I'm feeling so generous, I think I'm just going to settle for the cats today. I'll leave you with Asta. We have a big day tomorrow! Of course, I won't be partaking, but the dogs are having a pegasus potluck!".... I think I'm going to puke. "A night of drinking, dancing and debauchery, all topped off by a feast of epic proportions! After all, I did promise these pathetic mutts a better life, what better way than to throw them a party!"

So, Gerald the Bond villain laughed to himself as he left the enclosure, leaving a rather burly looking guard in steel armor to guard my door.






Hours passed uneventfully, as all I could do was lay there and wait, to hear how my friends were being killed. Nadene. I guess, when I think about it, she was kind of like a teenager. Full of youthful vitality, a bit selfish, easily excitable, experimented with drugs and a liberal sex attitude, looking to rebel against her overprotective parents and live a life of adventure. I wouldn't want anything to happen to that quirky little cat.

Well, I wouldn't have to wait too long, as the changing of the guard brought a new hound in, who laughed and howled loudly, as though he were having a grand time. "Go on Asta! Get some sleep." The burly hound gladly took his leave, leaving the smaller dog in his place. After the door was shut, he had a surprising, sudden change in mood. He walked towards me with an extremely serious look on his face, twirling a set of keys around his paw.

"I bet you'd like to get a hold of these, wouldn't you?" The dog mocked. Considering Nadene had likely just died, I wasn't really in the mood for sarcasm. "Well don't count on it. It's not like I'm just going to drop them in front of you and turn my back." His eyes flashed green. It was only for a second, but it was definitely there. "Oops. I can be so clumsy sometimes, now where did I drop those keys?" He turned his back to me, and putting a paw on top of them, kicked them backwards, right at me. I tried to reach them with my beak, but couldn't quite get a grasp of them.

"Seriously? Cut the crap okay. I'm not flexible enough to unlock these myself." I scowled at the changeling.

"Ugh, fine." He walked over and started unlocking my shackles. "Can't let a guy have his fun. Do you have any idea what it's like? Listening to that pony drone on and on and on and on, all the time! This place is a serious drag."

"So... what can you tell me... about..."

"The cats? Yeh, they're all dead. Except that Nadene." My eyes shot wide at that.

"What?"

"Oh, Mr. Stereotypical Villain was so pissed! He had smoke coming out of his ears and went on for twenty minutes about 'incompetence' and whatnot. Apparently the feisty cat hid a lock pick in her mouth, took off Trixie's inhibitor ring, and they both vanished. They're hiding somewhere inside right now, and they've pulled double shifts to try and find them."


"Lock me back up."

"What?"

"No... wait, better idea. You take my place."

"Now you're just talkin crazy."

"Listen okay, they're not going to torture me, because they want to kill my crew in front of me. To be honest, I never really got to know a lot of them, and now a bunch of them are dead, but I still don't think I'd be able to take it. It took a lot of self control to not break down after the first one died, and I don't think I could bear to watch it again. Listen, this guy is a nutjob in more ways than one. I have to move up my plan, but he can't know I've escaped. If the guards are already out in force trying to catch Nadene and Trixie, if I go missing Mr.Psycho will blow a gasket and do something... rash." The changeling finished unlocking me.

"Aye, I gotcha. Alright, tie me up."

I started carefully reattaching the cuffs and tightening the chains, to make sure they were secure when Gerald came back.

"I trust you can escape on your own?" I asked the noble doppleganger.

"Yah, I can just turn into a snake or something and slither out."

"Good. in a couple days, there's going to be a mercenary band attacking this place. That's when *ahem* I make my escape. After that, make yourself scarce. Wouldn't be good if they found out they've got changelings amongst them."

"Savvy. Take care. By the by, ya gotta give Chrysalis a kiss when ya get out. She got a bet with Cadence, and it's one she REALLY wants ta win. Something about a beach house."

"Ooookay? Any more information? As in, useful information?"

"Oh, ya, uh, the two guards outside the door are changelings as well, and the fox, that Fia gal, she's the alpha of this here den, and she's absolutely terrified of you. That whole 'burn everything' line's got her quakin in her corset."

"By the way, how many were executed?" I asked with steel in my voice.

"Fourteen... why?"

"Simple.... an eye for an eye."






=Fia=



I sighed as I left Gold Trim laying satisfied on the bed, drool running out of his mouth onto the pillows. Such a disgusting pony, I'll never feel clean again, but it was those very same, filthy, base desires that made him easy to manipulate. The deluded fool thinks I'm madly in love with him, after all, he's the one who gave me those magics, which will let *cough* 'us' rule the Old Dominion, and eventually Gem Fido. The truth is he is a means to an end, an end that will arrive shortly. He thinks all diamond dogs are stupid brutes, and that I'm no different. Of course, he's is a mighty unicorn, naturally gifted in magic, which is the binding force of the world. Pah, spoiled Canterlot brat. He knows nothing of living. He surrounds himself in gold, booze, and wenches to feed his desires. He has no idea what it's like to have to beg for food, and sleep on cold stone.

I was so sick and tired of being treated like a 'lesser being' simply because I'm some kind of offshoot. Of all the diamond 'dog' breeds out there, foxes were always the most clever. And the others didn't really like that, and, now we're rather rare. So, at the tender age of eight, I learned I had a particularly special gift, and used it to slaughter the alpha, and all his betas, and their families, so nobody would be left to challenge me. I spent every day since then trying to improve this den, for the past 20 years, so that one day I can kick all those old farts off their thrones. Of course, that meant when Trim came along offering the knowledge of magic, I couldn't say no. Even if it meant playing the part of his little pet, and catering to his... disgusting nature. I feel nothing but loathing for that pony, so privileged, and yet always wanting more. More wealth, more power, more mares.

The griffin, on the other paw, I actually feel a strange kinship with. He knows all about the path of pain, and how either by force or by choice, those who walk it become strong. I hold no resentment for him, unfortunately, most of the remaining clans have filled their hearts with bitter hatred, and the only way there can ever be peace in this land is if they're satisfied. Perhaps, if he had come a little sooner, I might have even found myself under his banner, or, sooner still, on his crew.

I suppose that's why he terrifies me. When I was put in a dire situation, what resulted was the massacre of everyone who stood in my way, and the two of us... are the same. I can see it when I look in his eyes. I almost came to enjoy reading about him in the paper, wondering what act of kind bloodshed he'd commit next. I felt joy when I saw that photo of him wearing that ridiculous festive hat, with a foal smiling atop his head in the middle of winter.

I'll be sad when I see him go, but it's something that must be done. I'll let Gold Trim have his fun for now. He's a sad, pathetic pony, so he may as well enjoy himself. After all, Griffin was right. Once the execution is over, in front of all the unallied clan leaders, everyone will be after his head.

I reached into my cabinet, and pulled out a gourd of water from the well. The black liquid swished and swirled, desperately trying to find a way out of it's container. I obliged it, tilting the opening to my mouth as the dark, sour tasting liquid rushed down my throat. I felt pain course through my veins, like frozen needles, yet blazing with the heat of the sun. I felt the embittered rush of broken dreams, and the burning wrath of the unavenged. I was also quite accustomed to this particular drink, and in moments, it passed, as a different sensation came over me.

"Infernus." Magic.

My paw became alight with the black flames of hell, a gift only possessed by the descendants of the god of death.

Yes, I'll let Gold Trim have his fun, because once the blood bath is over, I'll be the only one left.



=Griffin=


"Good evening gentlemen." I said to the pair of changelings outside the door to my former confines. They nodded to me, their eyes flashing green in response.

"Forma Versus." No longer in possession of my amulet, I used the rock trapped in my stomach to facilitate the change. Also, there was only enough of a charge for myself, as well as only dictating myself as the target for the spell, meaning my shape changing friends were in no danger of being revealed. As I took human form, I smiled, taking note that despite the significant magical charge held just under my clothing, the black cloth didn't let any light through, so the only luminosity that could give me away in the dark would be that of my eyes. I had intended to wait until the Wild Hogs attacked before I made my escape, but Gerald is a fucking lunatic, and sometimes, special treatment is needed. For now though, I need to determine the layout of this place, and find good spots to hang fourteen mutilated corpses.

"Let the haunting of Ancientwell begin."
> Red (37)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	
Red



I slipped into the shadows, by the cast of a quick umbra spell, letting me be hidden from wandering eyes. That wouldn't be enough though, it would only suffice until I got to a more scarcely populated area. While the stench of the masses could hide me for a time, in the darkened halls and corridors of this castle, and indeed, the mine below, or perhaps above, my distinct smell would make me easy to trace. I hid around corners, clinging to the dark, listening with great patience to try and outmaneuver the patrols that were looking for Nadene and Trixie. Eventually, I made it out of the castle area, and into the mine.


Once I found myself in relative solitude, I knew I'd have to mask my scent. I undressed myself, removing my specially made garb, and covered myself in the dust that filled those carved stone passageways. I caked myself with the earth, so that no piece of skin was left exposed to the air. The one thing about dust, sand, and dirt, is it's tendency to get into everything, something that actually played to my favor. I scraped loose dust from the floor, and rolled my clothes in it, before putting them back on. This had to be done quickly, lest I be 'caught with my pants down'.

Once the deed was done, and I was sufficiently filthy so my scent would be that of the stone and thus not traceable, I reapplied my umbra shade, as well as a muffling spell. It would leave me mute while active, but I'd rather not make any sound. No sight, no scent, no sound, even the vibrations of my footfalls, which I know the dogs can track through the wall, would be so muffled and distorted by the spell, as well as the cushion of my shoes, that I was confident they couldn't track me. The only thing that could indicate my presence would be touch, or, perhaps some magical sense, though I was already sufficiently protected against mind readers due to my pain spell, and touch could only help if I was in contact with them, and by then, it would be far too late.

The only question remaining... where to strike? I passed a barracks on the way here, it's as good a place as any, though there are likely more than necessary within.







As the dogs settled met around a table for dinner, a sense of anticipation filled them, though not the joyous kind. There was to be a celebration the next day, for their success in capturing the so called 'cursed bird'. Oddly, he didn't seem so mighty now that he was in chains. They had even killed a number of his crew, and he had done nothing to stop it. Rather, he couldn't do anything to stop it. They had surrendered, and they were executed in cold blood. That, however, was not something these proud warriors could be proud of. They would rather have killed them in combat, proven their skill and worth, honed their talents, and be honored, in front of all the females. No... the was no honor or glory, or even justice in what had been done. The massacre of prisoners, it was not their way. Every being has it's use, and that wanton death seemed like such a waste.

The pony who's name only the alpha knew, he was a cruel being, and they all saw the way she looked at him, but he was necessary. He had his use as well. Because of him, they were able to get Griffin. The supposed feast tomorrow, when they executed the pegasi, they would then cook them. Meat was hard to come by, and perhaps a more starved and desperate clan would have taken better to the idea of eating captives, but they had gems, not in terrible excess, but enough to get by. There would be a party tomorrow, but the attendees would not be jovial. They, at least, had some respect. Even the bodies of the enemies pulled from the lesser ship, they may have been left out in the open, but only so that the animals of the wild could lay claim to them.

"I do not like it."

"It is not our way."

"It is senseless."

"The pony is senseless. He is cunning, but in the midst of victory, he has forgotten his cunning in exchange for depravity."

"It is the alphas will that we obey his. It may mean the suspension of the very traditions she has given to us, but until he has come to the end of his use, we will do as he asks. You know the price of disobedience."


As the many hounds that dined conversed amongst themselves, a few noticed the torches along the wall flicker.

"Ventusssssss, klepto aero." It was no more than a whisper, but it was heard plainly by all, due to their canine hearing. They all jumped to their paws, scrambling for their arms, just as the torches went out.


And in the shadows, before suffocation, the hounds saw a pair of glowing blue eyes. There were no screams, no struggle, only a peaceful, breathless sleep, followed by the scraping of a dagger against flesh and stone.






Early in the morning, a pounding was heard upon the door to the alpha's chambers. While she remained silent, Gold Trim deemed the racket insufferable, and loudly shouted obscenities.

"You miserable mutt! Was was so important that you woke me so bloody early?" Fia suppressed a growl at how the pony spoke to the highly trusted ironclad giant on the other side. Ringo could easily crush him, but Trim's position allowed him a bit of arrogance.

"Many apologies. There is a... situation at the eleventh barracks." The smooth voice echoed from the armored suit.

"So? Take care of it."

"Please, go back to sleep." She instructed her bed mate. "I will investigate this." Fia stated, which brought a smile to the unicorn's face. Her voice was like oil, smooth the the point of being slippery, and full of hidden spite.





The scene that she came upon was a strange and confusing one. There were no signs of struggle, yet an entire barracks, forty warriors, all lay dead. Their food from the evening before lay on the table, half eaten, the torches had gone out but not from having burned themselves down. The candle she carried  illuminated the bodies of her clan, and while all were dead, some had been intentionally laid in positions that suggested a violent death, clutching at their necks or with their limbs splayed out, but with none of the signs of combat around. They had slit throats, but their blood drained into calm pools, no splatters or lines, and there were no scuffles in the dust around them. No drawn weapons, no damaged gear. The rest were lain side by side, arms by their sides, face up, and with their eyes closed, in positions of peace that made the rest of the guards check to see if they were truly dead, or merely sleeping.

"What is the purpose of this?" She asked in a whisper, as she dipped a finger into a pool of blood on the floor.

"Lady Fia, over here." One of the soldiers from a different barracks called her attention to the wall. In it was carved letters, but given the shallow cuts in the stone and poor lighting, she could not read them. Running her blood coated finger along the cuts gave them a different shade, and she felt along the lines until the words could be more easily read in the dim light.


"Blood for blood. Guard... how many of Griffin's crew were killed?"

"Fourteen ma'am."

"And, how many, among the suffocated guards, had their blood spilled?"

"Fourteen ma'am."

Her eyes shot wide. Fia rushed from the barracks towards the holding chamber, where the guards were still positioned, faithfully keeping watch.

"Guard... did any pass through here on your watch?"

"No ma'am."

"And did the night watch report any disturbance?"

"No ma'am."

"Let me see the prisoner."


The fox entered the chamber to find Griffin still laying where he had been set, still chained, and wide awake. He glared at her, but did not speak. But his eyes. These were not the same eyes she had seen yesterday, those kind eyes with a hint of malice hiding just behind. These eyes were steely, almost cold, devoid of the fiery passion Griffin had.

"It... can't be."

Only one way to tell. She checked the bucket that was placed under him, to find it empty. While highly unlikely, it was possible that he hadn't voided or defecated all night and for all the day before, but those eyes. Hmm...


"You think yourself clever? What, sew the seeds of fear and distrust among my people? Make them fall prey to paranoia? Sleep with one eye open, constantly watching their back so you don't plant a knife in it?" The prisoner remained silent. "How did you do it? Did you escape, then lock yourself back up before morning? No... there wouldn't have been enough time to get that far, and then back here after, not without being seen, and the guard reports that nobody has been in or out. You couldn't have escaped without help, else there'd be signs of a struggle in here."

"I don't know what you're talking about. I've been tied up in here all night."

"You know exactly what you did. You're the only one capable of something like that." She replied.

"Me, and my crew."

"How did you know some of your crew members escaped during the execution?"

"What? I didn't know."

"The fact that you just denied it without a single hint of hope or surprise tells me you already knew. And the only way you could have known is if we have a spy among us." She paused, thinking. The empty bucket, those unfeeling eyes... "Where is Griffin?"

"What do you mean? I am Griffin." The prisoner stated, confused.

"Do not take me for a fool." She drew a kris knife and pressed it against his throat. "You may look like him, but even laying down, you do not carry yourself the same way. You may have fooled the others, but I am more cunning. I will ask you again... where is he?" She pressed her knife against the prisoner's throat, letting it draw a single drop of green blood. She pulled the knife away and held it up curiously, her pupils shrinking to pinpricks.

"Well fuck. Ya got me." With a flash of green flame, a thick bodied serpent took the place of her prisoner and coiled around her, attempting to squeeze the breath from her lungs. Fia had, of course, survived countless assassination attempts, and promptly bit the snake right behind then head, tearing out a chunk of it's flesh. The creature writhed in pain as it released her, it's form destabilizing till it returned to being a black, insect like pony, thrashing about on the ground till it drowned in a pool of it's own ichor.

The vixen recoiled, backing away till she was against the wall, overcome by sheer terror. Not by the attack on her person, but by the only logical conclusion that could follow. If there was a spy here, then where was her prisoner?

"By the gods... he's loose. I haven't much time."


Fia rushed down the passageways, every dog in her path either getting out of her way, or being shoved out of the way by their alpha as she walked hastily towards her bedchamber.

'Blast, I was careless. I was going to let things play out till the execution, but now I have to try and pacify him till the clan leaders arrive. It wouldn't do well for them to come here and find us in a state of utter disarray. That may as well be an invitation to invasion, and I will NOT be some drooling slob's toy again.'


Fia threw open the doors of her chamber, to find Gold Trim awake and dressed in his usual apparel.

"I trust the situation has been handled?" She remained silent. "Good, though it's a little late to continue where we left off, I'm already dressed... that is unless you really want to go another round.... that's it, isn't it? You're insatiable! You just can't get enough of m..." In the middle of his narcissistic rant, she drove her dagger into his chest.

"Stop. Talking. You spoiled brat. You annoy me."

"But... you need me, who else can give you magic?" He asked weakly as he sputtered blood out his mouth.

"Since Griffin has escaped, your services are no longer required. I have to try and do damage control and clean up after your little hissy fit. I may yet salvage this." And she left him dead on the ground.


"Guard?" She called out of the room. "Clean this up will you. Burn the body, but make sure to put his head on a pike."

"Ma'am?"

"Right now I have to try and make a deal, and he did say he'd see this pony's head on a pike after all."







=Fia=

'Okay, okay, I can handle this. Yes, there's a bit of bad blood, but nothing that can't be overlooked. An eye for an eye. Right now we're even... Wait.. the way he looked at me back when he was in chains, before he escaped. Was that the meaning? Was that his intent? He settled the score so we could negotiate on even ground? It's so complex it's frustrating! The plan was simple, get Griffin, public execution, I sit by while there's a blood bath, then sweep in and clean up. That idiot had to go an piss him off, and now I'm in deep shit. I already sent word to the other clans, they'll be here in a week. Wait... okay... I've got it. Yeah... I'll just pacify him, and then when the other clan leaders arrive, I'll let them fight over who gets to kill him! Then I can still finish off the remainder. This'll work.'

"You there, send the word that I want an audience with Griffin. Let every hound, bitch, and pup know that I'm willing to negotiate. If he's found, he is NOT to be antagonized in any way. This is my will."

"Your will be done ma'am." The dog ran off to perform his duties. I found my way to Ringo's barracks, still wearing that suit of armor, resting on his giant curved maul. "To me Ringo. I need some security right now." The old dog huffed wordlessly, hefting his weapon over his shoulder and lumbering after me almost lazily. We moved to a kind of panic room. Surrounded by guards, iron doors, bolted from both sides, sealed to prevent gassing, and a large, decorated well in the center.

The well was easily big enough around to fit a minotaur, maybe two, and all along the walls were shelves that stored water drawn from it. This was the thing that the fortress was named after, the 'ancient well'. It is said that it existed back when many gods roamed the world, not just the pony princesses, and it is so deep, it goes straight to the underworld.


"Tell me Fia..." Ringo asked as he removed his helmet. "What has you in such a fit? You are more panicked than a hare in a wolf's mouth." Ringo was an odd dog. He was old, incredibly so, the breed being a Siberneighan Husky, but with that age came wisdom. He possessed titanic strength which allowed him to wear such heavy armor, and wield such a massive weapon, despite his frail looks. He never did tell me his secret. His fur was falling out in places, and he spoke with a thick accent, but he was sharp as a dagger and three times as deadly. Despite all that, he was my guardian. Far too old to be my father, but a grandfather perhaps.

Ringo had taken me in as a child, when he found me on the streets, if you could really call the maze of tunnels in this place 'streets' and had raised me ever since. He taught me the old ways, from the ancient times. I truly don't know how old he is. Possibly centuries. He never said, and always laughed when I asked.

"Fia... you are lost to the world again. You truly must be disturbed. Tell me child, what is on your mind?"

"I fear I have made a terrible mistake. Griffin is loose inside. He's already killed a whole barracks of soldiers, without so much as a struggle."

"And is this a problem?"

"Not exactly, it's the message that came with it. It's confusing. I can't tell whether he was leveling the playing field to open negotiations, or trying to spread fear."

"And do you fear him?"

"Of course I do!"

"And why?"

"You know what he's done! What he's capable of! And because I let that idiotic pony have his way, I've gone and angered him. I just need to pacify him until the other clans arrive, but I don't know how."

"Come now child. What about what you told me, when you read of him in those newspapers hmm?"

"That despite his cruelty... the things he did were for the greater good."

"And?"

"And that I admired what he did, because he was helping those who were in a state I am no stranger to."

"Aaaaand?"

"It was because he had also come from difficult times, which is something we have in common."

"So then, you understand his mind. Tell me, what does he want? Is it vengeance? Bloodshed?"

"His family. He wants his family."

"Fia... you always were prone to panic, and in those times, you would come to me seeking my wisdom, but all I have ever done is ask questions, and let you figure out the answer for yourself. You are a smart girl, but you need to give yourself more credit. The fact is, you no longer need me."

"Don't say that Ringo..."

"Oh, please, you act like I'm dying. I have another ten, twelve years left."

"You said that twelve years ago."

"And as long as I keep saying it, maybe I'll live forever. Who knows?"

"But what if he won't hear me out? What if he comes for me? He's incredibly dangerous, and I don't think even you can stop him."

"Fia... remember, you have a gift from the gods! Your flames can scorch even the very stone. I watched you use them when you were but a child, to bring an end to the leaders of this place and take the throne yourself. Should the time come, wield them again."

"Thank you Ringo." I wrapped my arms as far around his massive steel body as I could. "I think I know how to take care of this."







"You there. You're Gilda, are you not?" The griffoness winced, not really sure what was to become of her. The captives weren't forced to work, rather they were held in camps under guard, day and night. They were loosely chained so they could move relatively freely, but not enough to fight, and there was such an overwhelming guard presence that each prisoner had at minimum two pairs of eyes on them at all times.

"I am."

"Good. I am the alpha of this den, the one responsible for your capture. When you see Griffin tell him I'm ready to negotiate for your release. Just find the nearest dog, that'll lead him to me."

"That's an awfully crude method..."

"The most direct route is often the best one."



In the shadows and darkness, a pair of glowing blue eyes faded away.

"It's obviously a trap."
> Plans Within Plans (38)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Plans Within Plans



=Griffin=


'That'll give her something to think about.'

My plan, despite having come up with it last minute in the grips of desperation, worked. The knowledge that the changeling gave me proved incredibly valuable. My proving I could kill even large numbers of enemies without so much as a scratch, and do so completely undetected in a way that it took till morning for their bodies to be found, I've shown that I could, quite easily, get to the leader herself while she slept.... probably. In any case, any being that valued their life would start to doubt, and the fact that the leader was afraid of me meant she was even more likely to change her plans. So, by spreading a little bit of fear, I was able to cancel the execution of the pegasi, or at the very least, buy a little more time. The Wild Hogs should arrive in five days, so I'd have until then to come up with an exit strategy and implement it.

The fact that the alpha herself called me out, wanting to 'negotiate' gives me a few answers, but also raises more questions. Firstly, it means that I most certainly scared her, to the point that I may be able to manipulate her into making mistakes. After all, Dune said it best, 'Fear is the mind killer'. She'll likely do whatever possible to try and keep me passive. The uncertainty however, is the nature of her wanting to negotiate. Does she truly want to make peace, and negotiate for my crew's release? Or, is it a trap, meant to draw me into the open and surround me with her soldiers in an attempt to recapture me? It would most likely be the second, and even if it were the first, I already had my own ideas about how to rescue my crew, so negotiating would be pointless. After all, the only terms I'd accept at this point would be an all and nothing, me and my family go free, and in return they no longer have to put up with us. So, no, I would not be going to any negotiations.

Part of the reason I originally left my crew, other than that I needed serious mental help, was because I could trust them. I trusted them to take care of things while I was away, that they could handle themselves. Thankfully, my faith in them was at least partly deserved. As I traveled through the tunnels, avoiding patrols, stealing little bits of organic food meant for prisoners, (since the dogs just ate gems, and I could not) I came across something rather fortunate. Or, I should say, someone.

As I hid around a corner waiting for a pair of guards to pass, I found a furry arm wrapped around my body, and a paw cupped over my mouth. I held perfectly still, preparing to draw my knife, when I heard the voice of the arm's owner.

"Psst, Griffin."

"Growl? Is that you?"

"Yes."

"How did you get away?"

"No time for that now. Just follow me."

I followed my dear friend into a small side tunnel, which lead to a dead end. Behind one of the support pillars, hidden in shadow, was an alcove large enough to fit a diamond dog, or, a griffin standing upright. The floor of the alcove was a hole, which Growl promptly dropped into. His paw reached up and signaled for me to follow, so I dropped in as well.

Down another tunnel, this one pitch black, twisting and turning to eventually open into a moderately sized chamber. There, I found Trixie, Nadene, Shimmer, as well as another five diamond dogs, each working to expand a tunnel at the opposite end to the one we entered through, and several crates in the middle next to some cots.

"What's going on here?" I asked, understandably confused.

"Allow me to explain. After the Hornet was downed, myself, Shimmer, and these five crew members all immediately abandoned ship, opting to dig down. We dug a fair way away, every so often digging to the surface for an air hole and to check the situation aboard the Possibility from a distance. Once we had determined which way the attackers had come from, we dug a tunnel back that way, eventually coming across the den itself. We opened up into a side tunnel, and from there, explored a fair bit. After discovering the best place to put our entrance, as it's well hidden, and not far from the prisoner holding area, we worked to make this chamber where we could rest, stole some supplies, and began widening the tunnel so the griffin crew members could fit through, as the original tunnel was only large enough for a pony or dog on all fours. We've stolen some armor, so we can look like one of their guards." Growl explained.


"After finding the holding area, Growl came dressed as a guard and brought me a set of keys." Nadene continued. "I unlocked my own shackles and Trixie's horn ring so her magic wouldn't be suppressed, then she cast an invisibility spell and the three of us escaped. I.. uh, I heard about the rest of the cats. I wish there was more I could have done." She shook her head sadly, clearly putting on a brave face, as now was not the time for crying.

"Who else have you managed to rescue?"

"Geirmund and the Freuds." Trixie answered. "We would have liked to get Steelhorn, but someone that big would be kinda hard to get out unnoticed. That, and this tunnel we dug goes for almost a mile. Trying to enlarge it enough for him to fit through would take a month at least, and the longer we stay here the more likely we are to get caught. Not to mention all the dirt we'd have to move. The tech heads are already back at the Possibility, repairing it. Since we all got captured, the bastards didn't see any reason to hang around there anymore, and left it abandoned."


"Yeah. Okay, you guys have all done really good, but here's the thing, in less than a week, there's going to be a horde of barbarians knocking on the door of this place. When that happens, they'll have to pull the guards from prisoner duty to help defend. That's when we make our move. We'll get everybody out all at once, so the tunnel MUST be finished by then."

"What about Mister Steelhorn?" Shimmer asked teary eyed. "He's like the father I never had. He taught me smithing, I don't want to leave him behind."

"Don't worry I..." I stopped. "No, I'm not going to lie to you. Pretty much the only way to get him out is going to be through the front door, and... that just isn't an option. There's simply no way to sneak him out. I just don't see any way to..." I stopped again. Looking into those big sad eyes, I simply couldn't ignore them. I don't remember when I lost my immunity to the sad puppy face, maybe when it stopped just being for show. "Actually, I just thought of something. The alpha wants to negotiate. It smells too much like a trap but... I think I can get him out. The rest of you just focus on finishing this tunnel."


'Okay, just gotta be ready, gotta be ready. It's gotta be a trap, but if it isn't, I might be able to get Steelhorn out. I just gotta be ready in case it is. Damnit I'm too much of a nice guy... though I always did say I'd do anything for my crew. Guess she does have something I need after all.'






=Fia=



I sat on my throne in the empty throne room, looking at the empty seats at the empty table in the center of the long rectangular space. I had asked not to be disturbed for a time, as I wanted to gather my thoughts.

'Come on come on! It's been a whole day! Why hasn't he shown up yet? Does he think it's a trap? Should I have set a trap? Ahh crap! I could have set a trap! Maybe I still can, no, no, I don't want to tick him off any more. That'd be dangerous. Play on his good nature.'

"I heard you were looking for me?"

'What?' I looked up from my throne to see nothing at all. Looking around, I spotted a dark corner of the room where something was sticking out of it. Just then, Griffin, in his human form, walked out into the torch light. He was wearing form fitting black clothing, with it bulking in certain places. He may have been wearing armor underneath, and had the cloth on top for stealth. It was as if he had just walked out of a shadow. I was not expecting this however. I had hoped he'd come in with one of the guards, having been lead to me, not just popping up on his own.

"Guard...."

"Don't bother. The door is closed and I've sound proofed the room." Crap, he can do that? Maybe I should have asked Griffin for magic instead of Gold Trim. He's clearly a lot better at the non-unicorn kind. I probably wouldn't have had to sleep with him either... not that he isn't attractive in his own way. The short, wavy hair, the glowing, pale blue eyes, the sleek, muscular form... FOCUS, it is NOT mating season for another couple weeks, and I plan to have him die in front of a crowd.

"Yes."

"Pardon?"

"The answer to your question, yes, I was looking for you."

"Then you know why I'm here." I slowly reached for my kris knife as he walked towards me, only to have him pull out a seat next to the table, and put his feet up on it. I moved away from my dagger, and took notice of the one hanging from his hip.

"I see you've redecorated."

"What?"

"The head. On a pike."

"Oh... yes, well, I suppose you could consider that a peace offering."

"I could, but I can tell you hated him quite a bit as well, why don't you keep it? After all, I've got no room for it at my place, and the colours would just clash." I found myself giggling slightly at his remark.

'What the hell? First I was terrified of him, and now he's making me laugh with small talk? What's his aim?'

"Uh, down to business. I'm prepared to negotiate for your crew's release."

"Well, that's nice. But what do you want? You put forth a lot of effort trying to get me here, I don't think you'd let me up and leave just like that."

I let out a sigh. "That's correct. Originally, the plan was to capture you, then, in front of the remaining unaligned pack leaders, Gold Trim would execute you in a bid to make them fall in line. Of course, that would just make them all go after his head, just like you said, and he'd wind up like this..." I motioned to the spear. "Either way. Then, they'd all kill each other trying to prove their dominance, and when everyone was weak and tired from the battle, I'd step in and finish the remainder off. Once all the alpha's, and maybe their betas, were gone, then I'd be the only one left."

"Well, that is a clever plan."

"Yes, but it all went down the drain once you escaped."

"I tend to do that." He replied without a hint of sarcasm.

"So, as you can see, I'm in a bit of trouble here. I'm going to have the leaders of every remaining pack, along with a small contingent of soldiers for security, coming here, intent on watching you die. If you aren't here, they're going to be very upset at having come all this way for nothing, and the fact that we couldn't hold you for a measly week would say quite a lot about the strength of this den. Basically, I'm looking at invasion."

"Well, that's your problem isn't it. In exchange for releasing my crew, what do you want in return?"

"I want you to be my prisoner again."

"That doesn't work for me. See, I've got a baby on the way, and I'd much rather be alive to see them grow up."

"Gilda is pregnant then? I... I didn't know." It all came flooding back to me. Growing up with no parents, living on the scraps others threw my way, finally having Ringo take me in. I hated that kind of solitude, that lonely life, and here I was about to take another child's father away? But what choice did I have?

"I don't see any other way out of this. I can't simply let you go."

"And what guarantee do I have that you'll uphold your part of the bargain? For all I know, once you've got me in chains, you just up and kill the rest of my crew on the spot. Perhaps... a show of good faith."

"Oh?"

"You release one of my crew members, and once I'm sure they're safe, I'll know I can trust you."

"I assume you want me to release Gilda then?"

"Goodness no. I know how she is. She's stubborn, and she may well turn around and try to rescue me, which will defeat the purpose. No, she'll be released with the rest of the crew, if the deal goes through. Instead, I want you to release Steelhorn, the minotaur. The Possibility is his ship, which I've been borrowing off him. I've actually wracked up quite a bit of debt, and I don't like owing people." He explained. It seemed like a rather odd request, but I couldn't find any reason why not. After all, if Gilda is still here, he'd be less likely to try and escape. I don't think he'd abandon any of his crew, but if he was going to, he sure as hell wouldn't pick her to leave behind.

"Very well. But how will you know if he's safe?"

"I have my ways." The spies in the den. That changeling must be working for him. I don't know what kind of deal he has with Chrysalis, but somehow he's got them working as spies.

"So then we have a deal?" I walked over to him, then held out my paw for him to shake.

"I will wait five days to ensure that he's safe, and after that, I'll give you my answer as to whether or not I'll turn myself in." Five days? The other pack leaders will arrive in a week. That's cutting it awfully close.

"Why five days?" I asked.

"It'll give me time to think of a way we can both live through this." Even after what I've done, he's still willing to try and help me?

"That's acceptable I suppose." He grabbed my paw and shook it. There was a hard lump in the palm of his hand, but the cloth was silky smooth, and the soft skin of his fingers prickled my fur in a way that send a tingle up my arm.

"Just to let you know, the reason I came to you this way, secluded, no guards, is so I could kill you at any point if I had to."

"As could I. We all have our secrets Griffin. Besides, if you had, Ringo would have crushed your skull like a grape."

"He'd have to find me first." Griffin replied. "Though, no doubt you have a plan for that as well?" I nodded. "Heh, you're clever."

"So are you."

"See you in five days."

With that, he opened the door, and vanished as he walked through it.

'Let us see who is more clever.'






=Griffin=


"Well Shimmer, I arranged for Steelhorn's release. Growl, have the Freuds pull back from the airship. They're probably going to follow him till he gets there, and I don't want to give away our tunnel. Once it's all clear, send them back to help get it repaired. And remember, have this tunnel finished in five days. I want to be out of here before I have to fulfill my end of the deal."
> Fruition (39)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Fruition



=Griffin=


A couple days passed uneventfully. I had been spotted a couple times by some civilian dogs. Not soldiers, but miners, crafters, even some puppies. Apparently, Fia was true to her word, at least in this aspect, and they saw fit not to antagonize me. They even greeted me pleasantly, though with a small undertone of fear. Nobody called the guards, and the guards that were guarding the marketplace kept their eye on me, but just to make sure I didn't cause any trouble.

I managed to get a hold of a string and an iron nail, the first of which I tied a knot around the second so it'd hang. Then, I went to go see Gilda. This was a little more difficult, considering they were pretty much under lockdown.

"Halt."

"I'm here to see Gilda."

"The prisoners can have no visitors. We cannot allow you to speak to them." The guards stated.

"And why not?"

"You may attempt to inform them of a plan to escape."

"Oh for fuck's sake, she's pregnant with my child. You can come with if you want to make sure I'm not doing anything sneaky." The pair looked to one another, the first nodded to the second, who accompanied me into the holding area.

"By the way, this goes both ways, try and capture me, and you're dead."

"The lady has ordered that we do not act with hostility." Was his reply. No acceptance of my threat, no reaction at all, merely stating his alpha's orders.

"Good enough for me."





"Gilda, there you are." She turned to look at me, teary eyed.

"Griffin, I..."

"It's okay, I'm here alright?"

"I'm... sorry, you trusted me and..."

"Don't worry about it."

"Can you let me finish a fucking sentence?" She growled.

"Sorry."

"It's just.... I've been underground too long. It's got me on edge. I just keep remembering, back then. At least this has some space and lighting. If it was cramped and dark I would have gone crazy already."

I held her head against my chest. "Listen, I'm going to get you out of here okay? All of you." The guard with me growled. I rolled my eyes. "I negotiated with the alpha. She's going to let you all go, if I turn myself in."

She immediately pushed me away and protested. "But they'll kill you!"

"Which is why I asked for five days to find a way out of this. The alpha is stuck up against a wall. If I get away, she's got a death sentence. I asked for some time to try and find a way that'll work for both of us. That's the only way she'll let me go. Besides, I think you've got someone more important than me to worry about." She looked down, to take a look at her stomach. I held out my hand. "Uh... can I?" She nodded quietly. I ran my hand along her side and slightly under, feeling the mass that had gotten ever larger in the time we had been apart. Every so often, I felt a slight kick, and couldn't help but smile, despite the other circumstances.

"I'm sorry it took me so long to get my shit sorted out." I held her in a warm hug. "Nobody should have to go through pregnancy, or raising a child for that matter, alone. I just needed to get my head on straight and stop acting like a brat."

"And I'm sorry I was so selfish. I'm like this in the first place because I didn't consider your feelings, and wanted to serve my own needs, and I'm stuck down here because I didn't listen back in Canterlot when you told me to stay."

"Maybe, but then the rest of the crew would be stuck here, and I don't know if I could leave you to go after them." We just held each other for a time, listening to each other's heart beat, breathing, enjoying the warmth that seemed so scarce under the cold, dark ground.

"Gilda, can you lay on your back for a minute?"

"Hmm? Why?"

"Just... just in case I don't make it out. There's something I need to know."

"Okay."

She rolled over onto her back, her stomach up in the air.

"I know it's probably uncomfortable, but just try and relax okay?" I pulled out the nail and string, held the string by the end, and let the nail dangle ever so slightly above her belly. After a couple seconds, the nail began to swing back and forth like a pendulum, moving towards her head, and then towards the tail. Holding the nail to stop it's motion, I moved it above her chest, after which it started moving in a very distinct circular pattern. I moved it back over her stomach again, just to be sure.

"It's a boy."

"What? How do you know?"

"Old earth trick."

"How does it work?" She asked as she got back to her feet.

"Magnets." I replied.

"Pfft, fucking miracles."

"You better watch your tongue Gilda, our son's listening, and we don't want him to grow up to be a sailor."

"That goes double for you mister." She booped me on the nose with her claw.

"Um.. I heard that if you sing a lot while you're pregnant, the baby will be smarter and happier when they're born."

"Alright, that's enough." The gruff guard nearby proclaimed.

"Yeah, I better go." I waved goodbye, then left the chamber.





=Fia=


I paced around my chamber as I thought about what he had said. Five days. Five whole days. Three had already passed. If he had a plan, he'd make his move on day five. But what could he be planning? He has spies hidden inside, and two of his crew members are unaccounted for. Did he manage to get in contact with them? Did he have an escape planned? Or, would he let himself get caught, then simply escape again with the help of his allies? No... I had to make sure I didn't come out of this with nothing. It's like I could feel him breathing down my neck, watching me from the shadows. I felt all my fur sticking on end, and had large numbers of guards watching the entrance to my chamber day and night. Despite how he had inspired admiration from his cause, he terrified me just as much. Would he attempt an assassination? He already proved himself capable of it.

No. I had made sure of that. I appealed to his good nature. I made myself out to be a reasonable person, who's gotten themselves stuck, someone he'd try to help. But did he mean it?

It'll give me time to think of a way we can both get through this.

I couldn't trust him, not completely, but I also couldn't help but feel the sincerity in his words. What could he possibly offer me that would get me out of this mess I got myself into?


I remembered a few years back, before all this, before that wretched Gold Trim arrived, furious because 'some damned fool' was ruining his profits.

"My fellows! Brothers and sisters! Hear me! Less than a decade ago, we all languished under the tyrannical rule of our old king. When I took up the throne, there was doubt, but look now! We have had prosperity that you will be hard pressed to find in any other clan. By strengthening this castle, a relic from the ancient times, we have had safety from bandits and rampaging dragons. By the pursuit of wisdom, which has been shunned by others in favor of brute strength, which we have found hidden deep within these stone halls, we have progressed from pointed sticks and thrown stones to hardened steel, to great works of crafting, and a better life!"

A chorus of cheers echoed through the hall.

"Things have not always been perfect, but I am honoured to say that you, my clan, my pack, my family, have given me your support in the most dire of times, with the faith that I would lead you through the dark to a brighter tomorrow. And now? Because of your hard work, and diligence, we now stand as a fulcrum of power in these lands.

Cheers once again rang through the stone.

"And now, my brothers, I tell you, that it is not fair."

They seemed confused by this statement.

"Look around you! Look at the other clans, do you not see how they suffer, just as we have? How their children are forced to beg, just to survive, just as I have? You see our prosperity, but how fair is it that we should let our cousins stay in anguish?"

They stayed silent for a moment.

"One day soon, the time will come to unite all the clans of this broken Dominion, indeed, all the clans of even Gem Fido, to unite them under one rule, so that ALL can enjoy this prosperity! So that we can reclaim our place in this world! This is my promise to you, a promise of a bright future!" 

And they cheered. They barked in approval, clanked their mugs in toast, and howled the songs of their ancestors.

I could still hear their voices, even now, even as they worked, not in slavery, but in passion, till they had no breath left, and slumped to their beds in restful sleep. And all the time, Ringo had stood by my side. His armor, as dusty as it had always been, had of course never been washed, as he never removed more than the helm. Despite that, it never stank. I even remember, as a child, trying, and failing, to wrap my arms around that bulky steel, so he'd laugh, pick me up, and put me on his shoulder so I could hug his head instead. I always wondered why he never took it off, but he'd just do the same thing as when I asked him how old he was. Just smile and laugh. Ringo had always been a happy dog. He was a good dog.


One day, he came to me, bearing news. He proclaimed that, according to many of the clans of Gem Fido, a griffin had come and raided them, freeing their slaves and stealing their gems. At first, I thought it was merely some band of bandits, as we had dealt with time to time, but my mind was changed when I heard his message. That we were to change our ways, or be swept away. Of course, it wasn't worded like that, but the message was clear. So, I decided to keep an eye on him. Soon, it became clear that his goals were in line with my own.

Some time later, Ringo came to me again, this time bearing news of an ancient prophecy. The 'Lunar Legend', had appeared. I wasn't sure whether to be terrified, or ecstatic. It seemed he had also formed some kind of bond with Griffin as well. I was not certain whether the time had come to make an alliance, so I decided to wait.

Still, on occasion, we were raided by bandits, which turned out to be a flock of starving griffins, simply trying to feed themselves, and their young. They were brave, fierce when fighting, but after their defeat, they lost their hearts and passion. They were terrified and wept. When I learned that the reason was because they thought their children to be doomed, I sent expeditions to find them. I had taken them in, under our care, but in return, the fighters had to swear loyalty to me. I made them drink the water from the well, which ran straight down to the river Acheron in the underworld. As for how I know this, it was Ringo who explained it to me.


You know of the magic the ponies wield, and how they say it comes from within. They are not wrong. The essence of magic is the soul. The river, down below, is the river of pain. Spirits linger there, trapped in it's water. They lose their sense of self, their consciousness, and all that remains is their anguish, their shattered hopes, their broken dreams, and their unfulfilled longing. To drink from the Acheron is to take their pain, and in doing so, they shall lend you their strength. Indeed, they would give anything to cease the torment, which is why you see the waters rush towards anything that bears the spark of life, threatening to drown it. Of course, we all possess power, but it is the ponies that have learned to use it, and have a far greater affinity.

When I asked Ringo how he knew all this, he just smiled and laughed. I came to learn that when he did that, the answer I sought was either right in front of my nose and I should find it myself, or I was not yet meant to know it.

The water had, for a long time, been used as a method of torture. It would break the spirits of the weak willed, and allow them to be moulded. It was through this that I came to learn of my gift. Ringo had already taken me in by that point, when I stepped out of place and insulted the alpha. He saw fit to use the well to break me, to turn me into his plaything, a pawn. He intended to make me a concubine for his son. He did not expect my mind to be strong enough to withstand the strain, nor did he expect the sudden surge to awaken my gift...

Having given the bandits a small dose, and informing them that more awaited them, and their children, should they ever betray me, lead them to become fanatically loyal. They lived their own lives, but when out on the battlefield, they became silent. They would not voice their fear, after all, they truly did fear conflict, and only did what they did out of necessity. They reigned in their emotions, so as not to let anger or terror cloud their actions, and instead trusted wholly the instructions of their riders. To them, obedience became life itself. The advent of the griffin rider led our clan to gain a great deal of influence in these lands. Other clans tried, but none knew the method we used, so when they attempted to ride the once proud race, they were thrown off to their deaths.


The use of well water largely fell out of use after I took the throne, other than use on bandits, which too became largely unnecessary, except in a few, extreme cases. After all, despite having the power it would give us, we had no method of controlling the outcome, that is, until Gold Trim came.

Only a few months ago, that swine arrived, offering us the knowledge of magic. We already had the power, but with his offer, we'd finally be able to control it. This power would let us rival the self styled Griffin Pirates, or the newfound Clan Nanashi. I could take his offer, become subject to his will, but finally have what I needed to unite the clans and end the ceaseless infighting, the cycle of misery. Had I known it was merely a matter of using gems for a purpose other than food, and a basic understanding of an ancient tongue, if I had known it was so simple... Unicorns make it happen just by simple desire, or, perhaps there's a poem they recite in their head, or perhaps even errant thought. Of course it had to be simple!

But no, not with Gold Trim. He didn't want to unite the clans, he was filled with selfish ambition. He wanted to rule. He wanted to amass wealth, to fulfill his crude desires, and I defiled myself to that end. Truly, how desperate was I? I had taken unpleasant deals that went against everything I believed in. I lowered myself to a moaning whore, just to gain an advantage. Was I truly fit to lead my clan anymore? They who trusted in me? Who brought them happiness? And Ringo... he stopped smiling. Well, he still smiles, just, not so often any more, not at me. When he looks at me, I usually can't see his face, and on the rare occasion he takes off that helmet, his eyes are full of sorrow. He raised me, and look what I've become...


"Fia, I have news." Ringo entered my chamber, and broke me from my reverie. "A message has arrived from Clan Nanashi." Curses, what could it be now? He passed me a sealed scroll. Unrolling it, I found the message was written hastily, with angry strokes, such that the ink had flowed in certain places more than intended, and the lines were harsh and thin.

My name is Eol. Consider this your only warning. Word has traveled to me that after a bout of fighting, you have captured Griffin's crew. Many have died, and more were executed, particularly the cats. I shall tell you this once, if the cat named Elsweyer lives, than you have nothing to fear from me or my clan. We shall arrive, remove her from that place, and leave just as we came, in peace. However, if she has died, do not try to hide, as I will find you, do not try to run, as I will follow you to hell itself, and do not try to talk, else I'll cut out your tongue. Under the Lunar Legend, I have grown immeasurably powerful, and I will use that power to grind your bones to dust with my bare paws. Your life is the same as hers, if she is dead, I will kill you. We are already coming.


I dropped the letter and glanced to Ringo, the fear unmistakeable in my eyes. I began breathing heavily, trying to retain control of my senses.

"SON OF A BITCH!" Ringo was startled by my outburst. "If things weren't bad enough with Griffin's escape, now I have to deal with the freaking Nanashi!

"Fia. Calm yourself."

"You're right, you're right... I just need to think. Okay, okay, so, they're on the far side of Gem Fido, if they left two days ago, it'd still be a week before they got here, traveling at top land speed. Thats fine. Yeah, in two days, I'll have Griffin back in custody, his crew will be gone, I can say 'I don't know, they're not here, I got your letter later' no shit, that won't work, they'll just track them down, find out, then come back, um.... GUARD!" A guard from outside my chamber came rushing in at my command, and gave a salute.

"Find out the names of the cats who died. Ask the crew members. I need to know what happened to the one known as 'Elsweyer'. Now go!" As he ran off to perform his duties, I kept thinking about all the variables. Okay, Griffin in two days, three days later, the clans arrive. Hmm... what if... wait... yes. Okay. I think that'll work. If she's alive, it's fine. If she's dead, I just have to postpone the execution. Wait for the clans to arrive, tell them whoever fights the fiercest against Nanasi when they attack gets the privilege of killing Griffin. Then I can still mop up whoever is left... unless we lose. Oh gods, what if we lose? I'll have to work triple time to get the clans that arrive up to date with magic, but that'll make them harder to wipe out afterwards. So, if I give it to them, I can't follow through with my plan, but if I don't, we're doomed anyways. Oh please oh please...

I paced around the room nervously. A lot was hinging on this. Damnit. Stupid fucking Gold Trim. I just had to let him have his fun. I figured I might be able to get a bit more use out of him, after all, I knew he was holding back some knowledge, he might have been useful, so I let him have his way, and because of that, now the entire plan is about to go up in smoke.

"M'lady!" The guard from earlier returned.

"Yes guard? What have you found?"

"The cat named Elsweyer is dead."

"...How?"

"It seems as though she poisoned herself."

"....When? Where? No... never mind. It doesn't matter. Thank you for your diligence."

"It is an honour to serve!" He proclaimed before running off happily, having been praised by his alpha.

"Well Ringo. I suppose this is it isn't it? I've gotten in over my head."

"Fia... come here my child." His voiced echoed out from within his armor. I climbed over and sat in his lap, leaning back against the curved steel suit as he wrapped his thick, armored arms around me. "For all these years, you asked me questions, and I would always look to you, smile, and laugh a hearty laugh. You were also such an inquisitive child. There were some things I had hoped you would never learn. Now, we can no longer afford the luxury of ignorance."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that it's time for some answers."





Ringo lead me through the tunnels to a place that even I had never been. It was old and crumbling, and for the amount of effort it would take, and what it would give access to, it was deemed a low priority for restoration, and as such simply kept being put off. It was in some desolate corner of the old records room, through a crumbled hall. The titanic hound walked to the rubble and easily tossed chunks of it away, the centuries old stone crumbling as it collided with the floor. Once he had cleared the tunnel, he took a torch and guided me in.


On the walls were ancient carvings, filling every inch of the hall. What they depicted, I couldn't tell.

"This, Fia, is the history of this castle."

Taking a closer look, I found carving of griffins along the walls, bearing whips and chains, lashing dogs who dug in the ground. The next showed dogs carrying spears, being dropped from a great height. Finally, it showed a massive hound in an equally large suit of armor, having been run through by a multitude of spears, yet still hefting a very familiar club...

"Ringo... explain... I don't understand."

"In the far ancient times, before even the pony princesses, during the time of the three pony clans, when ancient fiends roamed the pony lands, the purple flood, the Demon King, the shadow thief, and witches, well known legends from ancient pony times, and were ancient pony problems, in our own lands, we had our own fair share of trouble. The ancient griffins were a simple people, and fell to a terrible greed. They became obsessed with precious metals and stones, anything that shone. The mere sight of a gem would make them starry eyed, like so many other birds. To that end, they came across the diamond dogs, and being incapable diggers themselves, forced our kind to do the digging."

"You mean... we were the slaves?"

"Correct." He motioned to the second carving. "Under such great oppression, we became clever, and cruel. We harbored such great anger, and created tools, spears and armor, such that the claws of the ancient griffins could not reach us. They had a terrible advantage, however, flight. They would merely lift us into the air, and drop us to our deaths. Yet, we became more clever still. We created nets that they could not shear through, and devised ways to rob them of their flight. In the end, we were victorious."

Ringo then motioned to the third carving.

"The leader of the rebellion, however, was not cruel, but kind. He was willing to forgive the oppressors for their sins, and to bring both their species into a new age of prosperity, he had high hopes for the future, and came with a promise of better things to come, but those under his command were not so forgiving. They still harboured great hatred of the griffins. They saw their leader's act of kindness as treacherous. There were whispers of corruption, that he'd sell his soldiers to the foe in return for personal gain, and so, they turned on him, impaling him on their spears."

"Ringo, that club and armor."

"Please, hush child... let me continue. So, it came to be that the diamond dogs, still brimming with rage even after liberating their own lands, set about laying siege to the griffin ones. The tides had turned, and now the griffins were the slaves. They could not dig, so they were forced to pull heavy carts until their breath left them, and then they were eaten, not through hunger, but to terrify the living. Such was the cruelty the diamond dogs had for their former oppressors, they could not see that they themselves had turned into the very thing they despised, and had suffered under for all those years."

"Ringo..."

"Eventually, the great armies arrived at the capitol of the griffin lands, and to their horror, they found that their former leader, who they had slain, walked among them. He pleaded with them to stop the senseless violence, and reasoned that it would only cause the cycle of violence and suffering to continue. His pleas fell on deaf ears. So, with a heavy heart, he took his weapon, and with terrifying strength, crushed his former comrades, weeping as he did so. And, no matter how much of his blood they spilled, and no matter how much of his flesh they carved, he did not die. So, the armies were driven from the griffin lands, which were established into a Dominion."

"But how did he come back to the land of the living?" I asked, curious.

"He had conversed with Hades, lord of the dead, in the underworld. Hades permitted him to return to the living world, but there was a restriction, he would have to dig himself out. A platform was built temporarily above the Acheron to let him start, and was demolished after. The reason for this was so that no other denizen of the underworld could escape and wreck havoc, as they'd have to enter the river to access the hole he dug, and no creature, alive or dead, would willingly toss themselves into the river of pain, as they would be drowned by the wretched spirits that reside within it, and languish for all eternity. The place he emerged was at a mountain, after which he met with the griffins, and helped them defeat the aggressors. For his actions, the griffins, with their own talons, instead of the claws of hounds, carved a castle out of the mountain, where he could live undisturbed for the rest of his days. The few survivors of the army he crushed lived with him there, until he grew weary, passed leadership to another, and slept for three thousand years."

"Slept? You mean he awoke after all that time?" Ringo wasn't making very much sense at this point.

"Indeed. Part of the reason Lord Hades did not want anyone from the land of the dead to depart it was that those who have already died cannot die again, except for in the flames of his own realm. Unless someone bearing the gift of the underworld were to immolate them, they would be immortal, though they would not degrade, neither would they regenerate, eventually withering to a skeleton should they sustain wounds, and even then, be unable to die."

With that, Ringo did something he had never done before. He  reached around his side, and undid the clasp on his armor. He undid another, and another, until the heavy metal suit fell from his body, rather, what was left of it. What I gazed upon was not a healthy diamond dog, nor a withered old hound. It was a corpse. His body was riddled with wounds, belonging to various weapons. His abdomen was missing entirely, a gaping hole in it's place where half shredded intestines were barely held in by cracked and broken ribs. His right leg was naught but bone, while the left had chunks of flesh hanging from it, the calf muscles, instead of being attached at the hip, dangling down by his feet, and the shin muscle, while still attached at both ends, was distanced from the bone and hung loosely.

My mouth opened and closed in a poor mimicry of speech, as no sound came out. I continued to gaze at his form, burnt flesh adorning his chest, both his arms a shredded mass of muscle, tendon and ligament that I could no longer decipher what was what, and the base of his neck had the bones jutting out at odd angles, as though it had been twisted around and broken several times. Despite all this, there was no infection, no rot, or anything of the sort. He looked as though he were a fresh corpse.

"The hole he had dug, coming from the underworld, had been made into a well, and the castle he had resided in came to be known as 'Ancientwell' after it. It had been taken over by a cruel individual, but the ancient titan decided it was not his place, as a relic of the past, to interfere with the present. He waited, taking in a child who had the scent of Lord Hades, and trained her in the ancient ways. She eventually, at a young age, rose up and defeated the alpha, claiming the throne for herself, and declared she would bring prosperity to all her kind."

"Ringo...."

"Fia, you used to ask me how old I was. The answer is three thousand, one hundred and sixty years... eh, give or take a couple. I'm rather old, and can't quite remember the exact date."

I stood there for what felt like hours, hardly able to comprehend what I had been told, despite the proof I was bearing witness to. Ringo, the one who had taken me in off the street, who raised me as his own, who protected me, comforted me, guided me, loved me, had been dead for as long as I knew him. What's more, he was an ancient hero, who had done something so very similar to what I was doing now. After so long silent, I finally managed words.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because, my dear Fia, soon you will have to make a desperate decision. Even now, after all these millennium, many diamond dogs still bear the bitter hatred of griffins in their hearts, and the griffins now bear the same hatred of us. Yet, among them, there are some who have seen past their rage. Both griffins and dogs, who, had they been there three thousand years ago, would have heeded my words, and finally ended what I tried to bring an end to. It was my greatest failure, somewhere you may yet succeed. They are the ones in this den, the ones held in captivity, and the ones that the lunar legend now leads to us. And yet, all the same, you, Griffin, and Eol of Nanashi find yourselves on opposites. Eol for the death of his beloved, Griffin for having his loved ones taken from him, and you for trying to make a better world."

"But what can I do?"

"I hold no false hope." Ringo sighed, an oddity, as I could see his one remaining lung take in the gasp of air, the rest of it flowing out of the hole in his chest. "The clan leaders that are coming will settle for nothing less than Griffin's death. Their hatred of griffins has been taken onto him, and they will demand that he dies. If you do not allow this, you will suffer my fate, however, there are more ways than by the shedding of blood. When the time comes, execute him yourself by throwing him down the well. This will not kill him, but to all those present, he will have died. Then, bring death to the other clan leaders. Finally, pass the rule of Ancientwell to me, and cast yourself down the well also. When the Nanashi arrive, I will proclaim your death, and turn leadership to them."

"What happened to uniting the clans? To bringing prosperity to our kind?"

"While it wounds me to say it... you are not the one meant to lead our people to this. As much hope as I had for you, I was wrong. You lost the path along the way. And while I will always love you..." He shed a tear. "I must be honest in that you have brought shame to our clan. The instructions I have given are the only way for you to escape now."

"But then won't we land in the Acheron and drown?"

"The river is part of Hades' domain, and it will not bring harm to his descendants."

"So then I'll be fine, but what about Griffin?"

"He will survive, for he too bears the scent of the underworld. He will also lose his way, just as you have, and then you must be the one to put him back on the path. Show the world that our kinds can coexist. He's already shown it with the New Dominion, now you must show our people. Once you reach the shore, you must head to the castle. Now, all we can do is pray that he does not do anything foolish, and is willing to listen to reason."
> Buried (40)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Buried



'It's obviously a trap.'

The same way as it happened the first time, I got word through the grapevine that Fia wanted to meet for discussion. I had no reason to go to this meeting. So close to my five day deadline, and she wants to call a meeting. She's getting nervous. She knows I have something planned, but doesn't know what, and she's trying to draw me out ahead of schedule. If she really wanted a meeting, she'd be fine with having it on the fifth day, when I'm supposed to turn myself in. I already got confirmation that Steelhorn escaped and was busy making repairs to the ship, and changeling scouts in the area who were posing as part of the armed forces reported no troop movement in the area, though they did follow him to ensure he arrived safely. This means that I have nothing to negotiate for.

The other reason I wouldn't be meeting with Fia is because the first time, I was able to catch her off guard. I may have shown that card too early, because now she'll be more wary. I won't catch her unawares again, and if it comes down to it, I don't know anything about her combat style or skill. Having to fight one on one would be a gamble at best, and she has the advantages of numbers and home turf. As alone as I was at the first meeting, if I went  to this one, I'd be surrounded by guards.

As for having her get out alive as well, there's only one option I could come up with. Exodus. She'd have to wait for the clans to arrive, tell them I escaped, then turn over rule of her pack willingly. Sure, she wouldn't be the leader anymore but she'd be alive, and free. Aoi would come and claim it as his own at some point anyways, so it's not like she'd be abandoning them.


On my end, my crew knew what to do when the time came. Some changelings infiltrated the guard, and for an entire watch, my people were free to move about. Some weapons we stole, as well as the keys to the shackles, were all hidden, buried shallow in the dirt of the holding cell. At the same time, the changelings would try to be on duty for all the upcoming shifts, so when the attack came, we wouldn't have to deal with the guards first.

Speaking of the changelings, they had done their jobs admirably. Other than the one who had taken my place, none had been caught, and it seems as though Fia didn't even bother searching for them. She likely knows how effective they are as disguise and avoiding attention, they'd easily circumvent any checkpoints or searches, and she had no idea how many there even were. A search would be futile. Unless she used my amulet, which she now wears around her neck, and even then, the den is huge. It would take multiple uses of the amulet, which has limited charge. I don't think she knows it works on changelings as well as me anyways, since the only time we used it against the bugs was during the attack on Canterlot, and that was so hectic nobody payed attention to what was going on. I never did give the Canterlot science committee that particular spell. I had already told Twilight and Princess Celestia of it, so I saw no need to make an official entry about it. It's likely Gold Tramp Stamp or whatever his name was didn't know about it either. The only common knowledge of it is my personal use of it to change form.





=Outside=



The Wild Hogs had finally come across the location where their employer was supposed to be imprisoned. A large open field, pitted with mounds and holes that had been access points for miners. A mountain at the center, with a fortress built into it. Pops rode his giant swine at the front of the pack, the several hundred boars all bundled in warm clothing, unused to the cold. They hadn't brought any siege equipment with them. They wouldn't need it. Alarm bells rang, audible even from their distance, and from afar they could see great stone gates opening, revealing ballistae, a flurry of movement around each emplacement.

*SQUEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL* With a high pitched, shrieking war cry from the leader, they charged, their steeds built for short, quick sprints covering the terrain quickly, and with practiced movement from their riders, most avoiding the thick bolts that rained down on them from above. Of course, as it goes with artillery fire against such masses, there were some casualties, but nothing excessive that could hinder the success of the mission. Raising their shields, ranging anywhere from massive steel square shields to garbage can lids to protect against archer fire, they rushed to a main gate, where the leader of the mercenary band dismounted.

Ignoring the arrows that were burying themselves in his flesh, and the boiling water pouring from murder holes that seared his skin, the massive hog took his great, meaty hooves and thrust them forward together, smashing their way in to the stone of the gate. With a proper hold, he let out a great grunt of exertion and pried his arms apart, slowly, ever so slightly, opening the gate.

A large troop of smaller hogs piled in next to him, doing all they could to pry the gate open, and when the first sizable space appeared, they rushed the interior of the den, in order to eliminate the opposition trying to hold the gate closed from the other side.





=Fia=


"Guard report!" I shouted out to the nearest on duty.

"Ma'am, we've come under siege by a group of wild pigs. They are sentient, and have already opened the outer gate. We're engaging them there, and managing to hold them at bay, but there's a lot of them, and they're very strong. It takes a lot to kill even one. Their gear suggests a mercenary band."

Damnit! This was Griffin's doing. He hired them to come rescue him! That's why he wanted to wait five days! But he must have hired them before he came here... which means he planned on getting caught?

As the realization dawned on me that each and every action I had taken had been planned for me from the start by my enemy, panic began to set in. Possibly the only thing that had occurred since I took Griffin's crew that he hadn't planned for was Gold Trim executing his crew. Every single thing other than that, he had taken into account. He knew that if I took his crew instead of killing them, it was to get at him. He knew that if I wanted him, it would be to gain power over the other clans. He knew that if he took his time, It'd put pressure on me. Did he know that Clan Nanashi was on it's way as well? No... he couldn't. If he did, he wouldn't be making his move now... unless he didn't know they would be coming until after he arrived here... or he doesn't know at all. Fuck! If he does know, he can just bide his time, if he doesn't, then he has more pressure on him, but I still have to worry about it.

His family

That's right, so long as I still have them, he can't go anywhere. Which means his priority is to get them out, which means... which means..... the attack is a diversion... OH SHIT! He never intended to surrender, and the reason he had the minotaur released was so he could repair it, and they could make their escape! And we can't get out there and stop them because of the attack. The airships aren't prepped either! The diversion is a sufficient force that we can't just ignore, and he doesn't care about their lives, so he'll just throw them away to make his own getaway! But... how will he get out in the middle of the fight? He can't just go out the front!... He's gotta have a backdoor...

"RINGO!" I can't lose, not like this, not when I'm so close to doing away with all those old mutts and finally unifying the clans! I'm so close! I can't lose like this!

"Yes my child?" The titanic hound, once again wearing his armor, asked with the same usual calm.

"There's a problem at the front gate... go... take care of it."

"By your will." He lumbered off to go deal with the invaders. The only thing to worry about after that is making sure Griffin doesn't escape. I had a feeling that this would require a more... personal... touch.





=Griffin=


"Come on! Come on! This way! Go go go!"

"Protego!" One of the guards along the path called as his spear tip flashed.

"Protego cor de sanguis."  I quickly darted around his spear tip, batting the shaft out of the way and poking him in the throat. He collapsed almost immediately. Grabbing the weapon I turned and threw it at another before he had time to raise a shield. It went right through his armor, skewing him in the chest. 'Bad day to pick ring mail. It's not so good against stabbing weapons.'

"Keep moving!"

Archers a couple archers around the corner fired a volley of arrows. "Expelli armas!" A wave of force move away from me, casting their shots off in all directions. They couldn't draw again before I had closed the distance, and made short work of them with my knife.

"Go! In the tunnel! Go! I'll haul up the rear and make sure we're not followed!"

"Griffin!" Gilda shouted, standing at the edge of the hole that lead to the twisting tunnel.

"Just go! I'll be fine!"

Tailing the end of the line as we rushed through the tunnels were Trixie, Geirmund, Cable, and Furnace.

"Come on you four! Hurry up!"

"Oh no, not this time pal." Trixie scolded. "We're not letting you sacrifice yourself and stay here all alone to save the group. You've got a baby on the way, and I'm sure as hell not gonna let you miss out." Glancing at the determined look on her face, I couldn't say no.

"Und I am staying as well! Zere are some times un stallion must stand up und protect his family, und dis is un of zose times. Cable, Furnace, go. I will stay vith ze captain."

"So brave!" Cable swooned over her man, being dragged off by the annoyed Furnace. "Pfft, stallions, think they're all that."

"Grr, fine! you can stay, but everyone else get going!" I shouted. "We're gonna have to haul ass once we're aboard the ship!"

We jumped down the hole after everyone else, walking backwards, keeping our eyes on the entrance as we fled, making sure we weren't followed. We were. We could hear the hurried steps rushing down the hall above us as well as the howls of the hunt, and could see the torch light flickering along the cave walls,

"Come on! Go! Keep running! Don't stop for anything!"

"Grif, we can't fight them in such close quarters, they'll have the advantage, since they can come out of the walls." Trixie proclaimed. "We'll have to try and hold them in the chamber. We'll collapse this part of the tunnel once we're in."

"Good idea!"

We continued running until we reached the main chamber, already my crew was pouring through the exit tunnel. The three of us stopped and turned to face the entrance.

"Any ideas how we can cave zat thing in?" Geirmund asked.

"Yeah, I got one. Terra infirma!" Holding my hands on in front of me, I grabbed the air as though I were grasping a large chunk of earth, and with a sweep of my arms, pulled a chunk of stone from the ceiling and slammed it down in front of the cave entrance. "Dirt may be easy, but stone is a little tougher. That'll buy us some time." I repeated the motion, bringing more and more rock cascading down, making a large pile near the tunnel entrance, one that would take quite some time to dig around.

When the dust settled, I could see that there were very few of my crew left in the chamber. Most of the supplies had already been moved onboard the ship, and what remained wasnt worth bringing.

"Is everyone okay?" I asked. After all, caving in a tunnel is rather dangerous. After a quick callout, evacuation continued.

"Good, that'll give us enough time to... *BOOOOOOM* "Protego!"

I activated my protect spell just in time to guard me from the blast, the shield flickering as shards of razor sharp rock shrapnel bouncing off me harmlessly. Dust filled the cavern, though I quickly blew it away with a wind spell to find her standing in the cave entrance. Fia was there, with a number of dogs behind her. I looked to my compatriots to find....

"Oh god... no... nononononno..." To my left, it seems Geirmund got the worst of it. There was a pile of rubble beside me, sharp rocks and heavy stones, with a single metallic hoof sticking out, and an ever growing stream of blood seeping out of the stone.

Dead

To my right, Trixie lay there on the cave floor, wheezing as a single large shard of rock stuck out of her chest, a large pool of blood forming under her as well. "No... noo...." I looked forwards to Fia to find her slowly walking towards me, with an incredibly angry look on her face. I drew my knife and snarled angrily, only for our confrontation to be interrupted by a cracking sound from above. We both looked up to find large piles of dirt and rock start raining down on us. It seems that between my pulling down supporting stone, and the blast of the explosion, the cave had been destabilized and had started coming down. I turned around to find that the exit tunnel had already been blocked by debris. I could no longer escape. Fia smirked, then backed off down the tunnel as the whole thing came down.


=At The Gate=


Bodies began piling up at the entrance. The hogs and their pig steeds poured through the gate in an attempt to kill the ones holding it closed, while the dogs launched arrows and lasers at the one holding it open, and tried to fend off the assault. The invaders marched over corpses of their own, while the defenders used the body pile of their fallen brethren to make a barricade. Without room to charge, the swines couldn't get enough momentum to break their blockade, and could not impale the hounds on their tusks.

"Ringo!" One of the defenders called joyously, the sight of the ironclad titan, hefting his massive maul, barreling down the tunnel was truly something to behold, something hopeful for his allies, and terrifying for his enemies. They made way for the living wrecking ball as he smashed his way through legions of the attackers, crushing them underfoot and sending entire groups, along with their mounts, flying with a single swing of his club. Ringo was an unstoppable force of destruction as he bashed straight into Pops, though the equally massive boar refused to budge, not abandoning the duty of holding open the gate for his band of mercenaries.

Though the pigs near the ground continually slashed and stabbed at the armored titan, most of the blows bounced off, and those that struck true seemed to have little or no effect. All watched in horror as Ringo arched his back, his hammer above, and brought it down with the full force and fury of a wrathful god onto Pop's head. And still, he refused to move. Again and again, Ringo struck, head, stomach, arm, leg, all while his punching bag took the punishment, until finally, with a single, massive strike, the boar's head exploded from the force of the swing, his brain and skull chunks flying out in a shower, coating his troops.

"Truly a shame... you endured so much, and fought so well. It was... an honor." The stoic titan stated as the body of the massive pig fell backwards, and the gate shut.





=Griffin=


"Lumen."

A small sphere of light appeared by my side, showing me the scene. It was pitch black, save for a tiny bit of light shining down through a small hole in the ceiling, letting a bit of precious oxygen in. Geirmund, dead and buried under a pile of rubble, his metal skin hadn't been enough to save him from the tons of rock that came down. If only he hadn't stayed behind. And Trixie, laying there in a pool of her own blood, some of it spurting out of her mouth with each breath as she wheezed, yet still lived.

"Trixie, hold on!" I rushed to her side and gently lifted her to my lap, my hands staining red with her blood.

"Heh... Grif... i'm sorry... I..."

"No, don't talk, save your strength..."

"Shaddup Grif... look a me." She slurred slightly. "I... ain't walkin *hack* away from this." A bit of blood spewed out onto my face. "Dis... is important.... Before I met you... I wuz.. jus... a nopony... a useless, lyin brag... and den you gave me a chance... at bein somepony... and all I did was get in the way..."

The jungle, getting poisoned by the water, the changelings, having her hoof cut off, the Gala, getting shot through the chest by a magic beam, and now this.

"None of those were your fault! If... if I hadn't screwed up so much... The reason you keep getting hurt, the reason you're dying... it's because of me, because I couldn't do what I had to. You weren't useless! You were.... my friend."

"*splurt* "Ha... I'm... I'm glad... But this one... this one is on me... if I hadda jus listened and gone... I wouldn't be like this right now. And ol Gear head... whawuz dat about a stallion standin up fer his family? He keep forgettin we're all jus mortal."

Is was clear she had gone delirious from blood loss and pain.

"Grif.. I got... a favor to ask..."

"Anything..."

"Just... hold me.... till the end comes..."

"I... I...." Tears flooded my mechanical eyes, blurring my vision as pale blue light shone from them. I held her close to me, ignoring the fact that I was now covered in blood, all the way up my arms, my face, and all my hair, the only clean spots being those where tears had washed away the stain. Slowly, I watched as the life faded from her, her eyes becoming glassy and lifeless, her body stiff, and after a while, cold. I swallowed a lump in my throat, and kindled a burning in my heart.


=Fia=


"Don't bother trying to dig him out." I commanded some of the work crew who was clearing the debris. "The clan leaders arrive in three days. He's trapped in there and can't escape, he has no food or water. When they get here, we'll dig him out. He'll be weak from hunger, and we can take him then."

Damn it all. This on top of everything else. I have to abandon my unification plan. After those pigs attacked, this place isn't in any condition to withstand any more fighting. I'll need the clan leaders alive if I want to escape the Nanashi. The whole plan rested on tossing Griffin down the well. He's in that cave, and he's incredibly angry. There's no way I'll be able to capture him without killing him first. That, and heading down the well myself isn't looking so good either. Ringo's plan seemed good at the time, but now it just seems less and less likely to work out. If i hop down the well, the clans won't be unified. I might still be able to bring them in to the fold and escape Eol's wrath, I just wouldn't be the leader of the group anymore.

What am I worried about? I already lowered myself to a slut for Gold Trim, if I can't come out of this as the leader of the union, I can probably get out of this as a wife. After all, gem foxes are rather rare. Heh, a prize to the winner maybe? It would let me gain some power within the faction, even if I can't be the outright leader. It would certainly be more respectful than a pony's whore. And then I can always arrange an accident to happen to my husband. It's fine, it just means the game is extended a little while.



=Gilda=


'Come on, come on, where is he? Come on! Grr....' I watched as the last of the crew poured out of the tunnel and clamored on board the ship. Surprise, Dusty, Second Sight... that's it? Where is he?

"Hey... Surprise... where is he? Where's Griffin?" She looked at me with tears streaming down her face, her mane deflated, and absolute desolation in her eyes.

"There was... a cave in... he was on the other side of it."

"No.... Steelhorn! we can't take off yet!" I shouted at the minotaur up top. "Griffin is still down there!"

"We are leaving. If he's still down there, he can take care of himself." The old bull replied calmly.

"You heartless bastard! He saved all of us, and you just want to leave him behind!"

"Damnit get yer head on straight! If he's alive, then he'll get out fine on his own, an if he's dead, then there ain't no point in goin back fer him! Whatcha plan ta do? Huh? Get yerself killed? Ya REALLY think that with tha position yer in, an what he jus did fer ya, that he wants ya to go offin yerself on his account?" I looked at my belly, and felt the baby kick, clearly having been disturbed by what was taking place in the outside world.

"but.. I... he..." Tears streamed down my face.

"What'd he tell ya when ya last saw him?"

"He... he said... 'Just go... I'll be fine...'...."

"And do ya trust him?"

"I..... yes... he's never let me down before."

"Well then, if he says he's fine, then he's fine. That featherbrain has never been one to break a promise, now you best get on believing he'll come back on his own., but for now, we need to GET OUT OF HERE before the airships are prepped and come after us." The minotaur raged. He was right... it's what Griffin wanted, after all, for us to be safe.

"... Take off."

The engines whirred as the ship slowly left the ground, gaining altitude, rising high into the sky before we headed to safer skies. Equestria.





=Griffin=


A whole day had passed, or, perhaps it was a day, I couldn't really tell in the minimal light, but there had been no activity around me. Did they think I was dead? Or, were they merely waiting it out? The clan leaders would arrive in two days, and then they'd no doubt come for me. By then I would be weak from starvation, have very little in terms of magic reserves, and be unable to fight or escape.

Alone with my thoughts, I came to realize some things. "Why has this all happened?"

Because the leader needed to kill you.

"Why?"

To prove who was the strongest, to take command of the clans.

"But I'm not the strongest there are stronger people out there. Aoi for one. Why not him, why me?"

Because they HATE you.

That was when I figured it out. Regardless of how my actions had changed their lives, for better or for worse, my actions had CHANGED their lives. These are a people who have been living the same way for hundred, if not thousands, of years. I came in and disrupted their way of life, and they despised me for it. I was the enemy. Mine was the face of evil in their eyes. My name was the ones parents would threaten their children with so they'd behave, a curse word to them, unfit to be spoken in public.

And that, would never change.

They would never stop coming after me. They would hunt me always, chasing me to my grave. If I escaped from here, what then? They'd just come after me again. If they couldn't get to me, then they'd come after my loved ones, my friends and family. Ancientwell had already proven that. What next? Would they go after my child? Would I awake one morning to find an empty crib, or worse, a corpse, and a letter of provocation? So long as I lived, they would NEVER STOP HUNTING ME. They would never leave me alone. Maybe that's my punishment. I had done a lot of bad things, killed a lot of people, all in the name of making the rest of their lives better. That's my sin. When you're in hell, only the devil can help you escape. Perhaps...

Perhaps there was a way. As much as they hated me, they also feared me. All I had to do was make the fear outweigh the hate. I had to cause them such terror and strife that the thought of coming after me would send shivers down their spine, so that they would pray to whatever god they held in highest regard, and perhaps the lesser ones as well, that I simply left them alone. Perhaps it's time to live up to the nickname they gave me. 'Cursed bird.' Perhaps it's time to become just that, a curse on them.

Here I sat, covered up to my elbow in blood, my clothing drenched, and my hair all slick and matted with it. I probably looked terrifying as is. I could definitely make them fear. Fia was already so afraid of me, it wouldn't be hard to strike terror in the hearts of the rest of the alphas that arrived. Yes, it would mean terrible acts of depraved cruelty, but I had already gone so far.. They murdered my crew, my friends and family, and wanted to kill me.

That however, would have to wait. First, I needed to get out of this hole. That would be taken care of when they inevitably came after me. When that time came, I had to be at my best, strong, fast, clever, ready to fight. That meant I needed to eat. I had already gone a whole day without any sustenance, and I had depleted my rations some time ago. There were no sources of food in this collapsed cave.

Trixie's corpse.

I looked at her body, having started to rot ever so slightly, and felt my stomach growl.

"No.. she was my friend, my comrade... she gave her life for me."

Then she's dead, and won't mind. She gave her life for you, she no longer needs her body, as she's passed on. Either eat the corpse, become strong, fight your way out and live, or leave it there, let it rot, be weak when they come for you, and die so her sacrifice was in vain.

My internal argument ended in favor of doing it. Still, it seemed so wrong. Here was my friend, someone who I had formed such a strong bond with, and I was going to eat her dead body, just to survive.

Survive.

That word again. Living means to do so in comfort, in stability. Survival means to take desperate measures to ensure your own continued existence. The rock climber with his arm trapped under a boulder, the dingo with it's leg in a trap, the lizard and it's tail.

"Emotion and sentiment will bring weakness." I whispered to myself in a kind of fervent mantra. "Emotion and sentiment bring weakness... empty of love and hate... empty... only what I need to fight, and survive... fight and survive..."

Lifting one of Trixie's... no... Trixie was gone. This was just a body. Lifting one of the body's hind legs, I used my knife with expert precision to shear the flesh from the bone. I cut out the parts that had started to rot, leaving only the fresh, red meat, mostly drained of blood. Using my magic to create a small fire on the floor, I cooked the meat, huddling next to the flame as to ward off the cold night air that was creeping down from the hole above.

"What was that thing Aoi always said before he ate?" I looked at Trixie, her dead eyes still open and aimed at me, as though she were still watching. "I can't remember. Doesn't really matter anyways." I chowed down on the leg, bits of juice dribbling down my chin as I didn't exactly have cutlery to eat it like a civilized person. "You know, it's not easy, having all these people put their faith in you and then watching them die. It's kinda why I never really got to know the crew on a truly personal level. I mean, does a general know every one of his troops? Of course not... He knows his direct subordinates, and they know THEIR subordinates, and they know theirs, etc, all the way down to the grunt troops. Cuz if they really did know all their soldiers personally, they'd all kill themselves out of grief after they died. They carve out their own hearts so they can live with themselves after they throw away so many lives... all for what?"


After a few moments, I stopped, and looked at my conversational partner. "You don't gotta worry about that much now do you? Not  anymore anyways." I turned to look at the Geirmund pile. "All that determination, that bravado, that willpower. The look in your eye said you could stand against the world and win... but the stone in your lungs doesn't agreeeeheeeheee with youooo...ooo."

I quickly slapped myself on the face. "Talking to dead people is not a sane thing to do. I must keep my wits if I am to survive."
> Fire and Brimstone (41)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Fire an Brimstone



=Griffin=


You would be surprised what people are capable of. It's like they say, it's always the quiet ones. The sweetest, most innocent people in the world... all it takes is the right mindset. The proper mix of fear, anger, sadness, and pain, and suddenly when the emotional bartender shakes up the cocktail, a person changes completely. Here I was sitting in a collapsed cave. I had eaten more of the body in the middle of the little space I had available to me, and at the time I began hearing scraping against the walls, I decided to bury what remained.

Trixie... I still couldn't get over it. It happened so fast. She rode around my back, she listened to my inane rants about philosophy, help me understand magic theory, and just like that, gone. Geirmund too. He was always a bit eccentric, and I had always placed him as the crazy grandpa in our little family. Who would make me feel awkwardly embarrassed by flirting with his wife in public? Who would do maintenance on my wing, if I ever got it back?

Still, none of that was important anymore. That was something to worry about after I got out.






=Fia=


This'll work. This'll work. The clan leaders have arrived, all with their escorts. No point in trying to hide it, they saw the bodies and wreckage.

"Welcome to Ancientwell. Don't mind the rubble. We had a little invasion force try to rescue our captive." That's it, play it off. All this ruin is nothing, nothing before Ancientwell's might. It's not even a setback, just a minor annoyance. "Forgive my manners, I'm not familiar with you all, at least face to face."

"Indeed. Fia of the Well. I finally have the honour of meeting you. I am Chief Greywall." The hound in front of me looked like some kind of medieval knight, his armor all fancy steel, with a crest etched into the plate. A real white knight type of guy. At least that's the way he looked. Probably like a sepulchure. All shiny outside, and rotten on the inside. No good.

"I'm Steelheart a Quarry Lake. Don'tchu foget it!" A meaty looking boxer stated while slamming his paws together and flexing. Meh, too self centered, too strong willed.

"I am Sturg... and your beauty is ravishing." The dolt's tongue lolled out of his mouth. "I know something I'd like to ravish later..." Disgusting pig. He'll do. Let's see if I can't find anyone better.

A half dozen more or so lead hound piled in, all flanked by their associates. The way they were looking around, as though sizing up the den, looking for weaknesses, it had me on edge, but I kept my cool. I couldn't blow it in front of them. Once they had all assembled, I organized them and stood before the crowd along with the other alphas.

"We wish to know..." Greywall began. "Where is Griffin?"

"I was getting to that. *ahem*" I cleared my throat. "As you have all no doubt noticed, there was a battle here recently. Mercenaries hired by Griffin came in an attempt to rescue him. He nearly escaped." The crowd of lesser dogs muttered in hushed tones, while their leaders by me looked around, some anxious, some excited, some just stoic. "Nearly." My continuation brought silence. "As expected, he was quite difficult to deal with, but we of Ancientwell have him trapped in a cavern, down in our mines. He had been there for nearly two days now, with no food or water. I decided it would be best to wait for your arrival before retrieving him, in case he decided to make another escape attempt."

"Quite an insightful plan."

"Of course, this changes things slightly. Initially, the plan was merely an execution, but in light of recent events, I have decided to raise the stakes, and make this a little more fun."

"How could killing be more fun?" Sturg asked in a maniacal tone.

"I'm going to let you all decide for yourselves who gets to kill him! And... the one who succeeds, will also win my paw in marriage." Shocked gasps from all. "I am in the prime of my youth, and find myself in need of a companion, a mate. I will only allow myself to be with the strongest! The one who manages to kill Griffin must surely be him. Of course, if you disagree with that, you can always challenge the victor yourself." Under his half faced helm, I saw Greywall's eye lock dead on me. Did he know what I was planning?

"So then... it's a unification gambit?" Said dog stated it rather than asking as a question. "The one who kills Griffin will undoubtably be the strongest among us, and with all the alpha's gathered here, it would be proof to the other clans of their strength."

"That's right.... for far to long have we let ourselves be dragged down by petty infighting! If we were to stand together, we could do anything! The rule of strength is law in the pack, and only a strong leader could make this unity possible!"

"You said that he was trapped in a cave, starved for the past two days?"

"That's right."

"Then this will hardly be a challenge." Wait... WHAT?

"If we are to prove our strength, then we must fight him at his best!" He bellowed as he raised his gleaming sword above his head.

"Steelheart agrees!" He pounded his massive club like paws together and flexed. "Ain't no way ta show mah strength against a starvin beanpole!"

"Sturg doesn't care! Sturg just want kil...kilkilkil." And just like that, they all began bickering among each other, their followers... well.... following their leader's example. Pretty soon, they'd all be at each other's throats.

Heh, perfect.

"First, we have to dig him out of that hole. The tunnel is this way."






=Griffin=


Mindset, mindset. I'm just trying to survive, but that won't be enough. Mere survival would mean escape, running away. When you run from a dog, it's their instinct to give chase. I have to make them fear, I have to make them give up on chasing, and doing that means I need to create a monster. Anger, they dared to attack me and my family, pain, they killed Trixie, Geirmund, and a whole slew of others who's names I didn't even know, didn't have a chance to learn, no more. They will not take anything else from me. And most importantly, my crew isn't here. There's nobody who might get in the way, no allies to get caught in the crossfire. There's only me... and TARGETS. No love, no joy, no empathy...

I heard the scratching getting closer and began to pool my magic. Having recharged all my gems, I was prepared, as as the rocks and rubble began to shift from their efforts at digging me out, I tried something I had never done in human form. I had done it plenty as a griffin, because of the increased wind control, but with that body now lacking a wing, it would prove impossible.

"Condense ventus." I went through my usual routine. condense the air, suck out the heat and store it as a ring of fire, and I held it at that stage for some time, waiting for the right moment. I pushed the compression further, till a little gleaming sphere began to form in between my hands, like a precious, fallen star. I reverse the flame, drawing it back into the ball as the rocks fell to the work crews on the other side. Aiming my tiny little ball of death at the entrance to the cave, the dogs who had just been filled with jubilation at having done their job suddenly wore expressions of horror.

"... No mercy. Ramex." They turned and ran, clamoring down the tunnel they had cleared, tripping and falling over the workers that had fallen in behind them, screaming as they were engulfed by flame. The shot wasn't particularly big, and used about a quarter of the magic I had saved up. I hadn't even reached the liquid state, but the effect was the same. A wind so hot it would set flame to whatever it touched filled the tunnel, incinerating those within it. Their cries of pain fell on deaf ears. Once released, I couldn't call it back. Not that I would.





=Fia=


They should be in the chamber any minute now. It is troubling that Greywall and Steelheart actually want me to feed Griffin and let him recover so they can face him at full strength. Hopefully Sturg or one of the other, more enthusiastic ones get to him first. They stood in the nearest chamber to the entrance as they waited for the work crew to haul Griffin out.

"Do you... hear that?" Steelheart asked. It took the rest of us a moment to pick it up, but it sounded like... screams.

"RUN!" One of the workers burst from the hole and tore off down the corridor. I immediately shielded my eyes as a gout of flame burst from the hole in the alcove, licking around, trying to reach out but unable to leave the little inlet. Soon, it subsided, leaving only blackened dirt and... the smell of burt meat.

"What happened here! Did some moron ingite a gas leak?!?"

"I don't knooohohohoooow." The gamma dog blubbered. "Just as we broke into the chamber, the head of the line told us to run, and everything caught on fire." He wept.

After sending him back home so he could relax for a little after the traumatizing incident, we waited for a little while at the entrance, unsure of what to do about it. Such a tiny little hole, and it suddenly had everyone unnerved. We backed away from it, but still kept watch. It couldn't be a coincidence. Griffin would be coming out of that hole, we just didn't know when.

That's when Sturg started sniffing the air.

"I smell.... blood."





=Griffin=


Invisibility, mute, the only thing I left was scent. I was absolutely drenched with blood, but it would take a particularly good nose to smell me out, considering all the charred corpses that filled the tunnel, which I had stepped over to get out. When I reached the hole at the end of the winding tunnel, I poked my head up and found nobody around.  I carefully climbed out, meaning to disturb the area as little as possible. There's no way they abandoned it, they had to be nearby.

Right I was. They were holed up in the nearby chamber. Fia, and a whole slew of alpha dogs, each with their own personal guard. One was wearing a full set of steel with an open faced helmet, another was just in leather bands that let his muscles show, a third wore no armor at all, but was busy grinding his teeth on a scimitar, taking small chunks from it, which while weakening the blade, would also make it rip and tear at flesh to cause bleeding.

"I smell... blood."

Shit! How could he pick out that smell even with all the ash around? The scimitar chewer made a beeline right for me. He leapt in the air and dove straight for me, mouth wide open, intent on taking a chunk of flesh out of whatever was there. Now, being very familiar with diamond dog biology from my sessions with Etch, I discovered that when a dog comes at you, looking to bite, there's a very effective countermeasure that you'd probably have to be insane to try.

Dog teeth are curved, and the points go towards the back of their mouth. This is so that when prey struggles and attempts to escape, it pulls out, making the teeth act like little barbs and get hooked in the flesh. Then, when the dog thrashes it's head about, it rips chunks off at a time, causes heavy bleeding, and probable infection, based on the victim's immune system, and the oral hygiene of the attacker. However, if instead of pulling out, you force yourself in further, that goes completely against dog biology. The teeth don't hook in, and instead of preventing motion at all like straight teeth would, they actually allow passage deeper into the mouth. At the same time, it's every animal's natural instinct to spit out something it's choking on, meaning they'd have no choice but to follow their gag reflex and open their mouth, releasing whatever they have a hold on.

This was a diamond dog, and they have much more powerful jaws than their mundane counterparts, but I also have intimate knowledge of protection spells and biology that i could use to minimize his bite force.

In short I shoved my invisible fist straight down his throat.

On contact, my invisibility spell faded, as did my muffling spell, leaving me standing there with a diamond dog choking on my left arm, a look of shock and surprise on his face as he failed to bite down on it. Rather than dancing, or singing a silly song about the ability to wield long blade weapons in slashing arcs, or even saying a quirky one liner, I simply looked at the choking beast and smiled. I pulled my arm out quickly, but before he could breathe or enjoy his relief, I had taken hold of his flopping tongue, pulled it out of his mouth and gave him a sharp uppercut to the jaw, making him bite it off.





=Fia=


"Arrrorooooo! Hheh mah meh bih ohh mah honnngue!" Sturg howled in agony while all others looked on in shock.

"Armas aquas. Sangine Florence." Griffin stood there soaked from head to foot in blood, so thickly coated on him that it shone in the dim torchlight, save for his arm that had been cleaned by the inside of Sturg's mouth, and two misshapen streaks down his cheeks. He drove his left palm into the wounded Alpha's chest and the next thing that happened was completely unreasonable. Sturg exploded. Chunks of meat and bone and brain flew out in all directions, splattering on the faces whoever was nearby.


"Looka dat string bean! He jus punched Sturg so hard he exploded! Dayum!" Steelheart apparently enjoyed the show. Well, that's one down, but that leaves an even bigger problem.

"How! How are you this strong! You should be nearly collapsed from hunger!" I demanded. He tilted his blood covered head to the side and smiled in a way that nearly tore his face in half.

"You... killed Trixie... AND SHE TASTED TERRIBLE!"

Everyone just stood there stunned. He had gone so far as to eat his fallen crew member, just so he'd be strong enough to fight us now? Nearly everyone was frozen by shock. Except for two.

"Heck bro! You's all kindsa intense!" Steelheart... was practically gushing as he flexed again.

"Action in desperation is the sign of a strong soul..." Greywall was calm as ever.

"Will you morons all snap out of it and kill him!" I shouted at the top of my lungs. Like the crack of a whip, they set off, both alphas and their underlings, only for Griffin to mutter something under his breath and vanish. They all scrabbled around confused, desperately trying to find him, but to no avail.

I slammed my fist against the wall in frustration, then I caught myself.

"Well everyone! The Griffin hunt has begun! Find him! Kill him! Bring him to me and earn your place!"
> Frozen Domain (42)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Frozen Domain




=Griffin=


I fled through the tunnels, up, up into the mountain. Within the fortress, the caverns and tunnels, these dogs sheltered themselves from the harsh world, from the cruel winter. At each mountain top, so high in the air, it is cold all year round. This allows snow to build and caps the peaks of the mountains with snow. The snow insulates heat, causing layers further down to melt, then refreeze into ice, then melt yet again. A constant cycle of freezing and melting. Over the course of thousands, if not millions of years, water enters small cracks in the stone, freezing and expanding it, then melting, letting more water fill the space, then freezing and expanding again. Water drips down through these cracks and falls to the cave floor. As it does so, it deposits minerals, either on the ceiling as stalactites, or the floor, as stalagmites. That is what I was looking for, and considering that these can form on even manmade structures, a place as ancient as this would definitely have some. That is what I was looking for.

The cave had a slight mist or fog clinging to the floor, and as I walked through it I could see my breath, the tiny vapor droplets crystalizing as I exhaled. It gave the entire area a kind of pristine beauty, even as the ice covered stalagmites sticking up from the floor melted, even the slightest light glimmered around the entire cavern. It could likely be considered a natural wonder, well, perhaps not, it wasn't exactly a massive cave.

I knew the hounds would follow me. They'd follow the stench of blood, now that it wasn't masked by ash or dust. That would be their downfall. After all, I was fleeing UP, meaning whenever they caught up to me, wherever I decided to make my stand, I would have the high ground. If you've ever been in an avalanche, or a flood, or even a strong under toe, then you know just how powerful water can be. It always tries to find the lowest point, everything does, that's a law of gravity.

If you have hundred of tons of snow atop a mountain, all melting and freezing in a cycle due to the changing of seasons, and the spring bringing increased heat, the water flows through the cracks at a faster rate, meaning more cycles of freezing and expanding the miniscule fissures, weakening the overall structure of the rock. It drips down more frequently, making a near constant trickle. I found myself in a large, dug out area in the mountain. It was likely mined for the stone used to make the fortress, rather than hauling it from a quarry, or, perhaps there was iron, or precious gems inside. Regardless, there was a cave, and it was old, and it had particularly large stalactite and stalagmites, while water dripped from each near constantly. Given another two or three thousand years, give or take since I'm not a geologist and don't know how long it takes for this shit to happen, the water would eventually trickle down enough to destabilize it completely, and there would be a cave in, flooding the entire tunnel system below it.

I didn't have a couple thousand years to wait. I did however have magic for both water and earth manipulation.

"Tremor!" I heard the barkers coming up the tunnel behind me, drawn by the scent I had coated myself in. They knew where I was. What they didn't know was what awaited them. As I looked to a spot a bit downhill of myself, I reached out with my magic and willed the cave ceiling to destabilize, to let the massive weight it had been holding for eons finally fall. The cave shook and as soon as the hunters laid eyes on me, they too felt the shaking. But it was too late.

All at once, it let go. Pockets of near freezing water, thawed by the spring warmth poured out of a hole in the ceiling, snow and rock and stalagmites rushing with it, down through the caves and tunnels. Standing above the splash zone meant I got nothing more than some wet feet, while my pursuers lived through one of their biggest nightmares.


"Let's play a game. I'll say a sentence, and I'll put in a blank, then you fill in the blank with whatever word goes there. 'Oh please oh please, don't let there be BLANK on the other side of this wall I'm digging through."

"Wadder!" Grog, Etch's son exclaimed excitedly.

I simply stood and watched as the cascade of snow, sleet, slush, and stone poured out of the hole and down through the mountain. So long as it had a slope, it would keep going, bringing ever more rock and debris with it as it smashed through whatever got in it's way. Soldiers, civilians, barracks, homes, nothing would be spared by the icy battering ram.

That was it though. After that, all the gems under my clothes were tapped out. I'd have to spend the night recharging them. It's not as though I could allow myself to fall unconscious anyways, lest I be caught unaware. No, until I made it back to Equestria, I couldn't afford such a luxury as sleep. Though, being well aware of the effects of sleep deprivation, I would have to spend the time I wasn't sleeping relaxing, resting, meditating, and charging my gems. Though... I would need something to eat.



=Fia=


"Ugh, what a disaster." Hundreds dead, either by drowning, being pulverized by the cascade of rock, suffocating beneath the snow, or hypothermia. Hundreds more wounded, impaled with rocks or debris from houses. In these caves and tunnels, the water had only a few ways to go, and lost nearly none of it's momentum as it funneled down through Ancientwell. The worst part was most of the casualties weren't even soldiers. Miners, farmers, builders, crafters, their wives and pups. It had taken an entire night of constant work on the part of both Ancientwell and it's guests to get everything cleaned up.

I held the body of a pup in my arms, the cold, limp little form had tears frozen on his cheeks. There were no visible injuries, which meant it hadn't been quick. Most likely he had been buried in the snow, separated from his parents as the tidal force rushed through the marketplace. There he became at least partially buried in the snow, where he spent hours, cold, alone, and afraid before he finally succumbed to the chill. All around there were parents and children crying, trying to find, or mourning, their lost loved ones. I found the little one's parents, who immediately fell into despair at the sight of their dead son. They kneeled and howled at their loss. It was all I could do not to break down and share their pain with them.

There he was, a child. Innocent, blameless. He would never reach adulthood. He would never grow up, fall in love, and have a family of his own. He would never create, he would never have the chance to make something that could be appreciated. He would never have the chance to be a hero, or a villain, or anything in between. He could have become anything, done anything with his life. He had that potential, and it was all stripped away so callously. It was all made even more terrible by the fact that I had known this pup.

He had always been an odd little dog. I'd often roam the warren, going out among my people to connect with them so I didn't become some unapproachable figure on a pedestal. That was something I hated about the pony princesses, and something I refused to do. At one point, the little guy worked up the nerve to run up to me and grab hold of my tail, burying his face in it. Of course, his parents were horrified, and the guards saw it as disrespectful, but I told them all I didn't mind, and I asked him his name. He told me it was Lert, and that my tail was soft and fluffy. I thanked him for the compliment and pat him on the head. He looked up to me with the biggest smile... I found him the next day, and I gave him a yoyo. I never really talked to him after that, but every time I saw him in the tunnels, he'd always be smiling, always playing with that little, insignificant toy that was so precious to him, because it was a gift from me. He'd smile and wave at me, and I'd do the same.

Even now as I swaddled his corpse like he was a newborn, so cold and lifeless, he had that yoyo clutched in his tiny little arms. I gave his body to his parents and turned away so they wouldn't see my tears, then went to find Ringo.






"Damnit! Damnit all!" I beat my fist against my table as I wept and screamed in frustration. I clutched the side of my head as tears streamed from my eyes. "I thought he was supposed to be trying to help us, to unify the clans! I thought all he wanted out of here was his family! But this.... this is too cruel."

"His motives then, have changed." Ringo growled in contemplation.

"It's because of that Trixie Pony. If he had just not tried to escape! His family would have been fine, and we could have followed your plan, and everything would have been fine!"

"You must think Fia, think of this from his point of view. He had no reason to believe you'd hold up your end of the bargain, and you had not yet been able to tell him of your plan."

"But what about letting that minotaur go?"

"A single instance of cooperation between enemies would not be enough to gain his trust. It was a good attempt, but  in light of the boar attack, he likely saw fit to carry through with his original plan, regardless of what good faith you may have shown him."

"And what about now? Why isn't he just trying to escape? What does he want now? Revenge?"

"If he sought revenge, he would have done something more personal. No, he's either trying one of two things. He either will attempt to escape, and his actions are done in a desperate attempt to weaken Ancientwell and allow him more freedom to move within it's walls. It took hours of dedicated labour to clean up the mess he made with that natural disaster, which has bought him time. He got the ones chasing him off his back for a moment, and they'll think twice about coming after him again."

"That's the other possibility, isn't it? Making everyone think twice about coming after him again."

"Indeed. His plan may be a campaign of shock and awe. To cause such a horrific amount of destruction and death that no diamond dog, not just in Ancientwell, but in the world, would come after him. They'd be paralyzed with terror at the mere thought of it."

"But what could justify such an act! Up until now his entire goal has been to 'save us from ourselves' or some crap. Every time he's attacked a den, he's only EVER killed fighters, and never harmed the innocent. He'd always offer to take them to a safe place, like Marble Pillars."

"Simple. We kidnapped his mate, who is carrying his child, and killed his partner, along with a slew of his other crew members. We've put his back to a wall and pushed him into a corner. He may very well see us as beyond redemption."

"Are you saying that all this is okay!?!?" I roared. Ringo didn't bat an eye, not that I could tell with that full face helmet on.

"No of course not my child, I'm merely trying to help you understand his reasoning. What he has done is atrocious, and unforgivable, but if he has come to such actions, then it is a dark time for us all.

"And then? What if he really does see us as beyond redemption? I know he won't negotiate anymore. It's gone way beyond that."

"If that is the case.... then may the gods have mercy on us. He is far more capable with magic than we are, more than we could have imagined."

"But this doesn't make any sense! Even just a couple days ago he was still reasonable! He even went so far as to negotiate with me, even if it was just a ploy. He seemed completely calm, but now, when I watched him kill Sturg, the look on his face... it was wrong. He was covered in blood, except for two tear streaks down his face, and that smile. It was so sweet it was sickening. He murdered someone and talked about eating one of his best friends, but his face looked like he was giving free cupcakes to children! I know all about the reports of how he got driven off the deep end before, but even that was nothing like this. Something is very wrong with him... and I'm the cause..."

"Hmm?"

"I'm the cause of this. I wanted to unite the clans so badly I was willing to do whatever it took." I panted hard as I struggled to speak. "Ringo... I don't think we're dealing with Griffin anymore. I may not have known that much about him, but from what I've read he had always been a kind, caring person, who thought everything through, but this... he's acting like a wild animal now."

"Ma'am!" A guard had burst into the chamber without knocking. I'd forgive him his offence, since he seemed to carry an air of urgency.

"What is it?"

"The fourth guard barracks."

"Uuuurg..." I let out a growl of frustration. "How many this time?"

"Uh... just one ma'am, but... I think you need to see this for yourself."





I followed the guard to the barracks, flanked by Ringo and Greywall. When I entered, the scene before me was a grisly one. There was a body laying on a table, bits of fur covered hide stripped off and laying in a pile on the floor. The dog had been skinned. All his muscles were exposed to the air, though the right arm and leg had been stripped clean of meat. His organs were splayed out of his abdomen, spilling out onto the floor, with his small intestine wrapped around his neck and arms, holding them up in a way that made him appear to be either praying, or begging for mercy as he knelt. A strong, disgusting smell hung in the air, that of rotting flesh, half digested food, and bile that made several present with poor constitutions empty their stomachs, adding to the stench and filth that filled the room. I had thought earlier that Griffin was acting like a wild animal, and this corpse, this guard who's name or face I didn't know, looked like the victim of an attack by a wild animal.

"It seems he skinned him, spilled his guts, took some meat and then left him out to rot." Greywall stated. "Repulsive."

I left the room to clear my head of the smell, then turned to convene with the knightly dog. "Notice how he was missing some chunks?" He nodded. "Food."

"You mean to say he ate him?"

"No, he killed him, then took the meat to cook and eat somewhere else. From what I've heard, he can't eat meat raw. Almost all our stores here are gems, since we don't need much to eat in terms of meat or vegetables, just what the griffin riders need. So, there's not exactly a lot of edible food he has access to."

"Hmm, desperation would lead him to this course of action, though I wonder why he left the body in such a state, and position for that matter."

"It's a message. He's done this kind of thing before, though not nearly so gruesome."

"And what does it say?"

"Notice how he's in a position of submission? It's like he's begging... and despite that, he still had his guts torn out. Griffin is incredibly angry right now. He's furious, and with this what he's saying is pretty clear. It's a declaration. Not of rebellion, or revolution, not to try and change our ways, or save our lives... it's war." I looked back in the room to the groveling figure. "And there'll be no mercy."
> Sour (43)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Sour



=Griffin=


I had caused quite a bit of havoc with that flash flood, and I'm certain a fair share of terror as well, what with the message I sent. I suppose I should have felt some guilt at my actions, since they likely caused a great deal of death, not all of the victims being military, but I didn't. I suppose that to do anything truly effective in this situation, that suspension of conscience would be needed. I wondered if once it was all said and done, when I was finished, and had gotten back to normal life, if I'd be able to live with my actions, if my guilt would catch up with me, but I knew that in the mean time I couldn't afford that kind of weakness. They wanted to kill me, when they took my family, it was a declaration of war, and in war, people die. Lots of times they don't deserve it. Up till now, its always been about helping, rescuing, saving. For the first time I was fighting not to improve someone's life, but to ruin it. To leave a mark that would never go away, and do so not on one person, but an entire race and ideology.

I mulled over these thoughts as I ate some cooked dog meat, which had been slowly roasting over a small fire in the little unpopulated node. Likely there had been a gem deposit here, which had been mined out, and later abandoned due to it's significant distance from the main cave population, and the fact that there was no longer anything valuable to be found there.

I also came to think of how I would escape from their domain. As far as I could tell, there would be only two ways out, what with the tunnel collapsed. The first, to be such a pain in the ass that they open the door and leave it unguarded, so I'dhopefully walk out and stop bothering them. The other would be to cause such havoc that they'd be unable to stop me from leaving. That last thought gave me an idea.

That scimitar chewer dog, the one who I exploded, after his death the members of his pack had all gone wild, utterly confused as to who they should follow, or what they should do. The alpha's death would also have backlash back at his home. Their leader, their pillar of strength who they look to for wisdom and protection went after me, and died horribly. The den would be in disarray, open to attack, at least until they found someone able to take up the role of leader, which would occur by having all the strongest members of that clan murder each other trying to prove who the top dog is. I just needed to remember the original plan from back when I first started aboard the ship.

The alpha's are the key to the conflict.

My capture and intended execution gave me an incredible opportunity. All of the remaining unaligned clan leaders were here. Fia's plan was to have them fight amongst themselves and kill each other off, so she could then clean up the rest. Which means if she's confident that she can handle them, she must be extraordinary, and have an ace up her sleeve. That was it. I had my plan. The collateral damage was no longer necessary. I had proven that I could cause terrible damage to an entire city, now was the time to cut the head off the snake. Fia was the only alpha with magic, as far as I knew. She wouldn't give them her ace if she planned to kill them. To cause havoc and panic, all I had to do was go to the strongest of the dogs, their leaders, and totally curb stomp them. Massacre them. Their subordinates would go back home, and tell everyone about how their brave, strong, wise leader, and all the other leaders as well, got the collective shit kicked out of them. Not only would nobody dare to challenge me again unless they had a death wish, but it would make it even easier on Aoi, if he wanted to follow through on his plan to take over the whole north. Now that I've shown what I can do against an entire city, I no longer have to over think things. The best method to use in this situation is 'Hulk Smash.'






=Fia=



I was waiting in the war room with the other alphas, a large stone structure with a map of the den sprawled out on a great table in the center. I sat silently, listening to what the others were saying. Ringo was not with me at the time, as he was resting at home, while all the leader's respective guards were outside, either searching, or on watch duty.

"We need to perform a procedural search of the den, top to bottom. We must corner him and flush him out." A first suggested.

"That won't work idiot, he'll just slip through the cracks and we'll waste our time searching while he'll be preparing. He caught us unaware with that flood, but now we know what he's capable of. We should focus on key zones, areas he can use to his advantage." A second argued.

"And fall right into his trap? He can plan ahead and lead us into snares. What's to say he hasn't already memorized the layout of this fortress and is waiting for us?" A third reasoned.

"Oh! I know!" A fourth voice called out merrily. "Let's just gather in one place so Griffin can kill us all at the same time!" Everyone turned to look at the voice's owner, to find the very one we were plotting against casually leaning up against the wall, a pair of guards dead at his feet.

He changed again. His mental state is different. First he was calm, then he was ruinous, now he's chipper. It's hard to figure out what his intentions are when his mood keeps shifting like this. Is that why he's so hard to deal with? He's difficult to predict?

"ENOUGH!" Greywall bellowed. "I grow tired of these games! FACE ME! I used to believe you were someone to be respected, who truly believed in the cause he spoke of, but now I see all you care for is destruction!"

"Shut up." And now he's serious again. That last sentence is when his mood changed. Oh, I see, he inadvertently implied Griffin doesn't care about his family. That's what set him off.

Wait... what? When did he...

In mere moments, Griffin had crossed the room and had pressed his palm against the armored dog's chest plate. Must be the acceleration spell. "Ignis." Lightning cracked, the resonating boom cascading in and around the metal plating, sparks arcing all over, between Greywall's limbs and the gaps in his armor. Acrid smoke began to rise from within the suit as it's wearer broke into convulsions, before dropping to the floor. Griffin drew a black knife from his hip and sank it into the gap in the armor, at the neck, drew it across, then back out, before rolling to his feet.


"Whoa!" Some of the other clan leaders seemed completely taken aback by this, not even noticing it occur.

Wait... that means I can follow his movements... He's fast, but not so fast that I can't keep up! Steelheart seems to be in the same position as me, the others are completely lost.






=Griffin=


I rolled off the heavy armor guy and jumped into position away from the others. I quickly lowered my arms, muttered a quick earth spell, and sent the great stone table across the room, crushing several of the ones who were seated there. I didn't get all of them, the leather wearing muscle dog, and several who weren't wearing armor managed to duck out of the way. The armored ones couldn't move fast enough and got pinned under it, though they were attempting to throw the world's heaviest piece of furniture off them, they'd be out of commission for the moment at least.

"Mano de terra!" Without missing a beat, I called a hand of dirt that followed the motions of my right hand, smacking one into the wall, while another shredded through the dirt with furious swipes of his claws, dissipating my spell. He quickly dove at me, keeping low.

When fighting diamond dogs, it's all about who can get lower.

I remembered Etch's words, but I also knew my own countermeasure. When they go low, I go high.

"Volare." I levitated into the air, dodging the digger's strike as he sank into the stone, swimming through it. He vanished into the floor and reached out of the nearby wall to claw at me. I was, of course, using my protect spell, which allowed me to absorb the brunt of the hit, merely being knocked to the floor with some shallow claw marks on my back, instead of being ripped apart as intended by my foe.

Fuck, even with the spell, that guy still tore into me. Those claws have got to be able to rip through steel.

I wasn't given even a moment to rest as beefcake came at me, his massive meat club of a fist moving surprisingly fast. "Protego!" I was barely able to renew my protect spell before it connected with my head sending me clear across the room, right towards Fia who had a kris knife waiting.

I rolled when I hit the floor, pulling my own blade and wiping the blood dripping from above my eye with my sleeve as I prepared for the next attack. Fia stabbed forwards with her knife, locking it with the one in my right hand as I thrust my left forward, striking her in the chest as I used a blood control spell. And.... nothing happened.

Shit, she has a protect spell on her as well! I'll have to use my method to go around it.

I did a few quick back hops to get some space. Meaty Mc Fistalot was bouncing up like a boxer... considering his breed was a boxer, it should have been funny but I didn't have the time to appreciate the irony, Claws Mc Shredder was swimming around in the walls, and Fia Fox was at the ready with her knife.

"Protego cor de sanguis." I'd deal with her first, then take out the dirt swimmer, then the big guy, then the armored ones since they were getting close to freeing themselves from that table.

I ran at Fia with my knife close to my body, ready to parry and let me get an opening for the hand, but I was interrupted by a searing pain running through my left shoulder. Claws had come out early and landed a glancing blow. Wait... why is there so much blood?

I was tossed across the room when the blow connected. I watched as Claws grinned at his fallen prey, before looking very woozy and falling over. When he came in contact with me, he wound up taking the spell's effect instead of who I had intended it for, but that left a more pressing concern...

WHY THE FUCK DID MY PROTECT SPELL FAIL?


I thought back to my conversation with Twilight, back wen I had developed the bypass trick.

A protect spell acts like a shield. You cast a protect spell, you pick up a shield. I cast an offensive spell, your shield blocks it, but what if I give you ANOTHER shield? You can only hold one, right? The protect spell doesn't trigger because I'm not attacking you. In fact, I'm helping to try and protect you, so it allows it.

You can only hold one, right?

YOU CAN ONLY HOLD ONE

In using my 'shield' to try and bypass Fia's, I had unknowingly dropped my own guard, which allowed Claws to get a hit on me. The strike wound up costing him his life, but through the searing pain in my left shoulder that had me rolling on the ground, clutching my arm and crying, I found that I couldn't move it. It couldn't have been nerve damage, since I could feel it, and I could still move my forearm, but the upper half of my left arm was now useless.

"Umbra." I stated weakly, using the spell to blind my nerves to the pain. I slowly got to my feet, the whole time looking at the blood spurting from the wound with a kind of abstract horror. It just kept coming out. My whole left side was soaking. I felt a haze setting in, so tired... the blood loss already starting to affect me.

"No... I... won't..." I stumbled, losing my balance. "Gotta use it all..." I couldn't afford a healing spell, though there was something else I could do. I had, at one point, a pony on my crew who could use a blood spell to maintain all of a body's circulatory functions, for as long as he had the magic to do so. I wasn't nearly so talented with the spell, but I could at least keep that important red stuff inside me where it was supposed to be. In fact, I could do better than that.

"Arma sanguis... SERPENT!"


The effect was immediate. The blood that was spurting out immediately rerouted and went back inside, where it was supposed to go, worming it's way into the artery it had been cut off from. At the same time, all the blood that had already left, that was laying around on the floor, sprung to life, taking the form of a small snake. Fia approached slowly, while meat locker rushed, looking to finish me off before I could do what I was trying to. Right before his fist connected, a small fanged snake made of my own blood shot from my shoulder and bit into it.


"What the hell are you doing! Kill him!" Fia shouted.

"I... I can't move!" Slab called out in a panic.

"What?" The fox replied confused.

"I used a blood control spell..." I began to explain meekly. "The moment my blood entered your blood stream from the snake bite, I took control of the blood in your body. I'm not skilled enough to use it to manipulate an intact body, so you don't have to worry about being a puppet. Florence." His body burst, splattering blood, meat and organs all over. The armored hounds who had been trapped under the table finally freed themselves, only to watch in horror as all the blood, meat, bone, and organs began to pool together. "A free form entity however, is child's play."

All the chunks and gibs came together into a blob, a sickening crunching sound echoing through the chamber as the marrow inside the bones twisted and pulled, snapping the relatively fragile connections between the limbs and other parts of the skeletal structure. Meat and organs rearranged themselves, forming a serpent with broken ribs for fangs, hollowed out and with parts of the digestive track running bile through them for venom. That was the most complex part, the rest of it was just the curves and bends of the body, which were easy to control.

The snake lashed out and grabbed the body of Claws, swallowing it with a disgusting gulp, followed by more horrible crunching noises as the blood amalgam absorbed it, redirecting the various bits and pieces, sending a load of meat towards the base that began to form a protective dome around me. Fia and the surviving clan leaders looked completely horrified.


"WHAT'S THE MATTER FIA?" I shouted, a mix of adrenaline, numbed pain, and blood loss causing a kind of drunken effect, difficulty balancing, slurred speech, and impaired judgement. "Isn't this what you wanted? You used me as bait to lure AAAAAAALLLLL these clan leaders here so you could have a blood bath, kill em all off and unite the packs! Wasn't that the plan? I told you I'd figure out a way for us to both live through this. It's simple! All I have to do is KILL EVERYONE!"

The remaining alpha's present in the den turned and looked at the one who had been hosting them for the past couple days, looked to me, looked at each other, and then ran their asses off, intent on getting the fuck out once they realized the position they were in, and all the damage I was capable of.

"Look at em go... yet you're still standing here..." She glared at me with what could only have been intense rage.

"You RUIN EVERYTHING! I had a plan, and when it went to shit, Ringo came up with a plan that would have let both of us live, and then you just HAD to try and escape! You weren't planning on helping me at all!" Fia screamed, tears squeezing out of her eyes not in grief, but in frustration and anger.

"Maybe you should have thought about that BEFORE YOU MURDERED MY CREW."

"FUCK YOU! INFERNUS!" She shrieked with rage before she took a deep breath, blowing out a great gout of black flame that entirely evaporated my carefully constructed blood golem, and made me scream in anguish as my arm caught ablaze, the magic eating fire totally undoing my numbing spell.

"GO TO HELL! INFERNUS!" I don't know how she could use that spell. I had tried teaching it to Gilda and Trixie, but no matter what they tried they just couldn't make it work. It was a simple enough word, with a simple enough meaning, but they couldn't make it happen, and yet Fia somehow could. She didn't seem surprised when I took all the flame that was ripping my arm apart and sent it back to her. She backhanded it off to a corner of the room and began panting and sweating.

"Heheh... fucker, you're all out of magic... your blood control spell is gone, I win."

"Reverti."

"What..."

I had one source of magic left that I hadn't used, one I saved only for emergencies. It was only a tiny bit, barely anything at all, but enough to pull off the spell. My eyes. My eyes had gems in them as well, and I tapped them out for enough to pull off a switch. It would make me temporarily blind, but I was switching bodies anyways.

As I resumed my griffin form I looked to the exhausted fox with bloodlust.

"Human and equestrian forms don't share damage... or exhaustion. You wasted all your energy on that hellfire spell, and I may not have any gems on me..." except one "But I can still kill you!" She readied her knife, only for the door to be smashed in as a giant, armored titan barreled through it and grabbed hold of me.

"What the fuck! Let go!" He grabbed hold of Fia as well, then charged out of the room and took off down the tunnels.

"Ringo! What are you doing?!?! Kill him!" Fia demanded. He remained totally silent as he charged through the corridors, smashing everything in his way, till he reached a large, domed room with what looked like a well in the middle.

Armored, but I can't use lightning while he's holding me. Fire won''t cut it, and with that armor, I can't get in physical contact to kill him that way, I'll have to burn him with hellfire, and try to get her while I'm at it.

"Infernus!" I opened my mouth and let out a rush of air, burning all the magic I had in the ruby lodged in my stomach. The fire caught the lumbering hound right in the face, but despite that, he still didn't seem to care. He charged straight to the well... and threw me in.






=Fia=


"Ringo!!!" Right after he tossed Griffin down the well, he lifted me up to toss me down as well, but he collapsed as the flame spread through his suit. He looked like some horrible automaton that spouted flames from every hole, and he howled in agony as he dropped me. I didn't have any magic remaining, and couldn't snuff the flames, so I hurriedly undid the clasp of his suit in the hope of getting him out of it.

As I opened the tin can that held the one who took me in, cared for me, and raised me, I watched in horror as he turned to ash, the dust coating the inside of the suit.

Part of the reason Lord Hades did not want anyone from the land of the dead to depart it was that those who have already died cannot die again, except for in the flames of his own realm.

Ringo's words echoed in my mind. I had for a long time known that the black flames I wielded were a gift from Lord Hades, and that flame was the only thing that could end Ringo's life. I always knew it was because he cared for me, but he said the reason I was alpha was because so long as I had that fire, he couldn't defeat me. Yet Griffin also had the flames. He used them without restraint, and now Ringo, who had given me everything, was dead. I never even got to say goodbye. Why then? Why did Ringo do what he just did? Why did he try to throw both Griffin and I down the well? I know it was his plan for us both to escape, to land in the Acheron and work together to escape the underworld, but surely once Griffin flooded the tunnels he knew it would never work, so then why?


"M'lady, are you alright?" I turned to face one of my guards, my whole body quivering as tears streamed down my face at the loss of my 'father'.

"DOES IT LOOJK LIKE I'M ALRIGHT!?!?!?" I screamed.

"I'm sorry ma'am... it's just... the clan leaders have left. They caused a lot of damage to the defenses before they went, and some of the guards overheard them. They're angry about some kind of betrayal. They're planning to return with an army, and they plan to wipe us out."

"Wha...."

"Please m'lady, our army is decimated, our defenses are gone, our people are starving! Please, we beg of you... guide us! As you always have!"

"I... I don't know what to do..."






=Griffin=


I tumbled down the well, desperately flapping my wing, my one wing, trying to fly, only succeeding in sending myself spinning as I rushed, at the mercy of gravity. I had no gems, no magic, the one in my stomach was all tapped out and would take time to recharge. Even then, it wouldn't be enough to levitate my whole body. I reached out, desperately grabbing for anything to slow my fall, and found nothing. I fell for what felt like an eternity, till the well hole opened up into a MASSIVE underground chamber, with a river below me.

"What..." My voice, soft from the shock of what I was seeing, was lost to the wind rushing by me, so I never even heard what I was saying. Below me was a black river, which churned and sloshed. I tried flapping my wing frantically, to gain altitude and escape from it, but no matter how I tried, it got ever closer. And that's when it moved.

Just like those nightmares, from so long ago, back when my body craved the magic of dragon's blood, the river rose to meet me. Perhaps it had never been my subconscious mind telling me I needed to drink, perhaps it had, all along, been a premonition of this event, of this river, coming to claim me.

A great pillar of black water rushed up to meet me. It chased me, wrapped around me, and pulled me down, below the depths. The opaque fluid pushed on me from all sides, desperately trying to enter my body. Through my eyes, my nose, my ears, even my pores. I held my breath as long as I could, but my lungs burned for air.

When I could hold it no longer, my breath escaped me with a gargled gasp as the water rushed down my throat. Agony spread through my body. A burning pain spread through my veins, as though there were millions of frozen needles, on fire, ripping away at every part of me. Daggers stabbed through my lungs, my skin was shredded by sandpaper, my stomach churned and lurched and desperately rejected it's contents, only to be filled again as another wave of pain took me. I screamed, only it was muffled by the tides, and only made more room for this liquid agony to fill me.

I felt hopeless, as though I would never escape, as though I would always be trapped in the darkness and pain, crushed by the pressure of being below endless fathoms of depth in a bottomless ocean. I felt abandoned, why had this happened to me? Why weren't my friends, my family, why weren't they here to help me bear this burden? No... I had driven them away. My desperate nature, trying to cling to anyone who would give me the time of day, holding on so tightly that they slipped through my fingers. And finally, Gilda... she didn't love me, that's why she left me here, to this fate. That's why she abandoned me, and I couldn't blame her. It was my own fault. If I wasn't such a pathetic, miserable wretch... 

I'm so selfish. She could have lived a happy life, if only she'd never met me. My parents as well, could have been happy. The people at school, the ponies and griffins and cats I had dragged along on this fool's errand... it was a madman's dream, it would have never worked... I had them all kill themselves and for what? Nothing! If only I had never been born, nobody would have had to suffer. If only I had never been born...

With that last thought, I let the darkness of the river take me. It was what I deserved. From the moment I was conceived, this had been my fate, and I had been such a terrible person, I had earned this eternity of suffering. My very existence was a mistake, not meant to be, and now this monumental fluke has finally been corrected.

I shed a single tear as I curled up into the fetal position, opened my mouth to accept the anguish I deserved, and closed my eyes.

The water tasted sour.
> 1950's (not a chapter, just a little side bit for laughs)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


1950's



=Rarity=


"Honey! I'm home!" I called into the house as I entered the door. I was wearing a suit with a tie loosely tied around my neck, and as I burst through the door, a divine smell caressed my senses, causing me to take a deep breath of it and hold it in.

"How was work dear?" Griffin asked as he turned from the stove, an apron tied to him to protect him from splatters as he prepared dinner. He slid five plates into place at the table, the heavenly aroma of kale, potatoes, carrots and beans filling the air.

"Oh, terrible. Hoity Toity came by and simply demanded a whole new fashion line by the end of the week. I've been so stressed trying to come up with ideas I haven't been able to get anything done at the boutique."

"Well then..." Griffin smirked mischievously as he hooked a talon around my loose work tie, and loosened it a bit more. "... maybe after dinner I can help you relax, clear your head a bit." He raised an eyebrow suggestively.

"Mommy!!!!" A pair of little foals ran into the room, a boy and a girl, both unicorns, and used Griffin's back as a springboard to leap at me and wrap me in a hug.

"Glimmer, Jewel, I trust you behaved today?"

"Ugh, hardly..." Sweetie Belle complained as she entered the room after them. "They wound up rearranging their whole room so the furniture was on the ceiling!"

I giggled lightly as I stared into the big feather head's eyes. "They definitely take after you."

He let out a hearty chuckle. "As least they got your looks. We have the most beautiful children in the world." He leaned in, and took me in a deep kiss, making me melt into his arms...






"Uwhahahaha!!!!" I shouted as I fell out of bed. Wrestling with the blankets that held me firm in their grasp, spitting a drool covered pillow out of my mouth as I thrashed about on the floor. "Huh? Wha? Just a dream... I... don't remember. I wonder what it could have been about?"
> Desolation (44)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


=Desolation=


"Good day fer sum fishin..." An elderly man wearing naught but a pair of faded and torn blue overalls, and a frayed straw hat, said to himself as he put his hand above his eyes to gaze out across the river. "Sure hope I catch sumfin t'day." The man walked to the riverbank and set down his rod and tackle box. The contents of the tackle box were a single chicken sandwich, and a massive curved hunk of iron nearly the size of the pole itself, with a dulled tip and the barb broken off.

"Hemr de derm de derm..." He mumbled cheerily to himself as he attached the massive hook to the relatively puny line and rod. He swung the pole back, then forth, casting the giant hook into the river before him, then jabbed the handle into the ground and piled the dirt up around it so it'd hold. Then he sat himself down and prepared to enjoy his lunch.

A sudden tug on the line made him drop his sandwich in surprise, making a scramble to the pole to grab it before it came loose of it's earthen holding.

"Hooeee I got a live un!" The man hollered with joy as he tugged on the line, pulling back as hard as he could, trying draw his catch from the river before him. He groaned under the strain as his pole bent, the tip nearly touching the surface of the water. He pulled back so far that he fell on his ass in the dirt, the fishing rod coming with him and the thing on the end of his line flying out of the water. It landed on the dirt beside him and began flailing about as it gasped for air.


=Griffin=


Pain, unending pain. Broken dreams, betrayal, unfulfilled wishes, lost love and above all, unbearable guilt. Knowing that everything I felt at that moment was what I deserved, that it was hopeless to try and deny the justice brought on me.

... And yet...

Relief. For some incomprehensible reason the agony had dulled. I could feel the warmth spreading through my body, driving the frozen needles from my veins. I no longer felt the crushing pressure of being trapped beneath endless fathoms of depth, nor was I gripped in the paralyzingly self-hatred that had come over me before. I wasn't dead yet! NO! I was still alive, and that meant there was a chance! I felt my lungs burn for air, trying to expunge the wretched fluid hat had filled them. I thrashed violently on the soft dirt beneath me, gasping for air until mercifully, breath came to me.


"We'll I'll be! Talk about a flyin' fish! I'm having buffalo wings tnight!" Just like that, every sense of hope being torn from the river had given me vanished. The jubilation in the voice of a crotchety old man as he contemplated the best way to eat me made sure of that. I couldn't defend myself. I was far to weak to do such a thing. I couldn't even speak. All I was able to manage was opening my heavy eyelids and letting the tears flow from them anew.

"Hey, waiddaminnut!" The horribly wrinkled face became known to me as the man lifted his hat so it wouldn't cover his eyes. "You ain't no fish! Yous onna dem griffin thingies. Whatchu think ya doin in da river?" Hope returns full force! I still wasn't in any state to reply, but the man thankfully didn't press the matter, and instead went on talking. "If yous still in one piece afta fallin in da river, you must still be alive. Ya fell on down here didn'tcha?... Hey! Whatcha layin there cryin fer? Don't cha know cryin don't solve nuthin? Come on, up ya go, git!"

With strength that has no right belonging to such an old being, he grabbed me by the arms, slung me over his shoulder, picked up his rod and tackle, then carried me off.





He carried me for what felt like hours across dry, cracked earth. Unlike the soft ground by the river bank, this looked as though it hadn't seen water in ages. He began talkin to pass the time.

"Well, i was mighty surprised ta pull you outta dat der river. See, us dead folk down here in the underworld, well, that there river makes ya ferget who ya are. All ya know is pain, an when a soul fergets who they is, they kinda fall apart. Can't keep themselves together I mean. Oh, names Lester by the way. Sorry bout earlier. I was jus jokin bout eatin ya, I got mah chicken sammich, s'all I need.... Ya don't say much do ya? Can't say I blame ya after what you been through. Why, I remember a time when..." And then he began yammering on, talking about things I didn't have a clue about. I didn't want to be rude to my saviour, but I may have ignored him and started counting his foot steps to pass the time. One. Two. Three.....

Five thousand two hundred and seventy six.... Five thousand two hundred and seventy seven...

We eventually arrived at some ramshackle little shack. It's door was hanging on by only one hinge, it was made of mostly rotten wood, it's windows had most of the glass busted out.

"Home sweet home!" Lester exclaimed. He gently set me on the ground, then leaned his fishing pole up against the wall of the shack, setting his tackle box next to it. I had regained some of my strength along the way, and found that with some effort I was able to stand.

'What the...' Looking back at the way we came, the river wasn't more than twenty paces away. Why the hell did it take so long to get here! Over five thousand steps I counted! How did... When... I don't even...

"Ya seem confused there fella. Lemme splain sumthin to ya. This ere's tha underworld, er Hades, er hell, er whatever you wanna call it. This's where folk who dun goofed wind up. Well, not THIS part anyway. S'not so bad. Bit lonely, but is kinda peaceful. Guess thas why they call it the sea a desolation. Ya can walk fer hours an not go nowhere, or ya can take two steps an go a mile. Was my punishment, on accounta me bein a right jackass when I was alive. Is alright. Erryday I grab my pole an relax down by the river, eat a sammich, then head on back ta this ere shack. Sometimes it takes me a week ta get back, but I like long walks..."

For someone who claims to like solitude, he can sure talk up a storm when he has someone to talk to.

"So then I died all alone, cuz I drove erryone away. Guess that wad'nt punishment enuf. Then the big man down ere sent me to this ere fishin shack an tol me if I ever caught sumfin, ta bring it to 'im an he'd lemme inta paradise. It's been so long, I kinda came ta like this lil spot, and I don't rightly think I wanna go anymore. Nope, I think I'll stay right here, maybe see if I can't catch sumfin else. Yous gonna wanna head to the castle though. If yous still alive, ya don't belong down ere, an if anyone can getcha back where yer s'posed ta be, it's Hades. This's his place after all. Oh, an look out fer other folk. I'm alright cuz I got mah hot chicken sammich ta keep me warm, but the other dead folk is stone cold. They'll be drawn to you like a moth to a candle cuz ya got the spark a life er some nonsense. Point is they'll suck the heat right outta ya if ya let em. Take care, now get offa my lawn ya blasted kid. Yer annoyin me. Go on! Git!"

That was quite possibly the strangest conversation I'd ever have in my life. Rescued by some old hick, he tells me his life story, then kicks me out because I'm annoying.

... I haven't said a thing.
> Ruin (45)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Ruin



=Fia=


I'm doomed. Griffin is gone, tossed down the well. The clan leaders are either dead, or have fled. Ancientwell is in ruins, the defences broken, it's army dead or demoralized. The citizens of this once proud place are now scrabbling around in the dark and dust, looking for our food supply that got washed away in Griffin's flood. People died, they lost loved ones, their livelihoods, and the mood is at an all time low. The worst part of it all is everyone is looking to me to fix it, as though I could just clap my paws together, wiggle my nose, and make everything right. They look at me in despair, wondering why I just sit here and do nothing.

It's because there's nothing that can be done. Even if I was able to rally everyone together, we still wouldn't have a chance. Perhaps if we were left alone, maybe if we had time, we could rebuild, gather ourselves and come back from this, but we can't. The remaining clans will come and lay waste to everything, and I refuse to let my people be taken as slaves. Nanashi would arrive even before that.

What of Ringo's plan for me? Why did he throw Griffin down the well first? Why was he so insistent that I go down as well? Should I? Should I do what he wanted for me? No. Not anymore. If anything, I have to try and save my what's left of my people, and there's only one way I can do that. When Aoi arrives, I'll surrender myself to Eol, on the condition that he take them and leave, take them away from this place. It's all I can do for them.





=Griffin=


So just like that I had a goal. In between his inane yammerings, Lester told me I was to go to 'The Castle' and ask Hades, the Greek God, to help me get home. When he said 'The Castle', he could have only meant the massive spired fort off in the distance with storm clouds eternally circling the highest tower, ominous lightning crackling all about, with a ginormous shadow cast across the land as the sheer size of it blotted out... Whatever wannabe sun was lighting the place up.

Thankfully, the effects of the black river had almost worn off. I couldn't tell exactly how long I had spent in it, nor how long it had been since I was plucked from it, but I wasn't feeling nearly so weak, and only slightly depressed. I felt a dull ache all over my body, as though I had just been put through a rigorous exercise routine, and I groaned at the sheer force of will it took to move.

At that point, there really was nothing else to do but start walking, and keep my eyes out for the 'other dead folk' Lester warned me about. So, one foot in front of the other I guess. I dragged my feet as I set off towards the horizon.




After about a half hour, the dry cracked earth slowly started turning to sand. After about a six hundred steps or so of that, it had become completely desert, and I could see dunes off in the distance. I was feeling a bit better, much of the soreness has begun to fade, letting me move more freely and not get as much grief from my aching muscles. At this point, I decided to turn around and see how far I had gone.

"... you've got to be kidding me." I was some distance from the cabin, but after going for that long, it shouldn't have even been visible any more. What's more, the divide between the earth and the sand had shrank to about a stone's throw across. I sat in the sand for a minute contemplating what to do about this.

"Okay... so no matter how far I go, I can't seem to get away from this shack when I'm focusing on the castle... what if I watch the shack and walk backwards?" So, turning to face Lester's home, I started a reverse march through the sands. I was thankful to find that as I walked, the cabin slowly got farther away, until it was a mere speck on the horizon. I thought at that point it would be okay to turn around and see where I was.

"Uwaaa!" On facing the opposite direction, I nearly fell right back into the river. If I had gone three more steps, that would have been the end of it, as I doubt Lester would fish me out twice. Turning back the way I came, I was now in front of his shack, and the cracked earth that had been there was now sand.

"OH for FUCKS SAKE!" Welp, when in a place that defies all logic, the only logical thing to do at this point is look towards the goal, close your eyes and run for it.

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" I shouted as I charged, fighting against the mysterious forces that seemed to want to keep me at the blasted river bank. I ran and ran, paying no mind as to where I was or where I was going... only to run face first into something. Something wooden, and not very steady...

"Oh come on!!!"

"Will ya quit that racket! I thought I told ya ta git!" Lester yelled in a crabby tone of voice as he kicked open the door of his shack, knocking it right off it's remaining hinge. "Now look, ya gone an broke mah door!"

"You broke your door, and I've been trying to leave for the past hour damnit you crazy old hick!" I shouted right back at the old man.

"Hick? You oughta show yer elders s'more respect!" He spat as he picked up his fishing rod. "Now when ah say git..." He swung it forward, catching me around the arm with the hook. "Ah mean GIT!" With a mighty tug, he drew back, falling over on the sand and sending me flying straight over the roof of his little house. I thought that old man had some incredible strength before, but this is just absurd. I sailed over dunes and little dead shrubs and such before finally landing face first in the sand. I got my head stuck under ground, so I had to tug and pull for a while before I came out with a pop, falling flat on my back.

"Plbbbbbbbtttthh... thhtupithhh..." I spat sand out of my beak, though I had gotten quite a face full of it, and took to scraping my tongue off with my claws. "Thupid ol mahn... ptt ptt." Once I had gotten the grit out of my face, I took a look around get get my bearings. I turned in a circle, and it was my great joy to find that neither the river, the shitty shack, nor the crabby old man were anywhere in sight. He had flung me, and the magic or curse of this place had taken me a greater distance than I could have managed just by walking. I looked to my left wing, growling at the fact that it wasn't there. This whole ordeal would be so much easier if I was able to fly. Being able to move quickly, but also having a bird's eye view to take in the landscape would have been a godsend. At least I wasn't at the stupid fishing shack.

I headed to the nearest dune and climbed to the top, struggling in the sand that kept coming lose, making me either sink into it, or slide down the dune. So far, this apparent 'hell' had been more frustration, confusion, and annoyance than torment, excluding the black river of misery. Then again, as someone who clings to logical progression and discovery, this paradoxal desert would be absolutely infuriating to spend any length of time in. Perhaps this was where physicists went, spending all eternity trying to find patterns that don't exist, losing themselves as they create increasingly more complex systems to try and make sense of their surroundings, consumed by their need to understand the world around them, unable to stop and simply accept the chaos that immersed them, falling further and further into madness!!!!!!

...

Or maybe it was just a crazy desert. All I knew is I wanted to leave, to reach the castle, get back to the world of the living, and back to those I cared about. The only way to do that was to keep walking, and try not to get caught up in the little mysteries that I was compelled to unravel.






As I traveled farther and farther, I became distinctly aware of something I had previously missed. Even in regular deserts, there was always an abundance of life. Cacti, camels, snakes, scarabs, horn lizards, and fire ant nests. All sorts of deadly creatures made their home within the sands, and became merciless to survive in such an unforgiving climate. Here, there was nothing. No life at all. I suppose that's what I should expect from a desert in the land of the dead, but it still surprised me at just how... desolate the whole place was. Besides Lester's shack, there was absolutely nothing here but dunes. It's as though it had all been swept away by the ever changing sand, or perhaps had never been there to begin with.

After a while, everything just started looking the same. All the dunes looked just like... the other dunes. And the sand looked just like the other sand. Even the footprints I was leaving were quickly swept away by a slowly growing wind, though I couldn't tell where it was coming from, or going to, only that it existed, as if this place wasn't bad enough, someone had conjured a gust to blow sand in my eyes.

As I used my wing to shield my face from the cruel grains, peeking through the feathers I watched as the entire landscape changed in the poor visibility. Dunes rolled and shifted, some shrinking to form great stretches of flat land, while others grew to massive proportions, only to shrivel as the wind assailed them like those that came before. As the dust settled and the wind subsided, I found that everything was exactly as it had been before. Nothing had changed.

Or had it? Had it been an illusion? No, the sand and wind were real, real enough that I could feel the granular texture on my face, and the sting in my eyes, yet here the desert stood, unchanged, despite having seen it evolve as what felt like eon's passed in mere moments. The only difference was that my footsteps had been swept away, just as they had before. That's when I noticed a thin black line on the horizon, slowly squiggling it's way along.

"What... hey HEY!" I shouted as I ran towards the only thing I had seen in hours? Days? How long had I been wandering this desert anyways? I was hungry, my mouth was parched and my throat burned. I tripped and stumbled in the sand, rolling down the dune. I reached it far more quickly than I should have, stumbling to get back to my feet.

As I looked up, I saw a tall being in a brown desert cloak, with a hood covering it's head. It's shape seemed to be that of a human. The line, it seems, was a convoy of sorts, a single file walk through the sands. There were creatures of all shapes and sizes, pony, griffin, diamond dog, human, cat, all sorts, all dressed in desert gear, walking across the sands.

"Finally, hey, do you know where we are? How do I get to the castle?" I asked. At my question, several members of the group turned their heads, letting me see under their hoods.

"... What the hell..." Their cheeks were sunken in, and looked to have had all the skin torn off, letting me see the shriveled muscle of their faces. They had no eyes in their sockets, with a thick black ichor dripping from them, while their teeth stuck out of their gums, all rotten and filled with cavities, dripping black as well. The closest one, a human, opened his mouth and let out a wheeze, sand spurting out as he moaned, stumbling towards me with an arm outstretched. His hand was much the same, just bare muscles and bones, seeping pus and filth as it tried to grab me.

Oh, an look out fer other folk. I'm alright cuz I got mah hot chicken sammich ta keep me warm, but the other dead folk is stone cold. They'll be drawn to you like a moth to a candle cuz ya got the spark a life er some nonsense. Point is they'll suck the heat right outta ya if ya let em.

This... was this what Lester was talking about when he was rambling? If so, then I really can't let them get me. They look so much like zombies, it's a good thing I'm jaded to all this gore, but the stench is horrible.

Just then, I felt the wind pick up again, and all these... dead, started freaking out, scrambling in all directions, though failing to find cover as they stumbled. I did however, happen to see some old ruined buildings a couple dunes away. When I looked behind me, I was frozen in horror.

A wall.

A wall of sand. As though the desert were furious at my presence, dirt devils and sand storms whipped up, kicking the grit high into the air. They twisted and churned, until I could no longer tell one storm from the next.

"Oooh craaaap." I immediately turned and ran towards the ruined city, spotting what looked to be a skyscraper, like what would be found in a modern earth city, having fallen over on its side and half buried in sand. Rushing to the nearest window, I looked for some entrance, but couldn't seem to find any.

"Over here! Hurry!" I heard the shout of what sounded like a little girl. "This way!" Looking around, I found a little figure dressed in the same desert garb, hopping up and down frantically. Despite Lester's warning, she appeared to be sane and wanting to help, so I ran to her as she scrambled through a large broken window. I followed after, scraping my side on some broken glass as I entered, the storm coming over the building soon after.

The two of us stood on a thin layer of sand coating the... wall, panting as we were out of breath from having outrun the storm. We stood there for a few moments, looking at the glass.

*Whump*

"Um..."

*Whump whump*

There was something beating it's fist against one of the windows, but with all the sand blowing about, I couldn't see what it was.

*Crash*

The window shattered, revealing the cloaked form of a man, possibly one of the ones who had been in that dune convoy earlier. He thrashed about with half his body in the building, howling and wheezing in pain. His hood fell off his head and I watched as the grains of sand washed over his body like hungry insects, stripping the flesh off till only bone remained, a withered skeleton so close to salvation, now just a cloak billowing in the vicious wind.

"Th.. thanks. That was close." I turned to my rescuer. The petite form removed it's hood to show me the smooth skinned face of a little girl. Pale as death, with straight gray hair, but brilliant blue eyes and a beaming smile.

"Don't mention it. My name's Nayla! What's yours?" She couldn't have been more than ten or twelve.

"It's Griffin... um..." I looked at myself. "Yeah, it's ironic, don't ask." She giggled to herself.

"You're funny. Come on new guy, this way." Nayla climbed a pile of office equipment that had been knocked over and clumped together against a wall, so that she could climb through a door into the next area. I followed after her to find that she had piled up a bunch of photo copy machines, cubicle walling and other such junk into a little shelter to guard her from the storm.

"Uh... nice place?"

"Thanks!" She replied excitedly.

"Are you here all alone?"

"Nope, I got lotsa friends. You sure got lotsa questions don'tcha mister? You must be new here."

"Uh.. yeah.. that obvious?"

"Don't worry, I'll answer all your questions, yesirree! Count on ol Nayla! I'm the leader of this here group." I looked around to find only office junk.

"Um.. who?"

"Oh, I haven't even introduced you! This here's Reggie." She pointed to a cash register. "This is Kate, stay away from her, she's a copy cat, copycat Kate, she'll copy everything you say, it's super annoying." She motioned to a photocopy machine. "And this here is Mr. Banks. He's super duper serious all the time." She showed me a moderately sized safe as she spoke in a deep, mocking attitude.

"How... how long have you been here?"

"Oh.... I dunno, as long as I can remember!" More importantly, how is she this cheery in a place like this?

"Um.. I don't think I'm gonna get very far asking questions so... why don't you tell me a story? I'd like to learn a little about this place."

"OOH!" Her eyes lit up comically. "Story time story time! Okay, you have a seat right there Mr. Griffin, I'll tell you aaaaaaaaallll about this place."

Okay then.... she's very strange... almost kind of sad, she must have been here for an incalculable amount of time. I walked over to an open spot and settled into the white sand, while Nayla picked up a flashlight, turned it on, and stuck it under her chin like she was telling a horror story.


"Welcome to the Sea of DESSSSOLAAATIOONNNNNN. This is the most desolate place to ever be desolate, and that's something. It's kinda funny cuz it's a desert, and in deserts, there's no water, but the ocean has lots of water, or so I've been told. Now, most a the people here are hungry dead. They got taken by the desert storms and had alla their skin torn off, so they wander around looking for whole people ta chomp on so they can get their meat back. You know... you are what you eat! For a long time this place was called 'Hungry Hell' cuz people would just eat each other all day and night, but then the desert came and took em all away, so now there's just a couple left and they wander around. The sand rotted their brains, so they're real dumb and just wander the desert in single file looking for people to nom on."

"Uuugh.... that's horrible. How did you survive this long all on your ow.... I mean with just the four of you?" Can't discredit her friends.

"Cuz I'm smart! I stay in the city and hide when they come by. I have this whoooole place all to myself. Well, my friends stay here cuz they don't get out much, but I go wherever I want! Oh! When to storm passes I'll show you a candy store! Everything there is real yummy!" She paused for a minute. "Wait... survive? What are you talking about? I'm dead! Dee Eee Dee ded. Everybody down here is dead. Oh... you must think you're still alive! You're dead. Congrats! Now you can just stay here with me! FOR-EVER. I mean, Mr.Banks and Reggie are fun and all, but they're not very good conv... conver... covner..."

"Conversationalists?" I offered.

"Yeah that."

"Well... actually, I gotta get to the castle. I'm not dead and I don't belong here. I was thrown down a well. I have to talk to him to get him to send me back."

"... it's not fair..."

"Huh? What?"

"It's not FAIR!" Nayla started crying.

"I.. uh..."

"I guess you really don't know...*sigh*... The underworld is divided into sections. There's Greater Hells, Lesser Hells, Purgatory, Elysium Fields, Tartarus, and the Castle. They're all separated by rivers which you can't cross without the Boatman-pony-thing. We're in a lesser hell, the sea of desolation. In the lesser hells and purgatory, life goes on as it does in the living world. Purgatory is just like life above, you are born, you grow, you live, and you die, then are reborn all over again. The lesser hells are much the same, but life here is hard. Sandstorms, hungry dead roaming the dunes, scavenging for food, and lets not forget the occasional demon attack."

"Nayla, I don't understand..." Her cheery disposition was gone now. She had the most miserable look on her face, her bottom lip curled into a pathetic looking frown, and tears streaming from her beautiful eyes.

"I just told you didn't I? We're born, grow, live, and die here. How old am I? What? Ten? I don't even remember, and I've been here my whole life."

"... You were born here?"

"I never even got a chance at life!" She screeched. "How fair is it? I was born already dead, to a pair of dead parents, living in this dead desert. Just when I was old enough to fend for myself, a demon came and took them away... hell is where the evil are punished... but what was my sin? I know I must have done... something, and then I died here and got reborn, but I don't even know what I did anymore! Why am I being punished? And then you come along... and say you're still alive? Stop being delusional!" She gently put a hand on my chest, running her frigid little fingers through it.

"You're... warm..." She stopped, frozen in shock. I quickly backed away from her.

"Geez! You're freezing cold!"

"I... it's been so long.. since I've been... warm." She quickly dove at me, throwing her arms around my neck, even the slightest touch freezing me to the core.

"Nayla... stop... it... it hurts..."

"So warm..." She buried her face in my feathers, squishing as closely to me as she possibly could, trying to warm herself with my body.

"Sss...sss...sssso cold...." I watched as my breath became visible, and my entire body began going numb. My teeth chattered in my beak as I shivered, feeling all heat in my body being drawn out.

"Sss... Sssstop!" I rolled over, flinging the tiny little girl off of me. As soon as I was no longer in contact, I felt immensely better. I watched as she picked her tiny self up off the floor. I expected to see her cry, or sob, or something, but instead she got a maniacal look in her eye.

"It's not fair... your warmth... give it to me!"

"No!" Crap crap crap! I ran around inside the office building, scrambling over desks and computer monitors as the crazy, the heat obsessed little dead girl chased me.

"I want it! It's mine! give it to me!" She screamed in a voice that could only belong to someone possessed. At that moment I turned and grabbed her outstretched arm, flinging her light little body at a nearby window, making her crash through the worn and weakened glass, out into the storm. She screeched as the storm claimed her. Clawing her way back into the building as the grains stripped the flesh from her bones. She looked at me as the desert ate away at her eyes, shedding a tear as she whispered her last word in undeath.

"I'm... sorry..." And then she fell limp.

"I... I.... what... I.. what have I done? She was... just... a little girl... she... no... she was attacking me, but... she was so cold... she just wanted to be warm I... I had to but she... I didn't want to kill her! I just wanted... just wanted..." Who was I trying to convince? Whoever was in charge of this place? Or maybe myself? She was just a little girl, who had never even gotten to live, and now she was dead again, because I.. unkilled her? I don't even know anymore. I clutched the side of my head as tears ran down my face, burning hot on my feathered cheeks. I clenched my eyes shut, swallowed hard, took a deep breath and let it out.

"Soon as this storm clears, I'm gonna get the fuck out of this desert."
> Scream (46)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Scream


I sat for a time in the ruined office building, simply staring at Nayla's childlike skeleton. According to what she'd said, she'd likely pop up somewhere else in the underworld. I couldn't help but feel terrible, considering I had basically murdered a cold and lonely child. Still, the storm raged on outside, and I couldn't move on till it passed.

I hadn't eaten in a while, so I decided to root around and see what I could find. First thing I did was go to 'Mr.Banks'. If I was a kid and had something important, where would I keep it? In the safe of course. That is if she ever knew the combination in the first place. I picked up the heavy metal square and shook, finding to my disappointment that no sound came from within. Nothing loose to shake or rattle around.

"Empty."

Next, I moved on to 'Reggie' the register, popping the drawer open easily to find that each of the individual sections meant to hold money were filled with assorted candies. Covered in sand, but still in their plastic wrappers, I quickly opened the various packages of Maynards, Skittles, and Mike and Ike, devouring them all quickly to avoid the the likely stale flavour. It wasn't bad, but not nearly enough to fill me, considering my lion sized appetite, and it smacked around against the ruby in my gut, something I had almost forgotten about. Should probably take care of that.

"Volare." Centering my focus on the gem inside my stomach, I poured what magic I could into it, then levitated it up into my esophagus. Given the amount of magic I put into it, I should have easily been able to completely remove it from my body in this fashion, but instead the spell cut out when it was halfway up my throat. To avoid choking on it, I clutched at my throat with my claws and pushed up, worked against the natural swallowing action, forcing it back up into my mouth before I spat out the bile covered rock.

It was rather unexpected, having my magic fail me at that moment. Perhaps the underworld has some kind of... magic suppressant? Still, I managed to get the job done, though I was left gasping for air for quite some time. I shook my head miserably. How had it come to this? Raiding an abandoned city for scraps of food and performing an impromptu stomach pump on myself, I should be aboard the ship with my friends, on our way back home. I guess I just wasn't expecting it. For the first time since I had arrived in Equestria, I lost. Even against Ember, I suppose it could be called a stalemate, and the thing with Ivan was an absolute clusterfuck so who knows what even happened, but here, I lost. I may have gotten Gilda and the rest out, but Trixie and Geirmund are dead, the tribe cats are dead, and I'm still alive, but trapped in the underworld. I wasn't good enough, I couldn't do it on my own...

... and that pisses me the hell off because I knew I couldn't, and that's why I asked Celestia for help in the first place! She turned me down because 'it was too risky' or some shit. She she had been there, if I had just a little more help, then they'd still be alive, and I'd be back home. Damnit!

*Sigh*

No point dwelling on it. I just need to get through the city and out of this desert.





After what felt like hours, the storm finally passed. The broken window I had previously used to enter was totally buried in the sand, so I took to ramming my shoulder into another, time and time again failing to break through. Well, until Mr. Banks stepped up to the plate. After a couple attempts at using the steel box as a battering ram, the window smashed open. Again using the safe, I broke all the shards that were still in place so I wouldn't cut myself again, and headed out into the metropolis.

Now that the air had cleared, I had an opportunity to look around and try to find out exactly where I was. There were street names that matched roads, signs for a subway buried in sand, and markers for off ramps that were missing their highway. It's as though someone had simply scooped the city off the face of the planet, then dumped it here haphazardly. Plenty more buildings had fallen on their sides, others had simply crumbled into heaping piles of rubble, and a few, very few, were still standing, although slanted and crooked, with broken glass and half hinged doors. The sea of desolation was an appropriate name, considering just how strong of an 'abandoned' vibe the place gave off.

I decided to climb one of the still standing towers, your typical box skyscraper, which although slanted, would let me get a good view from high up, and maybe plan a route through the city. Though Nayla said she was the only one around, after my encounter with her, I didn't want to take any chances. She was alone and a child, if I came across a group of adults, I don't know if I could manage, not without my sword anyway.

Hades, the name of the weapon I used to take so many lives, and the name of the only person who could get me back to the living world. I know there's some kind of irony in that, but I couldn't bring myself to care. There were more important things to worry about, and going off on a tangent wouldn't help me at all.

Reaching the top of the tower, I looked towards the stormy castle, where I saw dark, shadowy figures circling in the sky. Demons, probably. On occasion, a flock of them would swoop down to one area or another, though from this distance, I couldn't see where. Closer, on the outskirts of the city, was a great line of electrical towers leading out. Many of them were downed, their wires dangling to and fro carelessly. Exceedingly close to that was the other landmark of importance. A river.

Nayla told me that the different areas of the underworld were separated by rivers. This place was a 'lesser hell' which meant that whatever was on the other side was either a 'greater hell' or purgatory. It wouldn't be paradise, because that would be guarded, and this was very open, and it wouldn't be tartarus, because if I remember my mythology, that's 'as far beneath the underworld as the earth is beneath the sky', probably a giant pit somewhere. I hope it's just purgatory, because the sea of desolation is only a lesser hell, and this place sucks. Not eager to see what a proper place of punishment is like.


That just leaves crossing the river. I don't know all the rivers of the underworld, just the Styx, the Acheron which I fell in, and the.... burning one that starts with phlegm or something, phlogistan, phlogistinator, whatever. It's on fire, I'll know it when I see it. As for crossing it, apparently you could only do that if you can fly, or you've got the ferryman. Well, I don't have any money on me, and I doubt I'll meet Charon here, so I may have to find another way across. I can worry about that when I get there though.

The walk through the town was uneventful. I stopped in a bakery to try and find something to eat, but of course nobody was there, and the shelves were cleared. I had better luck at a supermarket, which had some boxes of stale Cheerios, withering away in a corner. It was bland and tasteless, but it was at the very least edible, and it meant I'd be able to keep going for a while. I found some torn cloth bags, you know, the whole 'go green' ones, and put a few inside one another so whatever I put inside wouldn't fall through. I loaded them up with some jars of honey and bags of marshmallows, since sugar is full of calories and never actually goes bad. Sure, it can get stale, but you just heat it up or water it down and it's good again.

After several more hours of slow, tedious walking through the bleak cityscape, I reached the edge, and for the first time since I had left Equestria, I saw grass. It was brown and dying, but not quite dead yet, by the way it bounced back when I stepped on it. My claws and paws were killing me from all the walking I had been doing, so I took a moment to just lay down and relax, stretch out and take some pressure off my legs. I took a bit of a rest back in the ruined office building while I waited for the storm to pass, but I couldn't get to sleep. In fact, I hadn't slept much since I was captured at Ancientwell. I could probably spare a couple hours for...

No, that would have to wait till I discovered just what was on the other side of the river. If it's a greater hell, I may have to go through it, so I'd rest on this side. If it was purgatory, I'd cross and then rest. Considering that the nearer I get to the river, the healthier the grass seems to become, I'd wager that whatever is on the other side is better than what's here.

As I approached, my preconceptions were justified as the grass started turning greener and looking healthier, becoming soft and lush. Definitely more pleasant to walk on than sand, stone, or cracked dirt.

Finally, as I reached the river's edge, I noticed one of the towers that supported the high tension power lines was tilted at about a 45 degree angle, as it's base had half eroded out from underneath it. It jutted out over the river, and one of the cables hung from it, spooled up on my side. There was also some kind of hut built into the tower's base, using bits of sheet metal welded on for walls. It had a makeshift chimney that occasionally putted out a little cloud of smoke.

That meant the owner was home.

Considering my last encounter with a person down here, I wasn't all that enthusiastic about coming in contact with another one, though this one could be of use. For one, whoever it was had to be sentient, unlike those hungry dead out in the desert, as they managed to put a hut together using tools, secondly, they also had to have fire. Part of the reason Nayla went nuts is because I was warm, and the geezer told me he was fine because he had a hot sandwich, so that means whoever is inside might be okay.

I had to risk it. It only looks like there's room for one, so if it comes to a fight, I should be able to handle it, unless the occupant is armed. Taking a deep breath, I walked up, and knocked on the door.

"Huh? Wha? Hold on a minuite." Came the voice from within. Definitely male, sounds like in his late twenties to early thirties, if age means anything in this place. No accent I could pick up, and groggy. What opened the door was exactly that. A man with mildly tanned skin, with greasy black hair and a short stubble. He was wearing a stained white muscle shirt, torn and faded denim jeans, with a welder's face mask flipped up, and a cigarette in his mouth, which appeared to be freshly lit. "What the fuck?"

"Uh.. hello?" I offered.

"Holy shit it talks!" The man stumbled back into the little home, stepping on a small fire in the act. "Ah shit!" He patted his leg down as it caught ablaze, trying to save what was probably his only pair of pants. He managed it, then collapsed back into a cheap metal folding chair, let out a deep breath, then began again.

"Sorry bout that man. Uh... it is man right?"

"Yeah, I'm a dude." I replied awkwardly.

"Uh, yeah, sorry about that, uh, what are you supposed to be exactly?"

"I'm a griffin, you know, from mythology? Just... call me Grif."

"Ah, geez, I'm bein rude aren't I. Sorry. Uh, come on in. Warm yourself by the fire... oh crap the fire!" The still unnamed man darted back to his little flame, surrounded by a metal ring, and started blowing on it while tossing some dead looking black twigs into the pit, trying to bring his fire back to life. Eventually he succeeded, while I had come in and taken a spot over by the wall.

"Um.. thanks. I'm just glad you didn't try to kill me."

"Oh come on, I'm not that scary am I?" He smiled weakly, showing his teeth stained yellow and black from tobacco. "Names Craig by the way. Nice to meet you. Uh, sorry about the mess. I know it ain't much, but it's home. Uh... what are you staring at?"

"... are you Canadian?"

"How'd ya guess? It's cuz I'm apologizing all the time, isn't it?"

"Well, yeah. You're awfully polite, especially considering we're... well, we're in hell."

"Aw, it's not all that bad here." He smirked with his reply.

"No... I literally mean we're in the underworld. That city over there, off in the distance," I motioned where I came from. " is full of these zombie things, and there are sand storms that strip the flesh off you like locusts. We're literally in hell. Well.... lesser hell."

"Oh, I know that, I'm just saying it ain't all that bad here. Could be a lot worse. We could be in Africa. That would suck. So, what are you doing down here anyways? I died from lung cancer. After all that time my ma spent telling me not to be a mechanic cuz of the exhaust and paint fumes, it was the smokes that got me. Kinda wish I treated her better, and not just because I wound up here."

"Well, I'm not dead. I got thrown down a well, met some geezer who told me to go to the castle and get Hades to send me back up, but to do that I've gotta get there, which means crossing this river. Any way you can think of to help me get across?"

"Hehe..." He got a clever, devious smirk. "I was hoping you might ask. You've seen how this tower is leaning over the river right? And how the wires are all dangling down? As you might imagine, I've been here a while, and I started getting ideas and what not about going to the other side. Then, well, I started thinking it's not to bad right where I am. I mean, this is a 'lesser hell' right? Who knows what's on the other side? I found some old tools and fixed em up, made myself a little welding shack here and started building a dingy. By the time I got it done and was all ready to go across, I chickened out."

"Well, I do know what's on the other side. As I got closer to here, the ground turned from sand to dirt, and the closer I got, the healthier the grass became. I'll bet that whatever is over there is better than what's back in that city."

"Well, when you find out, make sure to tell me. I'd rather not take any chances." He take me a quick two finger salute, then laid down on a cot and folded the welding mask back over his eyes.

"Wait, you're gonna let me use your boat? Why?" I asked.

"Well heck, it's not like I'm gonna use it. Besides, if I do decide I wanna cross, I've got plenty of scrap here, I can just make another one."

"Craig... I don't know what to say. Thanks man. You're pretty cool."

"Aww geez, there you go, making this all sappy. You know how to row a boat right?"

"Yeah."

"Good. Well, I'll see you around, or maybe not. Whichever. Good luck to you though. And keep an eye out, other folk around here are downright crazy."

"Yeah, have a good one."





I went out back of the tower hut shack thing and found a shoddy metal boat floating on the river, all nicely tied to a post with power cables. I hopped in and unwound the mooring line, grabbed the cut metal oars, and started rowing. After I made it about halfway across, the strangest thing happened. Looking over the side, I watched as the surface of the water twisted and turned, as though it were trying to form a shape. Finally, a human face rose, gulped in a huge bubble of air, and let out an ear piercing howl.

"Oh hell! RRRRGGG." I covered my ears in pain as more faces appeared, each letting out a different, yet equally terrible wail. I collapsed in the bottom of the boat, thrashing about in pain, clutching the sides of my head to try and block out the unrelenting noise when suddenly I noticed some movement in the sky. Looking up, I saw all the flocks of demons that had been circling the castle had stopped, and began flying towards me.

"Fuck, fuck, I gotta get out of here before they arrive." I couldn't even hear the words I spoke to myself over the drone of the voices from the river. "Shit, will you shut the fuck up!" I grabbed  the oar and smacked the nearest water face in the... face, silencing it. "Crap... gotta try..." Pressing my wing against my head to cover it and muffle the sound, I took one oar in both arms and began rowing by jamming the thing into one of the screaming faces below with each stroke, trying to silence them. With each stroke, I moved closer to the far side of the river, my destination, which the demons on the horizon were still a long ways off.

"Please, for the love of whatever gods are listening, make this river shut up!" I cried to the heavens when suddenly, all was quiet. The river became still, and all the faces receded. The flock that had been nearing returned to what it was doing before, circling the castle. "What? I.... thank you?" I looked around in amazement to find I had already reached the other side of the river.

"Okay, if that's not divine intervention, I don't know what is." I climbed from the boat onto the shore, mooring it to a large rock. Looking at the castle, it seemed much bigger than before, meaning I was that much closer to achieving my goal, especially since apparently, someone was looking out for me. That, at least, brought me some peace of mind in this wretched place. The fact that I had escaped from the 'lesser hells' also calmed my nerves. There were plants and trees and bushes on this side, though wilted, I was confident that the further I traveled, the better it would get.
> Visions of the Future "Kawaii Ka Nai!"
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


"Kawaii Ka Nai!"


"So Griffin..." Twilight began. "What is human television like?"

"Huh? Why do you ask?"

"Well, we have photography and reel players, but those machines are normally only used to give instructional video. The idea of using that kind of thing for entertainment hasn't really come up. Of course, a long time ago you had told me that you watched our world on television, so I became interested in what other kinds of entertainment there are."

"I dunno about that, I mean, considering the production values... it'd leave a lot up to the imagination, and the whole town already thinks I'm nuts, I don't really want to go acting like a crazy person." I cringed at the thought.

"Oh it'll be fine. We'll just do a private showing, besides, it can't be all that bad, can it?"

"... you have no idea. Alright, fine, I'll go along with it, but you asked for it. We'll do it like a play, and I'll get the others involved. Gimme some time to come up with a script, costumes and the like. We'll do it at the old castle in the Everfree."





Three Weeks Later





"Um, Griffin, what's my line again?"

"Fluttershy, you're the damsel in distress, just, scream and cry uncontrollably. Happy moments, sad moments, just be over emotional."

"Oh... um.... okay..." Then she whimpered shyly.

"Yes, that's perfect. Rarity, great job on the makeup and costumes." I admired her work in the mirror. I wore black cloth over armor, with a tattered red cape flowing behind me in an unseen breeze. A massive scar from the top of my forehead, over my right eye, all the way down to my cheek gave the proper villain look. Fluttershy was dressed as the fair princess of the land, while Dash had a red shirt and pants, with blue lightning streaks across them. Applejack was just dressed as herself, but that was for another reason. Finally, Discord was behind the curtain in the old castle, prepped for special effects.

"I always endeavor to do my best. I must admit, I look forward to seeing this, what of you Twilight?"

"Well, am I interested for what passes as entertainment in their world, though I'm still not so sure about the whole premise."



"I still don't get it Grif. This doesn't make any sense at all, and I can't remember all these lines." Rainbow Dash rubbed her temples with her hooves. "Grr, and this outfit is itchy as... grrr...." She bit into her wing with her teeth. "What did Rarity make this thing out of, fleas?"

"Just try and deal with it okay. It's fine that you can't remember the lines, this is why I made this mostly improv anyway. All you need to know is I'm the villain. I'm the most powerful being in the world because I'm pure evil. You're the hero. You have a can do attitude, and indomitable spirit, and absolutely EVERYTHING you do makes you stronger. I don't care what it is, it makes you stronger. From eating celery to getting zapped by a thundercloud, everything. If you get stuck, I'll jump in and throw something your way. Also, remember, friendship is the most important thing. Being near your friends gives you strength, seeing your friends hurt makes you mad, which gives you strength,and whenever you're totally done for, remembering that your friends need you always gives just that little bit more you need to win. That, and nobody ever dies on screen. It's implied, but you never see it."

"Anything else?" She asked.

"Oh, yeah, make sure to spout cheesy lines where appropriate, always call out the names of your attacks, and the big finisher has to be a long drawn out shout."

"Uh, okay..."

"If that's everything, I think it's time we get started."





Twilight


I watched as the curtain came down. Sweetie Belle walked out on stage wearing a pair of cat ears on a hair band. In an adorably squeaky voice, she began.

"Last time on 'Kawaii Ka Nai!' The evil king Ogatai burnt down Elora's village, and kidnapped her to make her open the seven seals of eternity! Can the hero, Kai, rescue her? I wonder what's going to happen next?"

The curtain rose again, showing all the main characters standing around looking off into... nowhere, as a song began to play. I couldn't understand the language, but it sounded like Neighponese. It was a catchy tune though. After it ended, the curtain dropped again and Spike walked out front.

"We'll be right back after these messages!" He happily proclaimed.

"Wait, what? A commercial break? But we haven't even started yet!" I grumbled. Applebloom walked out with a bushel of apples.

"Apple Acres premium apples! you can eat em! You can play sports with em, bake em into pies!" She took a bite out of one sitting on her hoof. "DEEEEEElicious." She walked off stage and Sweetie Belle came back up.

"Now, back to the show!"

When the curtain rose again, the scenery was completely different. It was a village, burning to the ground, the special effect likely caused by Discord, while Griffin stood there as a human, in his villainous getup. Err... Lord Ogatai, stood looking villainous. He laughed maniacally as the village burned behind him, his eyes rolling up into his skull, and his razor sharp teeth glinting in the fire light while his long, serpentine tongue jutted out of his mouth.

"Bwahahaha!" He laughed as he grabbed Fluttershy, I mean Princess Elora by the mane. "Now then Princess... OPEN THE SEALS! Release the great evil that slumbers here!"

"I.. but... I..." She began tearing up, her bottom lip quivering as she looked to the villain holding her hostage.

"I burnt down your village, killed your family! If you don't want the same to happen to you, then you'll do as I say! Bwahahahahaha!" Suddenly, 'Elora's' face became very stern.

"But, if I do as you ask, it will not bring back my village, nor my parents. After I have done it, you'll have no need for me, and you'll certainly do to me what you have done here. I am the only one with the ancient knowledge, passed down to me by my parents. I'll take the secrets to my grave!"

"Ha! What courage! But you must know it's futile. You will give me what I want! I wonder just how much PAIN you can withstand till your will is broken?"

"Hold it right there Oldbuttguy!" Rainbow Dash came on the scene, looking dramatic. Of course, she bumbled the name, but that just makes the character seem like she's intentionally insulting the villain.

"It's OGATAI! I should have known you'd come to rescue your childhood friend, but it's too late! Once she opens the seals of eternity, the evil spirit they imprison will be released, and will grant me immortality! BWAHAHAAHAHA!"

"You've burned down my village, you've hurt my friend... I'll NEVER FORGIVE YOU!" A golden light surrounded Rainbow Dash as she screamed her rage to the heavens.

"I see you've also studied the sacred art of the Kojen Monks, but let's see who has a better mastery of it!" Ogatai casually cast Elora to the ground, making her bounce in the dirt. He became engulfed in a great black shadow that towered over the highest rooftops of the village.

"Justice Strike!" The hero Kai shouted as she struck Ogatai with her shining hoof. He grabbed it in his hand and easily sent her spiraling through the dust. "Grr, damnit! So itchy. I can't take this anymore!" She bit down on her outfit, so carefully prepared by Rarity, and tore it off of herself, spitting it onto the ground. Ogatai shifted his one foot and whispered 'Terra' making the ground around 'Kai's' discarded clothing crack around it.

"Whaaa?" Ogatai recoiled in surprise. "Weighted training clothes? No wonder you were so slow..."

"What?" Dash seemed confused. " Oh, uh... that's right! Nobody gets away with calling me slow! The real fight begin now!" She dove at Ogatai once again, where they clashed in a flurry of blows, each one connecting, both sides taking damage, before finally Ogatai grabbed Kai by the tail and flung her into the ground hard. She let out a gasp for air, and rolled, struggling to get to her hooves.

"Hahaha! Foolish Kai! Now you know the true power of evil! You cannot win! BWAHAHAHAAHAHA!"

"Please Kai! Get up! Don't lose!" Princess Elora cried.

"Alright, this is bucking stupid!" Rainbow Dash, clearly out of character shouted.

"What? No!" Ogatai shouted. "This cannot be!" Rainbow Dash flew at sonic Rainboom Speeds straight at him. "The ancient Art, Heaven's Wheel! The ultimate purifying magic! No!" As the rainbow circle expanded, the hero collided with the villain, sending him flying into the set, where he slumped to the ground in defeat. The great black miasma surrounding him dissipated as he fell to his knees.

"This feeling... I can't.... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!" Ogatai screamed as a shining light engulfed him, leaving him laying on the ground motionless.

"Are you okay Flutt.. Princess?" Rainbow remembered her character and got back into it.

"Oh Rain.. Kai, thank you so much. Now we can finally live in peace."


"We'll be back after these messages!" Spike shouted as he jumped on stage.

"Oh COME ON! Again!!??" I yelled.

"Sweet Apple Acres Cider. Its cider season once again, and there's only so much ta go around. Make sure ta get it while it lasts!" Applejack stated proudly, holding up a mug of the golden brew.

"Gimme that!" Rainbow Dash jumped out from behind the curtain, grabbed hold of the mug, and guzzled it down greedily. At the awkward stares she received, she immediately spoke in a deeper, bold voice, "This golden elixer gives me the might of the gods!", before sheepishly backing away behind the curtain.

"Back to the show!" Spike proclaimed as AJ walked off bewildered.

"Ogatai is defeated! Now Princess Elora and Kai can finally live in peace! But what of their village? And wait, what's this? Ogatai is alive? He was under the power of evil mind control and was only a puppet? Then who's the true mastermind behind this sinister plan? Will Kai finally admit her true feelings towards the princess? Find out next time on Kawaii Ka Nai!" With that, the curtain dropped, and the show ended. All the actors came off the stage and began cleaning themselves up.

"So.. what'd you think of human television Twilight?"

"I'm not sure. It kept jumping from one place to the next, and the way the hero gets stronger is completely ridiculous, though I do like the whole 'friendship purifying evil' aspect." Griffin snickered to himself. "Though, it was kind of hard to follow, since I didn't have much background. Maybe if I had been following the series up till now..."

"I have to say, I don't very much agree with the defenseless maiden aspect of the Princess." Luna stated as she walked up beside me.

"Princess Luna, when did you arrive?" I asked.

"I have been here the whole time. Rulers should be proud, wise, and strong, an icon their followers can look up to. If they break into tears as the drop of a hat, what kind of image does that send to the populace? In the next episode, I shall play the role of the princess! And no evil villain shall get the better of me!"

"Um... Luna, you do realize this was a one time thing right? I never came up with any more than this one episode, and I didn't have a series start or anything." Griffin stated. "Besides, this was embarrassing enough to do once, I don't think I could handle doing another show..." He said dejectedly.

"Oh come now, it wasn't that bad, I thought it was quite fun! The brave, bold hero, coming to rescue the fair maiden, kidnapped by the sinister villain for some evil purpose, it has the makings of a fairy tail written all over it." Princess Celestia said as she walked up. "Though I'm not sure why there were so many advertisements for such little content."

"That's because most of these shows desperately need funding, so they have all sorts of product placement." Griffin explained. "It's not unusual for a thirty minute show to be twenty minutes of commercials and ten minutes of actual content, not to mention sometimes the content is just the hero and villain shouting at each other."

"I'm curious as to why you chose this style to show us, certainly there's more... wholesome genre's you could have portrayed..." Rarity asked.

"Well, for the most part, Equestria has all those genre's in books. Novels, comic books and the like cover all those, but I haven't seen anything here that resembles anime, so that's what I went with."

"Well, I'd say this is a successful learning experience. What did you think Rainbow Dash?"

"It was totally awesome! Kai comes in and you think she's going to lose but with her friends in need she pulls together and beats the villain good! I don't know much for story, but the action was awesome!"

"What about you Aoi? Since you're here as well, what did you think?" Griffin asked the shadowy figure in the corner. He poked his head out slightly wearing an extremely serious face.

"I hate you. So much." He replied, directed at Griffin specifically. Then he left without saying another word.

"Well, I guess we know who the villain is in the next episode..." Griffin joked, and we all collapsed in a heap of laughter.
> Edge (47)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Edge



Edge


=Fia=


This is it...
I could feel it.
The moment they entered...

The sheer wrath that was barreling towards me could be felt, transmitted by vibrations through the stone. I sat upon my broken throne, shivering in a cold sweat. My fur was scraggy and matted as I hadn't exactly been taking good care of myself these past couple of days, and I could feel my eye twitching as the cracked doors to the throne room were knocked clear off their hinges. I flinched. In the shadow, just beyond the doorway, stood a seething mass of rage, snarling with labored breaths.

"Where is she?" he growled. His teeth gnashed as they moved, closing at irregular intervals, as if grinding meat between them.
I shook with terror, of a different kind than the type Griffin exuded. This was unnatural, uncanine, or was it, exactly thus. The being standing in front of me was like a primal force, direct and unyielding. I thought I was ready for this, though I had nothing left to lose, but then nothing became everything, and everything boiled down to my miserable, cowardly life.

"I-I... I don't know..." I thought I was ready to die, but now, I wasn't so sure. "She could be d-dead, escaped with the crew, or, maybe, s-she wasn't here in the f-first place." I squeaked, sudden tears rolling off of my glassy eyes. I clutched the sides of my head, then gulped, swallowing the pit in my throat. "PLEASE! I don't care what you do with me, just... don't let my people pay for my mistakes any more than they already have." Hot tears streamed down my face, and I couldn't bear to look him in the face. He snarled, padding back and forth on all fours, sniffing about as if to track her scent. Then suddenly, he got on his hind legs. Nose pointed to the air, he stood taller than even Ringo. I didn't think that was even possible. Or maybe it was because I felt so small?

Suddenly, with a surge of motion, he went over to the far wall and reeled back his fist, memories of the den recalled the layout. If he was as strong as rumored to be, he would burst into the tunnel that led to the execution grounds. Right then, my life suddenly hinged on where that cat Elsweyr died, rather than the fact that she was dead to begin with.

*CRACK*

The wall went down like a tree against an ax. The flood of stale scents was overwhelming, he was bound to catch her scent in countless others. To my amazement, he went the opposite way, to the den's exit. Just what was he hoping to find? What was he looking for. For the moment, I was relieved. Though foolish, I held on to some slim prayer that there may be some way out of this. Do I dare hope? Or would it just be stolen away and add another wound to my soul before death claimed it? It didn't matter, it was out of my paws now, but the idea that everything balanced on what happened to a single, seemingly insignificant life grated on my nerves. I was used to controlling the outcome, not being swept away by it.


"Is anyone in there?" I heard a voice from the doorway. Rather than respond, I simply sat there in silence, gazing distantly at the hole that had be punched through the solid stone wall. "We're here to help!" The voice called again. I slowly turned my head to face the newcomer, tears having stained the fur on my cheeks, to find a particularly large... wolf, wearing a robe. He had silver fur, and moved with impeccable grace. This had to be Aoi. I simply sat there speechless, still quivering. He looked around for something, what I do not know, before training his eyes on me. "Are you the only one left here?"

His voice had a strange, calming effect, settling my nerves enough for me to muster a reply."You mean alphas? They've all either died or fled." I choked out.

"Damn, so Eol got to them already... mind telling me why you're still here? You must have been through hell."

"Hmm? Eol? Is that the one who came through before?"

"I'm afraid so, he's looking for the alpha. I hope it's not too late to find him."

I hung my head. "I'm the alpha of this den, and as of yet, 'Eol' has no blood on his paws."

His ears perked up. "You mean he... I see. Well just sit tight for a few hours, the relief team's on their way, if you don't mind though, we need to use this room as an improtu med ward."

"Do what you want... just take care of my people."

"Thank you, rest assured, once the relief team's here, your clan's in good hands." I was so relieved I finally broke down, burying my face in my paws as I wailed. "Easy there... Ubi, give her some attention, afterwards get the rest of the survivors in here for treatment and feeding, I'll treat you to some apple pie later. First things first though, I need to make sure Eol doesn't do any damage.You think you'll be okay from here?"

"Leave it to me!" Another somewhat smaller dog came over, his tail wagging happily behind him. Aoi walked off, while Ubi approached me to care for me. As if I deserve such kindness.

"Um, excuse me..." He said a little nervously, though I'm not sure the reason behind his apprehension.

"Yes?" I sniffled.

"What exactly happened to the other alphas?"

"Dead... mostly. The rest ran off, maybe five or so got away. They're gonna come back, and anyone left in here is dead when they do."

He looked down, as if pondering something. "Did Griffin kill them?" I said nothing, simply nodding as an answer. "Do you have any idea where he is now?"

"Down the well."

"What well?"

"The thing this place is named after. I don't know much about it other than what Ringo told me. It's several thousand years old, and it goes all the way down." Oh gosh, Ringo... I felt the tears coming again.

"Down to where?" Ubi asked. I didn't really feel like talking much, but the way he spoke, and his attitude in general made me feel obligated to open up to him.

"The underworld. Into the river of pain." His eyes sparkled with shock 

"The underworld? But, isn't that where the dead go? How can there be a well that leads to the underworld?" He was like a child, asking so many questions. I let out a pathetic laugh, trying to find humor in my position was a meager hope at best.

"Because it's how Ringo got out. He dug it himself."

"Who's Ringo?"

"He was... he was..." I broke down bawling again. He sat down next to the throne, stroking my fur gently, 

"Was he one of the alpha's you were... sweet on?"

I gave him a look of sheer disgust. "Oh.. oh gods no!" Though, I couldn't help but smile just a little at the thought of it. I quickly returned to my somber mood. "He was the one who raised me."

"I... I'm sorry to hear that." His attention was called away to a pair squabbling over food. "Excuse me..."

I watched as he wandered over to stop the arguement, and it made me wonder, 'Just what had I done to deserve such kindness from a stranger?' The one before was a mass of rage, while this one had a calm sensibility about him as he waded through the havoc, as though the world itself couldn't move him, and he gazed around with something akin to childlike wonder.

I watched as he stopped their bickering with nothing more than a cold glare, and felt shivers go up my spine as well. He took a diamond, split it in half with his jaws, and served it frosted to the two other dogs as equal halves before turning his attention back to me, the air suddenly bouncing back to the warmth that it had a moment before. He took another diamond, smaller, and handed it to me, saying "Here, you're hungry."

I looked to the shining gem in his paw and shook my head. "Give it to them." I motioned in a random direction. It's wasted on me."

"Take it, you need it."

I growled, wincing as I looked at the gem. My stomach growled as well. In the end, it was louder, so I snatched up the sparkling stone and swallowed it whole. I turned to look at him. "Just... why?"


He looked at me with liquid blue eyes, shimmering, inquisitive, kind. "Because no one deserves to be hungry, silly."


I sat there, looking down again. "If you knew what kind of person I was, you wouldn't be saying that."

He pulled a grin wider than any dog I had ever seen smile before and beamed. "If you knew what I had done before this, you'd run." Given what I've been through, and the fact that I'm still here, I doubt that, but nevertheless.... "Aoi taught me that it doesn't matter what you'd done, who or what kind of person you are, but what you do next."

"And what can I do next?" I snapped back. "Have Eol kill me because his friend is dead? Tell Gilda the father of her child is in hell? Try and aplogize to my people for everything I've put them through?" I let out a a depressed sigh. "It was... all going to be so perfect... A simple plan, and everything would come together, and there'd finally be peace... And then Griffin took everything I had, all my hopes for the future, and turned them to rubble because I pushed him too far." After all, if I hadn't done this, we wouldn't be in this situation." Sometimes... people don't deserve a second chance."

"You know what? Griffin's an asshole." Ubi began. "You know why? Because no one should be left thinking that they don't deserve a second chance. Our Whole family's made of second chances!"

"Tss." I scoffed. "Must be nice."

"Uh huh! It is! You can join it if you like." He replied earnestly. His he dense? Still, it'd be a lot better than my current future.

"That.... sounds... nice. But maybe we should wait till after Eol finds out what happened to Elsweyer. He did give me a death threat after all."

"You don't need to worry about that." He grinned and flexed his slender forearms. "After all, I've beaten Eol lots of times in sparring." I looked at the happy go lucky hound like he was a moron. This guy's beat the hulking rage monster? "It's true! 85 and 0!" I couldn't help but snicker. His positive attitude was infectious. 

"What's your name by the way?" I had already heard it, but I wanted a proper introduction.

"Ubi Tzaimied dul White Dust Diamont" He said with practiced fluency. He must have to say that a lot.

"Uh.... Ubi for short?"

"Mhhmm!" He nodded.

"Im Fia."

He looked across the group of survivors, the remainder of my clan, "Well Fia, do you mind giving me a hand? You are their alpha, so you should probably say some encouraging words to them!"

"I suppose." It's the least I can do. After all, they still look to me for guidance, even though I'm not fit to give it anymore. I stood tall. "Listen up! Aoi of clan Nanashi is here to provde relief. Cooperate with them. Do what they say. It'll make things easier later on."
GriffinNorth: Most of those milling about stopped to listen, with a few, namely those that had been military, still saying 'By your will.' as they always had, clinging to the way things had once been. "At least, this way, they still have a future."

"There, now was that so hard?"Ubi asked innocently.

"More than you know." I huffed.

"Puppy steps. Could you help me a bit more, We've got a lot of injured to take care of until Aoi gets back."

"I don't know what you want me to do? I'm no doctor."

"Well, it's how Aoi says, there's a first time for everything."





So, we worked together getting the wounded rounded up for treatment, tending their wounds, setting their broken bones. Aoi returned, with Eol unconscious, slumped over his shoulder.

"I see you've got everything under control Ubi, Stitch must have been teaching you a lot."

"Yeah, not nearly enough as I'd have liked for him though, I get stuff mixed up from time to time." The younger dog answered.

I turned to look at the graceful one. "You're Aoi, aren't you?" I was fairly certain, but I wanted to be sure.

"I am." He replied.

"I'm... I mean... *sigh* Thank you for coming and taking care of my people. When we have the time... I'd like to gather them all together so they can hear my resignation. I'll be turning them over to you."

"What?" He seemed genuinely confused by my statement.

"I can't lead them anymore. Not after what happened. Not after what I've done. My whole plan was to unite the packs so there could be peace. It failed miserably, but with you, there's a chance."

"If it's what you think is best for your clan, I can't refuse... However, it doesn't matter if you resign as alpha, they will still look to you for guidance, if you really care for them, you must always be with them for when they need it. So don't think you're out of the woods just yet."

"That's fine by me."

"Besides..." He continued. "...I see you and Ubi have been working together to help your clan even after all this. You've still got some leadership in you. We'll sort this out later, right now, we need to hold out for 6 more hours."

"Only six more hours. Then we'll be out of here well before the attack comes." I muttered to myself. "Good."





We worked for a while longer, preparing everyone for their Exodus from their lifelong home, and over the course of this, we began to chat.

"So this den is built upon a portal that leads to the underworld?" Aoi asked.

"Essentially." My mood had improved at seeing my den taken care of, and I wasn't feeling quite so hopeless anymore. "Not so much a portal as an extremely long shaft.  We use it to draw water from the Acheron. I can show it to you. It's  still intact."

"Heh, I'm not desperate to poke my hole into any portals anytime soon, not even if there's cake involved. But I do think this does give me some leads on Varg's situation."

"What? You mean Varg the Undying?" Varg's name is famous amongst even the lowliest of clans. As the rumor goes, he's unable to die, no matter how he's wounded. Now that I think of it, he may be in a similar situation to Ringo's

"The same. From what he's told me, he doesn't know how he's alive, just that he is... more or less." Aoi explained.

"I'm not sure how that's possible either. Ringo couldn't die because he already had once, until he was immolated. I don't understand how Varg could not know why he can't die." I pondered.

"Straight from the wolf's maw, one minute he's dead, the next, undead and in Gem Fido. "Heh, been here so long, i'm starting to pick up the vernacular."

"In any case, I don't think it matters. I probably would have considered him becoming active again important a few days ago, but it doesn't really matter anymore."

"Ha! I don't care what part of the world your from, the fact that the dead CAN walk the earth is something special, would have caused mass histeria and free weapons where I come from." Aoi laughed.

"I'll admit I was surprised when Ringo showed me."






=Gilda=


Two days had passed since we left Ancientwell behind us. Two days since Griffin stayed behind to make sure we'd all escape. The ship had only been repaired enough to fly, so our progress was the result of a couple half repaired propellers, and a merciful tailwind pushing us where we needed to go. That said, it was slow going, and would be another three days till we reached the Equestrian border.

Among other things, Nadene had encountered an interesting conundrum. We had the body of one of the cats, a girl by the name of Elsweyer, on board. Before we were captured, she had poisoned herself, saying they wouldn't let them take her. I guess the stress just got to her. Still, I suppose she died on her own terms, and wasn't executed like the rest. She looked so peaceful, like she was sleeping. Which brings us to Nadene's conundrum.

We had been in that den for about two weeks, and yet Elsweyer's body hadn't even started decomposing yet. Understandably, this confused the hell out of the inquisitive potion maker, and caused her to start looking into the exact nature of the poison Elsweyer used to kill herself. I told her not to bother, if she hadn't decayed by now, we'd be able to have a detailed autopsy done when we reached Manehatten.

On other matters, I spotted a strange, serpentine land vehicle covering a great deal of ground very quickly. Whoever was driving the thing seemed to notice us, as the machine slowed and cam up underneath us. A pony stepped out and shouted up to us using a megaphone.

"PERMISSION TO COME ABOARD?"

"Who are you?" I shouted back.

"We're with Aoi!" He replied.

"Oh for fuck's sake, PERMISSION GRANTED!"

We dropped altitude so we could carry on a conversation without having to shout, and brought a rather odd looking pony on board who introduced himself as 'Keith'.

"We were on our way to Ancientwell and spotted the ship. Is everyone alright?" He asked. I looked around to the somber faces on board. Our medical staff had been tending those who were wounded in the escape, and Surprise was doing her best to lift everyone's spirits, though she didn't have any party supplies.

"We're alright. It's slow going, but we'll make it to Equestria before supplies run out."

"Oh, that's a relief. hmm?" He pulled out what looked to be a styrofoam cup and pressed it up to his ear. "Oh, is there a cat on board by the name of Elsweyer?" He asked.

"We've got her on board the ship. She poisoned herself before we were captured, but for some reason the  body hasn't started to decay yet."

"I NEED TO SEE HER!" Came a scream from the cup. Magical communication no doubt.

"Listen, is there anyway you could let us have the body? It's pretty important to one of ours, if you couldn't tell by the fact that I'm deaf now." Keith asked.

"If it's that important, tell whoever it is they can come see her at Manehatten." I looked at our only working propellers. "At this rate you might get there before us..."

So, I thanked Keith for his time, and checking up on us, then we went our separate ways. If they're on their way to Ancientwell, I might find out what happened to Griffin. That fact alone put me in a good mood, and the rest of our trip went without any unpleasant surprises.







We reached Manehatten without incident. I was glad to finally be back somewhere safe, but I couldn't help but worry about Griffin. It had been almost two weeks since we were seperated, and I had no idea what had happened to him as of yet. Hopefully Aoi would have some answers when he arrived. We docked at the pier, and many of us disembarked. After the ordeal we had been through, a lot of us wanted to leave, or at least have a vacation before deciding what we wanted to do. I stayed on board, letting out a sigh as I filled in the docking papers for the air traffic control pegasus that greeted us. About an hour after that, I spotted the same strange land vehicle as before, the one with 'Keith', approach the city. "Heh, they sure get around..." I sighed as I looked to the propellers of the ship. They had only been repaired enough to get us off the ground and have a little direction control. It'd take a lot more before it'd be back to full functionality. No wonder they arrived so soon after us, since we basically crawled all the way back here. The weird vehicle hissed and wound down before an opening on the right side slid to show Aoi and Eol? Ubi? Whatever his name was.  Aoi slung his friend over his shoulder and carried him to our ship.

"Ahoy there!" Aoi called out.

"Darn it, he couldn't get cheesier."I muttered to myself. "Yeah, come on up." I called down. He took his sweet time to meet me at the bridge, and greeted me with a salute.

"Pardon me for a second." He laid down his companion face down and reached under his collar to pull something out, what I couldn't tell. The big lug on the ground started to moan, shifting around before figuring out he was on our ship.

He gasped, then shot his eyes towards me. "Where am I?"

"You're on my ship." Or, apparently he couldn't figure it out on his own and is an idiot, considering he's been here before.

"Where's Elsweyr?" He asked.

"You're the one who was so desperate to find her? We've got her downstairs, in her room. We've got... a lot of empty space on board now." I paused for a moment then sighed. "Follow me." Rather than doing what I asked, he dashed past me and headed in the direction of the crew quarters. "Oooor not." I shook my head, then turned to Aoi. "Aoi, you were at the den last... I want to know what happened to Griffin."

"All things considering, he's missing in action." He answered, not missing a beat.

"... Don't lie to me, or try to sugarcoat it. I want to know where he is. Don't be vague because you think I can't handle it." I knew what 'missing in action' meant. Griffin told me that when heroes die, people who can't possibly be defeated are, rather than saying they're dead, they're called 'missing in action' to keep up morale. I was hoping this wasn't the case, thus my demand for details.

"Very well then, though you might not believe this more than my previous statement: According to Fia, Griffin was dropped down a well that leads straight to the underworld, into the Acheron River, if I have things correct."

"What?"

"I don't believe I stuttered." I wasn't in the mood to deal with any attitude from him.

"More importantly... is there any way he can come back?"

"Maybe, Fia told me one of her clan members, Ringo, dug his way out, and that hole was where Griffin dropped into. It's possible. From what I've heard about the underworld though, he literally has a snowball's chance in hell."

Griffin is in the underworld. From what Griffin told me of the place, it's where people who do bad things go to be punished for all eternity. Endless pain and torment, and he was dropped into the river of anguish itself, with almost no chance of ever escaping that fate. If he was even still alive that is.

Fia told him that. That meant she was with them.

"N... no.... RRR. WHERE IS THAT BITCH! I'll FUCKING KILL HER!... Gah!!!" I curled up in pain as I felt a sharp stab in my stomach, and a strange fluid running down my leg. "Wh.. what?"

"You... you're going into labor." Aoi said with panic clear in his voice. "Somebody get us ground level now!"

"I... what? No.. no no, it's too soon. I'm not due for another month yet...I AAAGH!" Pain again, wracking my entire lower body with spasms.

"Looks like the baby's coming early. Shit! Where's the nearest hospital!" He asked me.

"ungg. Manehatten General..." I groaned.

"We're grounded!" Someone called out as I felt the ship connect with the lower docking platform. "Good! Gilda, I need to carry you to the hospital, deep breaths." Aoi stated.

"Oh gods oh gods..." I started hyperventilating. He scooped me into his arms, carrying me like a rescued princess as he ran full tilt down the street . "I'm... I'm not ready for this! Griffin and I were supposed to do this together!... I'm scared."

"Just relax and pretend I'm Griffin. Focus on your breathing."

"You're not Griffin!" I screamed.  "But you're right... control my breathing.... control my AAAAGH!" More stabbing pains in my abdomen, more frequent than before.

"Easy, One, two, one, two. Like a jog, one two one two." Aoi repeated over and over like a mantra.

"Just... shut up already... You're... rrrgg... really annoying you know that?"

"Only when I'm trying to help."


We arrived at the hospital, bursting through the double doors into the waiting room. "We've got an emergency on our hands, Someone please help!" Aoi yelled as he stormed in. A triage nurse sat behind a counter, looking incredibly bored and annoyed at the same time. 

"Uuugh... if you'll just take a seat and a number we'll get to you as soon as we can..."

He took the ticket and stared at it intently. "What kind of fucking hospital is this?

"Oh for fucks sake you idiot I'm giving birth and there's nobody else in the waiting room!" I shouted at her.

The nurse, without even looking up from the newspaper she was reading, smacked her hoof down on a red button labled 'emergency'. A red light flashed above the door as a team of doctors and nurses came out pushing a stretcher with surgical precision and the passion of a hoofball team.

"Hup hup hup hup hup..." They called as they marched in sync, pulled me onto the stretcher and barreled back through the doors. I wound up standing on a cushioned table, crouched with my rear end a little lower than standing as a doctor stuck an needle with an IV into my leg. I immediately felt minor relief from the pains, but they were coming more frequently now.

"Alright miss...?" A doctor asked, coming around to the front.
"Gilda." I answered.

"Miss Gilda, I have just a couple questions for you, since we don't have your medical history on file. What's your blood type?"

"Rr... B minus."

"Alright, good, do you know your due date?"

"It's not supposed to be for another month!"

"Premature. Have you been in any stressful conditions lately?"

"Oh shut the fuck up!"

"Uh huh... yeesss..." He hummed gleefully as he filled out a chart. "Alright, listen, you'll be just fine. It's not uncommon for premature births, especially during times of stress. Luckily, if it's only a month ahead of time, there shouldn't be any complications, We'll just have to keep you and your baby in observation for a couple of days okay?"

"I said shut the fuck up!"

The doctor asking the questions sighed. "Griffin mothers... worse than my ex wife."

At that point, Aoi entered the room, pushed in by some doctor.

"Oh good, you're here." The one who had been asking me questions turned to the newcomer. "Just... take her by the claw and try to make her at ease alright? She's been over stressed and it caused her to go into early labour. That kind of thing isn't good for the baby, so try and make her relax. We've put her on some painkillers, so she might lose focus, try to keep her concentrated on the task at hoof alright?"

"Can do." He walked around to the front and held out his paw. "Here, take my ha-AAAAAAH!" The moment he offered it to me, I grabbed it in my claws, just as a wave of pain hit me, and I crushed the offending appendage in an iron grip.

*Crunch*

Once the pain subsided and I loosened my hold, he pulled his hand back. It was all mangled and folded up, making accordian noises as it sagged back and forth.

"OOh... that doesn't look good." Captain obvious M.D. noted. "Sir, if you'll just follow me I'll have someone take a look at that. I suppose we'll just have to replace the cushions on the table."

A doctor said, guiding Aoi to the next room, empty, and divided by a simple curtain as he bandaged him up. From there we could still see each other.

"Gaaaaaahahaaaaa," He moaned, staring at his mangled nub as the doctor bandaged it.

"Oh quit being such a baby... AAAAAAAAAAAA!" I shrieked as another wave of pain hit me.

"I see the head!" A doctor called from behind. I felt my entire body shift as the mass inside moved back, pushing and stretching me in ways I wasn't supposed to stretch. Aoi was at my side in a heartbeat, attempting to comfort me and failing miserably, "You're doing great, keep pushing!"

"Pushing on WHAT?" I yelled, digging my claws into the cushioning on the table.

"Pushing him out! ... It is a he right?"

"Yeah." I replied.

"Here comes the shoulder, you're almost there!" The doctor said from behind. All the pressure on my insides suddenly vanished, leaving a kind of empty feeling as the pain began to subside, leaving behind a kind of exhausted euphoria. Then, I heard him. He started crying. I rolled onto my side as they passed me my baby, all wrapped in a towel, letting me hold him in my arms.

"OOoh...... you're... so tiny..." I had gone numb, and no longer cared that the doctors were cleaning up my privates, all that mattered was the baby I held. The miniscule little form was no bigger than a house cat. The doctors had dried him off with a towel, and he was covered in downy fluff. I held that precious little life close to me, wrapping him up in my wings.

"Congratulations Gilda, you have a son." Aoi said with pride.

"So... have you thought about a name?" The head doctor asked.

"Seth... his name is Seth." He opened his mouth and screamed again, wailing. "Oh... hey... hey, come on now... it's okay... mommy's here...." I gently brushed the side of his face with my talon. "Why are you crying? It's okay... hey..."

"Um... perhaps you'd like some privacy so you can feed him?" The doctor suggested. I nodded.

"Say no more," Aoi replied before heading out the room with all but the one doctor, who remained to keep an eye on me, for both my health and that of the baby. Thankfully, the doctor who stayed behind was a mare, so I didn't feel nearly so uncomfortable asking.

"Um... how do I breastfeed?"







After thankfully being shown methods for calming the baby down and getting him to latch on, I spent about an hour with my breast in his beak as he sucked on it. Once he stopped, I held him over my shoulder and gently rubbed his back with my wing till he burped, then he softly fell asleep, making adorable little trilling noises in his slumber.

I heard a few knocks on the door before they were followed by a low creak, which showed Aoi poking his nose in. "Do you mind if I come in?"

"Yeah, come on in."

He slid in, slowly shutting the door behind, and softly tiptoed to my bedside. "How does it feel to be a mother now," He asked.

"It feels strange. I never really thought I'd be one, and yet here I am." I bowed my head, and for some reason, started crying. "And I never thought I'd have to do it alone." Griffin, please, somehow, find a way.

"Who says you're alone, you've got your crew, not only that, but friends from afar. Which reminds me, Dash says hi." Aoi looked at me with a smile on his face. He was right. Maybe most of the crew was headed home, maybe they'd never come back, but some would stay. Nadene, Steelhorn, (It was HIS ship after all, and since we wouldn't be doing any piracy any time soon, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to stay where I was comfortable.) and several others who'd come to call that place home.

"Heh... thanks for being here. huh? Oh... hey, look who woke up." The tiny little ball of fluff yawned and shifted about, squriming his little body this way and that, before opening his eyes for the first time. They were an odd, mettalic blue colour, like cobalt. He looked to me and started making soft crying noises.

"Hi.. I'm your mom... Oh... no no... don't cry..." He began flailing about, thrashing this way and that, till he turned his head and saw Aoi. He immediately stopped crying, his eyes deadlocked on the dog. "I think he likes you."

"Heh, well would you look at that... mind if I hold him?" Aoi asked.

"I uh......." I was a little hesitant to let go of him so soon, but really, there wouldn't be any harm in it, especially since Aoi was there when I delivered after all. "Yeah... okay." He gently took Seth  in his arms, naturally, with no awkward effort at all. It hit me that he'd done this before. Seth started rubbing his face into Aoi's fluff, making soft cooing noises. "Geez, he already likes you more than his own mother. Little traitor. It's just like griffin said... Fluffy gets all the chicks." What an adorable little chick/cub he was too. That's when I became aware of my own disheveled state. "Ugh, look at me, I'm a mess. I'm just waiting for the doctors to tell me I can get up. I need a shower."

Aoi just stood there, holding my little bundle of joy. He seemed to be deep in thought, but said nothing, just admiring the little guy in his arms. Minutes passed until finally he spoke, in little more than a whisper. "You're gonna go far kid."

Aoi passed Seth back to me, who instead of crying, just looked at me with those beautiful blue eyes, and suddenly, all felt right with the world. Griffin would come back, he had to, he had a son waiting for him. If there's a snowball's chance in hell, well then, Griffin will make hell freeze over. That's just who he is.


> The Land Of The Damned (48)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


The Land Of The Damned



=Griffin=


My travels had taken a lot out of me, but I couldn't afford to rest just yet. I marched further towards the castle, the dry dirt and sparse vegetation eventually giving way to soft green grass, tall enough that I could completely conceal myself if I were to crouch down. I couldn't help but think there might be predators lurking in the tall grass, lions, tigers, or maybe Rattatas. No, that last one would just be silly, though perhaps this would be to my advantage as well. A griffin is a predator after all.

After a time, I spotted what looked to be a small village, built at the edge of a forest, though I was quite certain this one didn't contain pastel ponies that would sing about friendship. I approached for further investigation, finding it to be more like a frontier town, civil war era, with patrols of musket men, as well as guards placed around town. I saw some torches about, which meant that if the theme of this place held true, the inhabitants were sane. Still, I'd decided I'd rather not risk a whole village, especially with the armaments. Better to go around and make for the woods.

Trekking around the village while still keeping a safe distance added quite a lot of time to my journey, about half a 'day' I'd estimate, though there never seemed to be any sort of sun rise or set, just a constant dim, like a dying star, shining from nowhere in particular, though it had gotten brighter than the sea of desolation, so perhaps the castle itself is the source?

Either way, I had entered the forest, keeping my wits about me as I moved through the dense underbrush.

*Cracka-boom*

*Whizz*

"Gaah!"

I immediately hunched down, trying to stay hidden while I looked for the assailant... and the victim. Off to my right, maybe a hundred meters through the bush, I spotted a griffin running for his life, while a wound on his leg bled profusely. I briefly wondered why he hadn't taken flight, though that question was quickly answered when I noticed he didn't have any wings, mere stumps, having long healed over, having taken their place. He spotted me, and I quickly motioned for him to get hidden.

"Damn, where'd he go?" Snarled a deep, angry voice. About 300 meters behind the other griffin came a column of what looked like hunters, carrying muskets and shotguns.

"He's around here somewhere, keep looking." Squealed a higher pitched one, in a voice like a swine. Keeping low, I poked my head up slightly to get a better look.

The hunters were some kind of grotesque, twisted version of man, with large, ridged noses, the nostrils of which were all the way up on their forehead, while they had a ridiculously large under bite, sharp, triangular teeth sticking out of a drooling maw, and eyes set low, almost to their cheeks, slanted downwards. The hands they used to clutch their guns had three long fingers, each with a wicked claw at the end, and their legs were twisted and bowed out at the sides. They were hideous beyond all measure.

"There!" One of them, holding a shotgun, pointed me out to the others, as I was beyond his weapon's effective range. I quickly ducked back down and took off through the brush, leading them away from the wounded griffin as shots range out behind me. I ran in a serpentine pattern to try and throw them off, but they seemed to keep track of me quite well through the bushes. When I looked back to see if they were still following me, I found them standing still, looking about frantically. Did something happen?

Apparently the wounded griffin still had quite a bit of fight in him, and decided to repay my favor, as the one in the rear of the line let out an unholy screech as it was pulled down into the thicket and was suddenly silenced. The situation reminded me far too much of that one scene 'The Mummy Returns' where the guards walk through long grass and are cut down by these pygmy things, except that this time, we're the hunters. Catching on to the idea, I silently prowled through the thicket, closing the distance.

A rustle in the bushes! The hunters turned to shoot at my new friend, only to have yet another of their number taken down. I slashed his Achille's with my talon, then quickly drew the other across his throat. Three left.

Taking the musket off the hunter I killed, I popped up and fired, hitting one in the neck. Two. Dropping the spent weapon as I ducked back down, another was slain my my hidden friend. Only one remained.

"IIIIII ssssseeeeeeeeeeeeeee yooooouuuuuuu." I called from the grasses.

"Where are you?!" The demon-thing shouted angrily.

""Everywhere...." My partner replied.

"Graaa!" He raised his shotgun and fired both shots of the double barrel into the bush randomly. After smell of gunpowder and the ringing of the shell left my ears, both me and the other griffin rose from the undergrowth.

"You missed. Too bad." Before he could even think of reloading we slit his throat and took off further into the woods.


=Later=


We had found a clearing deep in the woods. We gathered up underbrush, twigs, grass, leaves and such, then made a fire using the old 'rub two sticks together' method. After we got the fire going, we settled in and got to talking.

"So, thanks for the save back there." He began.

"No problem. I just happened by. I'll admit though, being a distraction was kind of an accident."

"I figured. You've gotta look out for yourself down here. Still, I'm glad you showed up. The name's Atran."

"I'm Griffin." As soon as I introduced myself, Atran just about coughed up a lung. "I take it you've heard of me?" Once he got over his coughing fit, he looked at me with sad eyes.

"So, you got done in too. I didn't think it was possible, but you're in the underworld. What I don't get is what you're doing here in hunted hell. Shouldn't you be in paradise?"

"Huh? Oh, no. I'm not dead. This bitch alpha threw me down a well which lead all the way to... *shudder* I'd rather not talk about what was there. Anyways, I've been making my way towards the castle, and I just left a lesser hell, the 'sea of desolation'. What kind of hell is this?"

"Greater hell." His words stopped me dead in my tracks. He showed me his leg. "Look at that, already healing up. In greater hells you have a ridiculously high healing factor, well, I do anyways. I don't know about if you're still alive. It's so they can hurt you more."

"Fuck. Well, I guess Craig made the right choice in staying on that side of the river."

"You crossed the river? Which one?" Atran asked.

"The one that screams at you. There's a boat I used to cross a ways back, on the far side of the village. You could probably use it to get across, but just make sure you go quick and cover your ears. When the river wails, the demons circling the castle start flying over to investigate."

"Thanks."

"No problem." I opened up my makeshift saddlebag and pulled out a jar of honey, cracked the top off, and started pouring it down my throat. It was sweet and sticky, though a bit hard to swallow and there were some crystallized chunks in it, eventually it all went down.

"I'm going to be honest with you." Atran began. "I was a pretty evil bastard in life. I did a lot of things I shouldn't have, went a bit power crazy, and it was because of grief." I sat quietly and listened. "See, my whole family, me, my wife, and my daughter, we were captured. Brought to the mines. I tried to help them escape. I thought I failed and, well, they said they killed both of them. I went crazy with grief. Inspired rebellion. Then, I took all my suffering, and made it so those bastards would feel it a hundred fold. Imagine my surprise to learn my daughter was still alive."

"Must have been a happy day."

"I was relieved and excited all at once, but when I learned about what she was doing, I looked at everything I had done, and I felt so ashamed. I met her, face to face, and I couldn't bear to tell her who I was. She didn't recognize me. And then, she killed me. I was this villain, and my own daughter put me down. And... I'm glad she did. Now that I'm down here, I can't ruin things anymore, and every day, even though I have to fight, and I go through so much pain, I can keep going because I know she's alright. So, Griffin, you've gotta tell me... please tell me Gilda is okay."

"Who are you Atran?"

"I'm Gilda's father."

I looked up at him and smiled.

"I stayed behind so she and the others could escape. I don't know how they're doing, but they probably got away. They can take care of themselves for the most part."

He let out a sigh of relief, then gave me a big hug. "I'm glad I got to meet you Griffin."

"By the way Atran."

"Hmm?"

"She should be due any time now, and it's a boy. When I get out of here, I'll make sure to tell him about you." Just like that, the grizzled old bird broke down and cried.

"Damnit son, I'm not gonna take some boat to a little bit less of a hell, I'm gonna go with you and make damn sure you get back out, even if I have to kill Cerberus himself. Besides. we make a good team."





So, Atran and I set about making our way through 'Hunted Hell', dodging patrols of hunters, or killing them off, looting their supplies. After a few days, maybe a week, we eventually reached the end of hunted hell. What awaited in the next area made the previous one infinitely preferable.

Standing on a hilltop, Atran and I gazed across the field below us. I held a musket I had looted, while Atran preferred the shotgun. There were three forces, locked in unending combat. Or, rather, two forces locked in unending combat and a third group that was purely victims.

The victim group was not really a group at all. Creatures of all species, scattered about, desperately trying to avoid the other two factions. The first was a swarm of aerial raiders in the form of gigantic wasps. They appeared to be around the size of Princess Celestia, the constant drone from their multitude of wings nearly deafening as they buzzed in and out. Their stingers had to be the size of a dagger, their massive abdomen pulsing as it stung it's victim, pumping vast amounts agonizingly painful paralytic toxin into the comparatively small bodies of their prey, then dragging them off to who knows where.

"Spiders, why is it always spiders?" I shook my head as I gazed at the other group. Giant tarantulas, their size hadn't impaired their speed at all, their legs covered in hair as thick as a horse's. They'd leap and pounce on their victims, impaling them on razor sharp fangs and injecting venom into them that would liquify their insides into a slurry that they could suck out. The screams of the tormented echoed up from below as they were dragged off or eaten alive.

Not only that, but the wasps and taratula were fighting each other as well. A spider would pounce, only to be stung in the back by a wasp. The spider would curl up paralyzed, and just as the bee would deliver the finishing blow, another arachnid would leap on the downed yellow jacket and sink it's fangs into it. A spider would shoot a strand of web at a flying wasp and drag it down, only to be swarmed by three at once. Elsewhere, a spider and a wasp had grabbed hold of a man, his head between the bee's mandibles, while his legs were held between the spider's fangs. They tugged, trying to wrench him free of the other's grip, only to tear him in half, leaving half his spine and organs hanging out as they each dragged their respective share of the kill away from the front line. Blood and organs, rotting meat, bone fragments, and dissolved flesh covered the ground, letting off an acrid, acidic scent we could smell even up on our ridge.

"What the fuck is this?" Atran asked in a whisper, as to not alert anyone in the massacre below.

"Wasp and spider..."

"What?"

"The spiders are tarantulas, and the bee's are pepsis wasps, also known as 'tarantula hawks'. The spiders hunt the bees for food, and the bees paralyze the spiders, then lay eggs in their bodies that hatch and eat them alive. Then you've got the people down there. The spiders are eating them right on the battlefield, while the wasps are dragging them back to their hive so they can lay their eggs in safety. The wasps won't lay their eggs right here, because then the spiders would just eat the hosts."

"Its... horrifying. I'm glad we're not any closer, cuz I think I'd lose my lunch."

"Yeah..." I looked to the massive arachnid monsters and shook. "Let's go around."

"Which way? We can go left, around the spider's side, or right, around the wasp nest." Atran asked.

"Right. Definitely right."

"You answered that awfully fast." Atran raised an eyebrow.

"The spiders are ground bound, so they'll be a lot harder to go around or through. There's probably webs all over the place. We can't walk through webbing without alerting every spider on the web, and we might get stuck. With the bees, we should be alright as long as we keep low and stay behind cover. They'd fly right over us and there won't be any traps. Also, if we go the spider route, I'll either freeze stiff at the sight of one, or scream like a maniac and give us away. I can tolerate bees."

Conversation was a bit difficult because we had to talk over the constant buzz of the bees, so we had to talk a little louder than we probably should have. This fact was made apparent when the constant droning sound suddenly stopped. Looking out across the field, the bees were still flying, but we could no longer hear the buzz.

"Why is it quiet?" I asked Atran, who only poked me on the shoulder and pointed behind us. The buzz was not from the bees on the field. It was from the pair of bees right behind us, who had landed and were looking at us oddly.

"Griffin. Whatever you do, don't move a muscle. I don't think bees can hear very well, so they might think we're paralyzed. If we hold still, they shouldn't sting us."

Looking at the massive mandibles, the giant stinger, the antenna, the legs, the thick, coarse hair and the twitching abdomen, which looked like it was always ready to sting at a moment's notice, something clicked deep inside my mind.

"Atran, I take it back. I don't think I can stand bees either."

"So? What do we do? Kill them? There's two of us and two of them." He mumbled through his closed beak.

"No. Bees have this strange pheromone. If you kill one, the chemicals send a message to every other bee in the area to come over and 'sting first, ask questions later'. If we kill these ones, we'll be swarmed in seconds."

"Any ideas?" The bees took flight again, each grabbing one of us with their sticky legs, holding us up tightly against the thorax as they took to the sky, flying us towards their nest which we could see off in the distance, in the direction of the castle.

"I dunno. Pray?" Atran looked at me like I was a moron.

"Any useful ideas?" He spat back.

"Play possum and wait for an opportunity?"

"... and you're supposed to be the genius who liberated half of Gem Fido..."

"Well excuse me, I'm not exactly privy to the tactical situation in HELL. I usually have time to think about this shit."

"It won't be long before we reach the hive, so you better start thinking now."
> Um... Wanna Run That By Me Again? (49)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Um... Wanna Run That By Me Again?


The ever present buzz of the giant wasps carrying Atran and I was making it difficult to think. At this point, even if we killed our captors, since neither of us could fly due to lack of wing, we'd just plummet to my death and his... incredibly painful splatter that might regenerate? I don't even know anymore. The underworld is so dissimilar to anything I've encountered, where plant and wildlife, even space itself, all loosely resembled what I was familiar with, if only to serve the purpose of being more disturbing because I knew what they were was wrong, something that shouldn't be.

Even the hive, which I could now see in detail, was a twisted, mutilated version of what it should be. Rather than the yellow of honey bees or the pale, wood like colour of a wasp hive, it was a large stone spire, with a twisted red bulb at the top which served as the 'hive'. The bulb was pulsating, like it was a living thing in and of itself. I saw wasps coming in and going out, each time ripping a hole in the wall that splattered blood around them. From the bulb, there were these long strands that looked like tendons or nerves, reaching out to the ground, which the wasps were using to carry in heavier creatures, like spiders, and a minotaur or two.

'Calm. Still your quaking heart.'

"Huh?"

"What?" Atran asked.

"Did you say something?"

"No." He replied.


We reached the edge of the hive and were pressed against it's side by the bee's carrying us. The walls seemed to be made of meat, held in place by bone structures set up almost like support pillars, and covered in a thin coat of red goo, like half dried blood or scab. My wasp buried it's mandibles into the wall, ripping up a large flap with a spray of the goop welling out to meet us, before pushing it's way through the membrane to the inside. Atran followed, the hole filling in with that same goo before sealing itself. The air inside was putrid and foul smelling, almost as bad as the scent that wafted up from the battlefield.

"Atran. Whatever this hive is, I don't think the bees made it."

"What do you mean?"

"I think that this... thing, is alive, well, maybe alive in the same sense as you are, and the bees are living in it like parasites."

"So, what does that mean?"

"I'm not sure." Come on Griffin, calm down and think. I paused for a moment and took some deep breaths."There's something here that doesn't add up. For the most part, pepsis wasps hunt in solitude or small groups, bringing their prey back to a safe place nearby to lay their eggs. All the females are capable of laying eggs. For these ones to bring us all the way here, and for so many to be gathered in one place, instead of spread out to maximize hunting area, it means these guys..." I motioned to the bugs still carrying us through the fleshy tunnels. "... have a queen."

Atran looked at me blankly. "Listen. I know you think you're making sense, but I'm not a scientist or biologist. Just tell me what that means for us getting out of this place."

"It means we're a little less fucked than before."

"You'll have to give me a BIT more than that."

"Well, that's all I've got."

Looking ahead, I saw that we were approaching a large open chamber, and in the middle of the chamber, upon a pedestal, was the queen. The abdomen alone was around the size of a house, and she had legs the size of tree trunks. The smaller bees were swarming around, carrying all the things they had taken from the battlefield, while a rare group of three or more would work together to haul in a spider. They'd bring what they'd brought around the rear and place them on what looked almost like a sacrificial alter, made of a flat piece of bone. They were laid face up, likely so they could see what was happening to them. Most were completely motionless from the paralytic toxin, though some were screaming in agony as the poison hadn't completely immobilized them yet.

The first up was a pony. From this distance, I couldn't tell make out any features, other than the larger size indicating male, and having a rust coloured coat. The queen slowly lowered her rear end, a massive stinger the size of a claymore unsheathing from her rear end before she slammed it down, running the poor victim through. Then she retracted the stinger, and gently laid an egg the size of a basketball on the spot.

"This is all kinds of messed up." Atran had been watching, just as I had.

"Oh dear god we're going to die here." We were getting closer to the queen, person after person being laid on the large alter, getting stabbed, then having an egg laid on them. My eyes darted about, desperately looking for some way to avoid this fate. I knew from research that the sting of a pepsis wasp is supposed to be the most painful insect sting in the world, and I highly doubt that these giant ones would be any different, though it wouldn't compare to the anguish of slowly being eaten alive by a bee larva.

"Come on Griffin, think of a plan."

"I can't think of a fucking plan!"

"Come on, you're Griffin, you can do this!"

"No I CAN'T! I don't know who or what you think I am, but I'm not! I'm just a normal guy who's good at fixing problems. This isn't a problem, this is a FUCKING TRAIN WRECK! I have put up with ten lifetimes worth of SHIT and I can't take it any more. At least I'm still sane enough to admit I'm IN OVER MY HEAD!" I looked up to find the bee carrying me started buzzing a lot louder, curling it's abdomen up and bearing it's stinger. 

"Oh fuck!" I had been too loud. I craned my head to the side and bit off one of it's legs, causing it to lose it's grip and drop me. The fall wasn't very far, though it was enough that I'd be in significant pain when I landed.

*Crunch*

I let out a scream of agony as I broke all my legs on the landing. They were splayed out under me at odd angles, mind numbing pain flowing from my limbs. It was all I could do to roll on my side to get the pressure off them, to relieve some of the pain. This turned out to be pointless as soon the bee who's leg I'd chewed off found me and was VERY angry. It stood over me, gently tapping my face with it's feelers before it turned around, lifted it's rear in the air and stung me.

The first jab of the stinger hit me in my right leg, sending waves of excruciating pain through my body. There was no amount of preparation or mental fortitude that could have helped me withstand that kind of agony. My vision was swimming, my mind an incoherent mess. Nothing else mattered at that point. Not escaping the hive, or getting home, or seeing my son. I didn't have any thoughts that weren't completely devoted to suffering. Not even 'how can I make the pain stop?'. Just Pain. Pain. Pain. PAIN. PAIN. 

And then the stinger came down again. And again. I could not longer move, my pain spasms ceasing as my body became paralyzed, not that I had a mind anything other than curling up in the fetal position at that point. And again, the bee stung me, as though taking out it's frustration. I simply laid there, tears flowing out of my eyes. I could vaguely hear someone yelling, but that didn't matter. Just pain. I couldn't even lose consciousness. I laid there for what felt like hours, though through the pain I had no real sense of time, until... something... happened.

It was odd. There was an ever so slight feeling, a feeling that wasn't pain. It was almost drowned out by the other sensations, but not quite. It felt as though my body was light. Was this what it was like to die? I couldn't possibly be dead, I was in too much pain for that, but maybe in the act of dying. Would that make the pain stop, if I died? No matter, I didn't have any control over that anyway. Didn't matter in the slightest. Didn't... matter... My thoughts were hazy, my eyes glassed over, and my mind went dark.






There, in the blessed nothing, I felt a strange calm wash over me. I was wrapped in comfort and warmth, with a soft hand gently rubbing my head and a soothing voice slowly humming a melody I didn't recognize.

'It's time to wake up.'

"But... I'm so tired. I want to sleep, and... it hurts so much." I curled myself up into a tiny little ball.

'Shh... poor thing, you've been through so much, but you need to wake up now.' I felt a soothing warmpth spread through my whole body as the pain just seemed to melt away.

I slowly opened by bleary eyes, my vision slowly coming into focus. As this occurred, I became distinctly aware that I was not where I previously was. Rather than the fleshy walls of the wasp hive, I was laying on a comfortable bed with a stone post at each corner, which connected seamlessly with the room, as though the chamber had been chiseled out and those beams were left attached. The bed itself had silken sheets that made me just want to roll myself up in them.

"Oh good, you're awake." The hand that was cupping my face belonged to a woman, robed in white silk and wearing a silver crown. Her face had soft features and she had a kind of radiant beauty that made her seem to glow. She had an ever so slight smile as she rubbed my cheek. "You should get up, there's someone who wants to see you."

"Am.. am I dead?" The woman gave a light snicker at my question.

"No my dear child. You are alive as ever. All will be explained soon, but first, you have to make yourself presentable. You're a complete wreck. Bathroom is the door on the left." With that, she exited through the door on the right. Looking around the room, it was designed in a kind of greco-roman style, (though to be honest I'm not exactly the most well read when it comes to architecture) with soft light coming in through the windows.

Heading to the bathroom, I relieved myself on a toilet that seemed to be made of bronze, hopped in a ridiculously large bathtub and scrubbed myself with a vanilla smelling shampoo. It was at that point that I noticed my legs weren't broken, as they previously were when I had fallen from the bee. They were wrapped in silken bandages, which I removed to wash my limbs. They felt... alright. The entire experience was confusing. Especially after I had been in so much pain. After falling in the river, I still had a lingering ache that took a while to dissipate, but this time around there was no trace. I wanted answers, and according to the mystery lady, I'd have them soon.

Once I left the bath and dried myself off, I got out of the bathroom and went through the other door, out into the hall. The lady was waiting there.

"Good, you're presentable. Follow me please."

She lead me through the stone halls of what seemed to be a very large castle, eventually arriving at a large pair of bronze double doors. She opened them, revealing a throne room. It was a rather standard throne room. Red carpet down the middle, a pair of silver thrones at the end atop a small pedestal. Seated in the larger of the two was a man wearing a flowing black robe. He had a gold crown with two long curved spires, almost like horns, and his eyes glowed with green fire. He held in his hand a large, two pronged fork, and his face wore an unreadable expression. He had a goatee, and his very presence held an air of power.

The woman walked to the other throne and took a seat beside him. She smiled at him, and for a brief moment, he smiled back, before turning his attention to me.

"Griffin Petras, more commonly known as Griffin North. Do you know why you're here?" The man asked. Here I am, in the underworld, in a castle, a big one, with a very 'god-king' looking guy. Looking at the situation, my brain finally snapped out of whatever haze it had been in and actually worked the way it's supposed to, allowing me a realization.

'Holy crap, it's Hades and Persephone.'

"I believe I asked you a question Griffin, and I grow impatient waiting for an answer."

"N.. no, I don't know why I'm here!" Crap crap crap. Persephone seemed nice enough, but Hades is friggin scary.

"Really? I thought you were on your way here to ask me something." He narrowed his burning eyes.

"I was, but I never made it here, so I don't know how I got here." I quickly blurted out. I may be used to Celestia, Luna and Cadence being all willy nilly, but the Greek pantheon didn't fuck around. Okay, actually, they fucked around a lot, but they were always really serious when it came to matters involving mortals. Mostly because they had power and mortals didn't, so they wouldn't put up with any bullshit.

Hades stood and slowly walked over to me, till he was standing right next to me. Is it just me, or did he get taller all of a sudden. Like, a LOT taller.

"Well my boy, that'd be because I rescued you." He pat me on the back and smiled warmly. This was turning out much different than I had anticipated.

"Uh.... wanna run that by me again?" Something, when he said that, something about his words seemed to, fit, strangely.

"I'm the god of the underworld. I know of everything that takes place down here. I saw you got into a situation you couldn't handle, so I came to your aid."

"I.. uh, I understand that, and I'm really grateful but, both you and Persephone have called me 'my boy' or 'my child'."

"Well, that's part of why I brought you here, to explain some things, though before I can get to that, you need to have a history lesson. Come with my to my study."





When we arrived in his study, which was more like a giant library with a fireplace and some couches, he motioned for me to take a seat on a couch, while both her and Persephone took a recliner.

"Griffin, by now you must have figured out who I am."

"Yes, you're Hades, and she's Persephone." I spoke meekly.

"Oh come now my boy, there's no need to be nervous. You're our guest. Try and relax."

"Um, okay." I replied anxiously and I laid down on the sofa and tried to release the tension I felt.

"Let me begin. A long time ago in ancient Greece, Zeus slept with a mortal, who gave birth to a boy who came to be known as Hercules. Zeus didn't particularly care, as he slept with whoever he wanted and to hell with the consequences, but Hera was rather upset at this. So, she set about making Hercules' life miserable. Did whatever she could to hurt or kill him. Eventually, the other gods got ticked off that Hera was tormenting the poor boy, and were furious that Zeus did nothing about it because 'I'm the king of the gods, blah blah blah, I can do what I want.' So, Poseidon and I went to our dear brother and told him to smarten the fuck up and take care of his family."

Hades' story had to be the most informal explanation of ancient history I had ever heard. Well, I suppose it was a personal account, and he did have a rather sentimental attachment to the events. Still, It just gave me this feeling that he was a cool guy.

"Zeus then decided that, in order to protect his son from Hera, that the gods could not interfere with the lives of demigods or their descendants. Of course, this payed off for him as well because it meant he was bound by his own law to have nothing to do with his own son. This infuriated the other gods who had mortal descendants because they couldn't even raise their own children."

"That's... kind of an asshole move, if I may say so."

"Go ahead and say so, your uncle IS an asshole. What's he gonna do about it, send you to hell? Too late! Hahaha." He laughed again.

"Um... wanna run that by me again?"

"In a minute. Now, the gods didn't have any way to keep watch over their mortal children, so they set about finding other ways to protect them. Achilles, shortly after birth, was dipped in the river Styx. This awakened his divine blood and made him invincible to all but godly weapons, everywhere except the heel by which his mother held him. Once a demigod reached the age of one, their Olympian parent had to leave the realm of the living. Now, that brings us to you."

"Um... wanna run that by me again?"

"Please just shut up and listen." I made a motion of zipping my beak. "Good. My daughter, Macaria, who is responsible for 'blessed death', meaning those who die in acts of heroism and the like, grew tired of taking lives, especially of such noble beings, and in turn decided she wanted to create life. Every couple of centuries, she'd travel to a dimension, take the form one one of the beings there, and settle down, have a family. Of course, she'd have to leave when the child turned one, and every time, it broke her heart, but she'd always keep watch over her children."

Hades paused for a minute as though to let what he was telling me sink in. I still didn't have any idea where this was leading to.

"Your grand father met a lovely woman named Marci. She was 'divinely beautiful' and he became smitten with her. They spent years together before they decided they wanted to have a child. They were overjoyed when she became pregnant, and she gave birth to Henry Petras, your father. A year later 'Marci' vanished without a trace, only a note telling her husband goodbye. He became stricken with grief as the love of his life left him and never told him why. He took to drinking, and drugs, and sleeping with prostitutes, and completely forgot the love he held for her and his son. Your father grew up with an abusive, alcoholic father, and that is what he learned, and that is what he became."

I simply sat there with my mouth hanging open.

"There's more. You see, I've been keeping a close watch over all my descendants because unlike Zeus, I actually care about them. And while most of them lead happy lives, yours has been wrought with misery, and because of Zeus's laws, there was nothing I could do about it."

"Um..." I was completely flabberghasted at this point.

"That is, until Discord broke the boundary between the human world and the equestrian one. The draconequus possesses a... unique power... in that he can break the laws of reality. When he tore a hole to bring 'Echo' into the world, he didn't close it, which meant other gods, spirits, and other beings of power could bring their own chosen mortals into the world."

"Wait... the old man in the café!"

"Yours truly. That's the form I often take when dealing in mortal affairs. Easily forgettable. Doesn't leave a lasting impression."

I don't really know what happened next. It was all just a blur. One moment, Hades was just standing there. The next, he had a griffin trying to squeeze the life out of him in a grappling maneuver commonly known as a 'hug'.

"Thank you so much..." I practically whimpered. "Wait... then... back when Malice was in my head, that black fire..."

"That was me. He was breaking the rules, so I kicked his ass."

"I just.. I... Hades..."

"Please Griffin, call me 'grandpa'."
> The Last Sin Inn (50)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


The Last Sin Inn


"Well, Griffin. Now you know how you came to be here." Hades finished telling his story, and prying me off him. I eventually sat back down on the couch.

"I'm sure you have questions of your own." Persephone, or... great grandma, said. "Go ahead, ask."

"Um..." It was an odd feeling, sitting there with not one, but two gods, both of which I thought weren't real and belonged in the mythos of antiquity. Not only that, but having a casual conversation. I didn't really know what to feel, though I did know what to ask.

"You said you rescued me from the hive, what about Atran? Where is he?"

Hades let out an uneasy sigh. "I know that in the short time you've known him, you've become somewhat attached to Atran, after all he is your father in law, but you must understand something, people in the underworld are punished, or rewarded, based on their deeds."

"That doesn't answer my question."

"He's been returned to 'hunted hell', where he belongs. He'll spend eternity being chased and shot, then strung up like a trophy by the hunters. In life he treated others like playthings, used them, toyed with their feelings. He killed countless innocents, or forced them into a life of poverty for some notion of revenge. The only reasons he wasn't thrown straight into the Phlegethon are because of the suffering he was dealt in life, and by his acts of repentance before his demise."

I sat for a moment, taking in what Hades explained. Was Atran truly such a horrid person? He seemed a nice enough guy to me, but I didn't know his life story. What's more, I wasn't about to tell the god of the dead how to do his job.

"Besides, you saw for yourself, he seemed to manage pretty well. Who knows, maybe he'll find a boat or something and cross into a lesser hell, if he manages to avoid the patrols." He added at the end. Did he just suggest... A wink confirmed my suspicions.

"What about Craig, and Nayla, and Lester?"

"Ah, now they're a different story. You see, souls in Elysium are given a choice if they want to stay, or be reborn. Those in the fields of Asphodel, or 'Purgatory' as you know it, live one lifetime, and are then reincarnated as well. Souls in lesser hells have the same sort of situation. They're punished for their sins, but once that punishment has been dealt, they're sent back to the living world."

"So, they'll eventually get another chance at life?" I asked.

"That's how it works. Craig was only sentenced to five years of solitude. Nayla, in life, murdered her husband after finding out he was unfaithful. She was given three lives of hardship, with no memory of the previous ones. You ended her second one, taking years off her punishment. As for Lester, I sent an 'overseer', a kind of demon responsible for keeping track of everyone down here, to pick him up. The overseer came back full of fish hooks and a load of sand in his mouth."

"What about Trixie, or Geirmund? Where are they?"

Hades gave a toothy smile. "Well, that's something you'll want to see. Persephone? Would you mind bringing the boy down to the Inn?"

"Not at all dear." She motioned for me. "Follow me."





As we walked through the halls of the castle, Persephone and I talked a fair bit more. After all, I had so much I wanted to ask, and needed to know.

"Mind if I ask you some things?"

"You're so curious." She smiled.

"Well yeah, otherwise how do you learn?"

"All right, ask away."

"So... if I'm a descendant of gods, do I have any super powers or anything?" She laughed slightly at that.

"Alright, well, first thing you have to know is that having divine lineage isn't exactly as rare as you'd think it is." Persephone began.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, most of the gods tended to sleep around with mortals quite a bit, so, you wound up with a bunch of demi gods. And then they all had children. They're demi gods, they're the ancient heroes. They were famous, and good looking, and charming. They could do it with pretty much whoever they wanted, so when I say they had kids, I mean they had a LOT of kids, and they they all had kids, and THEY all had kids. Around four hundred years ago, about 10% of the population of earth had SOME god blood in them from somewhere."

"Huh..."

"Well, at that point in time, people started exhibiting special abilities. Things that weren't really normal. Things people couldn't really explain. And that's when humans got it in their heads that it was a good idea to round up everybody who wasn't normal, tie them to wood posts, preach to them, and then set them on fire. Or throw them in rivers. Or crush them under stone blocks."

"You mean witch trials?"

"Exactly. Though most of them were complete nonsense, they did get quite a lot of divine descendants. Nowadays, their numbers are bouncing back, but the bloodline is so diluted that almost nothing comes of it. Ever see a guy that for whatever reason, he just never gets sick? Maybe a woman who can talk her way out of anything, someone who simply wakes up looking good, or wins at the casino a little more often than they should? Bingo."

"Huh."

"Well, now that we've got that covered, you're a bit fresher than those long line descendants. You've got a quarter god blood, half of it from me, the other half from Hades. From him, you got a couple things. You've used hell fire before, haven't you?" She asked,

"Yeah. It was kind of just a 'hey, that would be cool' idea, thought I'd try it out, and it worked. When I tried to teach it to the crew, they couldn't do it." I replied.

"Well, hell fire is something that belongs to him, so his children all inherit it. Nobody else can use it."

"Wait, Fia used it too!"

"That's right. Her great, great, great grandmother was another of Macaria's children."

"I see."

"Other than that, have you ever noticed that despite being frequently set on fire, you've never been seriously burned?"

Thinking back, all the way back to the time I first arrived in Equestria, now that I think about it, when I was fighting 'Blacky' I probably should have been burned a lot more than I was. When I first used hell fire, I panicked and tossed myself into the ocean, but  I didn't really get burned by it. When I was experimenting with the condensed air projectile spell, it blew up in my face all the time, but I never got more than singed feathers...

"What about before I arrived in Equestria? And why didn't my dad ever show any signs?" We exited the castle through a large pair of double doors with a pair of giant guards in black iron armor standing watch. They saluted stiffly, the ground rumbling slightly as they clacked their heels together. When I say giant, I mean 50 feet tall giant.

"Well, Earth has a lot less magic to it, to the point that if you didn't know what you were looking for, what it felt like, or how to use it, you'd be blind to it. There used to be more, but again, humans went about disposing anything with an ounce of magic in it for the sake of purity. As for your father, he was always so deep in the bottle that he couldn't focus enough to use his abilities, so not even I know what they are. Possibly an indestructible liver, since his drinking habit probably should have killed him by now."

"I see." We walked down a large set of stone stairs into a valley that rested below. Off to the right, I could see a peaceful looking field with a large iron fence around it. Tall strands of wheat were swaying in the wind, a gentle breeze washing over them that I could feel even from my position. I ruffled my feathers, slightly opening my wing so I could get a better feel on it.

"Onto your previous question, I've only told you what you inherited from your great grandfather. As for me, or my mother Demeter, that has yet to be seen. You haven't exactly been trying to grow crops."

"Yeah, well, I haven't really had time to try that." I rubbed the back of my head and cringed a bit.

"You should try it some time. It's relaxing. You need to do that more, or you'll wind up stressed out like my husband. In any case, we're here." At the fence, there was a large building that looked like a rustic hotel, the words 'Last Sin Inn' hanging on a sign outside. Both Persephone and I walked up to the doors. I could hear loud, raucous laughter pouring out from within. She motioned for me to go inside, and I followed her directions.

"WELCOME!" The moment I took my first step through the door, I was pulled inside by a multitude of limbs belonging to all sorts of creatures. I immediately had a mug of beer crammed in my claw, a cigar shoved in my beak, and a rather well endowed woman wrapping her arms around my neck, stroking them with a gentle touch.

"Come come! Newest arrival! Come, sit! Let Zaria fill you in!" I let the cigar fall as I was swept to the center of the room where a Zebra wearing what looked to be a priestess garment sat atop one of the tables, smoking a very long pipe.

"I am Zaria! I am pleased to welcome you to Last Sin Inn!"

"That there's Zaria! She's been here the longest out of all of us! Tell him the story! Come on!" Shouted a boisterous griffin.

"I, am Zaria!" She began again as the everyone on the floor hung on her every word. "I, am a ZEBRA!"

"OOOOH!" Everyone oohed. I get the feeling they're all plastered.

"I was a priestess of the zebrican god of vengeance... MALICE!"

"BOOOOO!"

"When the time came for my death, I used aaaaaaannncient soul magic to switch myself with a spider! For the next four thousand years, Malice have angry lady spider trying to bite his head off!"

"AAAAHAHAHAHAHAH! Oh no!" The griffin from before laughed so hard he busted a gut. Literally. His stomach and intestines fell out onto the floor. "Stiiiiitch! A lil help here?" He shouted. A woman who's skin was all sewn together like patchwork stood up from her seat at the bar and with a scowl on her face smashed her mug over his head, knocking him out.

"Yeah yeah..." She said with a voice like leather. "Alright, lemme see..." She pulled out a needle and some thread, then started shoving his innards back into his abdomen before sewing the hole up.

"So, Zaria asks, what brings you to this place, Griffin of irony?" The zebra turned her attention back to me.

"I'm looking for Trixie and Geirmund. Are they here?"

"EH! Zrixie! Geirzgrund!" One of the patrons slurred. "The grzzin erver's er werts teer ser ya!"

"Alright, erry body make room! Hey! Zaria say move your asses! And not just donkeys!" The zebra shouted. The crowd split apart somewhat, letting a pair of familiar ponies through.

"Griffin!"

"Trixie, Geirmund!" The two of them ran up and we all had a big group hug. After they died, I never thought I'd see them again. "I'm so glad to see you!"

"Heh, didn't think we'd see you down here. Don't tell me they got you too?" Trixie asked.

"What? No, I'm still alive! I got tossed down a well and I made my way here."





We had some catching up to do. I recounted everything that happened to me since we were separated. Apologized to Trixie for eating her. She said it was fine, she didn't need her body any more anyways. And her soul wasn't all chewed on, she looked whole, other than a stitched up scar on her chest, from where she got impaled by that shard of rock. Geirmund looked like his normal self, though he said that under all the steel is a load of stitching keeping him together.

"So, now I'm trying to get back topside. I don't really know how much time has passed, I'm just want to get back to Gilda and my son. Oh geez, I don't even know his name yet! I really hope they're okay."

"Um, Griffin. I, uh, I think I have some bad news for you." Trixie began.

"Huh?"

"I mean, you got tossed down the well pretty much right after we died right?"

"Yeah. So?"

"Thing is, time down here in the underworld actually moves at the same pace as time in the living world, for the most part. And, well... Geirmund and I have been here for six months already."


"......WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!?"

"Crap! Six months! That means that it's the start of fall, late September? Gilda has been raising our son all alone for six months!"

"Griffin, calm down. Everything will be alright."

"No, it won't! I've got to get back topside! I will not miss my son's first birthday. Hell, I've probably already missed his first steps, maybe even his first words! I've got to go!" I took a deep breath to calm down. "Wait, you can probably come with me. Back to the living world."

*Zap*

Suddenly, I was back in Hades's study.

"Sorry, I'm afraid I can't do that." The man himself said with a glare.

"What? Why not?"

"Listen Griffin, I know how important Trixie and Geirmund are to you, but you must understand. They're dead. They can't go back. If they return to the world of the living as they are now, not reincarnated, but as spirits, they'll throw off the balance of nature. That, and they'd be miserable." Hades spoke sternly. His mood was no longer the jovial tone of a grandparent, and the fact that he had teleported me right to his study to have this conversation told me how seriously he took the subject.

"But they..."

"No. No Griffin. Can't you see they're happy here? The Last Sin Inn is a wonderful place, at the edge of Elysium. They drink, dance, and make love freely. They laugh, cry, and tell stories of the hardships they overcame. It's not truly paradise, but it's as close as one can get without getting lost in bliss. Only under extremely exceptional circumstances can the dead ever be allowed to leave the underworld."

"I... see."

"Now, Persephone isn't here, so, I'm going to tell you something she doesn't know about, something she likely wouldn't approve of. Don't go telling her, or I'll spend the next thousand years sleeping on the couch. She's a HUGE stickler for rules. Especially ones that can't be broken."

"Uh?"

"I mean rules like life and death. Now listen alright? Just as I brought you to Equestria, I also brought you to the underworld."

"What? Why?"

"The three fates reside here, where they forever weave the fabric of life. Your thread was supposed to be cut. As was the thread of the fox, Fia. Back at Ancientwell, you were supposed to kill each other. Obviously, that didn't happen. The armored titan of a diamond dog who tossed you down here, Ringo, was acting on my will."

"I don't understand."

"Then shut up and let me finish explaining, okay?" He sighed. He wasn't angry, he just seemed... exasperated. As though he was tired of dealing with all this. "Ringo was a great hero who did great things, but was slain by his comrades who then set about bringing the griffins to the sad state they exist in today. He was so desperate to make things right that he left the paradise of Elysium and begged me to allow him to return to the living world, to make things right. I allowed this on one condition. That when the time came that my children were in danger, he'd cast them down the well he dug to make his escape from this realm. Even before you were born, I knew it was your fate to die fighting your cousin, and she to die fighting you."

"So then... you saved me?"

"I did. And, I also broke the rules." I remembered my encounter with Malice, how Hades had been furious that he had 'broken the rules' and the spider payed by having his web torn asunder. "The rules that prevent gods from interfering with the lives of their mortal descendants. Secondly, I changed fate. You and Fia were supposed to die, but you didn't. That's because I abused my relationship with the three sisters to find out what they had intended for you. Third, I willingly allowed a soul that belonged in my domain to return to the world of the living as an unkillable specter. Once the dead leave my realm, they are beyond my power. If Ringo had been corrupt, it would have been disastrous."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"So you know why I can no longer help you. You sent Ringo back here when you burnt him with hell fire, so that ties up at least one loose end. The thing is, I've been helping you subtly this whole time, in ways the other gods wouldn't notice. Do you recall back at the temple, with the giant spider? The sword you just so happened to name after me conveniently wound up in the perfect position to block the spider's fangs, even though you couldn't see where they were coming from and could barely move when tied up in that web? What about when your body was wracked with withdraw symptoms, and you were nowhere near a doctor? How you just 'figured out' you needed dragon blood?" He's right. I always thought that was kind of lucky how it just 'happened'. Or how I learned magic just by chance, or came up with the hell fire spell because 'I just wanted to see if it'd work'. Or even the black river dreams, while they may have been foretelling me falling in the Acheron, at the time it told me what I needed. It wasn't just happenstance, it was Hades doing everything.


"The most recent one being in the wasp's nest. That's why I didn't bring you here immediately, I had to convince Zeus to let me do my job in 'returning a living person to the world of the living' and that this wasn't me just bailing you out again. Countless instances have occurred in which you should have died, but I've been ever so slightly plucking at the strings of fate. I'm telling you now that I've done this, the others are going to be keeping a closer eye on me, and I can't do it any more." Hades explained.

"So... you're telling me I can't rely on you?"

"That's right. It's also why I had you come to the underworld in the way that you did."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you remember how I told you that the gods would protect their mortal children by alternative means, with Achilles being dipped in the Styx?"

"Yes."

"You spent three months completely immersed in the Acheron. I know it hurt. I know it was painful, and soul crushing, and nobody should ever have to live through that. That's why any soul tossed in that river loses all sense of individuality. But you didn't. You're still whole. Any magic used in this realm, besides my own, is suppressed. Once you leave here, you should find yourself quite a bit better off. Achilles became invincible to all but god forged weapons, and he was a demi god. You're only one quarter, but you spent far longer in a river. Not even I know what will arise, or when. That depends on you."

"You mean, all that time I suffered, you knew, and you wanted that? The reason my son is growing up without a father, the reason Gilda is raising him all on her own?"

"I know I know. I'm the god of the dead, I have spent an eternity dishing out suffering to the wretched souls of my realm, my own grandson is no different, but listen, if I didn't do that, and you left this place, went back to the living world? You'd wind up right back down here."

"How do you know?"

"I've been breaking the rules, remember? Manipulating fate? If Persephone found out she'd have a field day! Not to mention what would happen with the other gods. Zeus would come storming down here, Poseidon would flood the place, it'd be a huge mess. The point is, I know what's going to happen next, and let me tell you, what you've been through is nothing compared to what is coming."

"... Persephone is right. You are stressed out."

"No shit. Well, now you know everything I can tell you. The tallest spire of the castle leads to the lowest chamber of the city of Sheol. If you go through there, you can make your way back up to Equestria. I'll send you back to the inn now. You may want to say your goodbyes."

"Wait, just like that? I'm just leaving?"

"Well, did you WANT to spend more time in hell, or do you want to get back to your girl and son? The underworld is no place for the living."

"Point taken."

"You may not understand it right now, and it may seem like I've been cruel, letting you suffer needlessly, but every single thing I've done has all been for your benefit, even if it doesn't seem like it."

"So, why then? Why are you going through so much trouble? Why are you jeopardizing everything by breaking the rules, putting up with all this shit, just for my sake?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Hades asked. I shook my head no. "It's because you're my great grandson. I love you, idiot."
> Babi, plz stahp, plz, don cri. (51)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Babi, plz stahp, plz, don cri.



=Gilda=


It's been... three? months since Seth was born, and he just... he won't stop. He just... won't... stop. I feed him, I burp him, I wash him, a sing to him, I stroke his fur, and his downy fluff, I make faces, I nuzzle, I do ALL THE THINGS GOOD MOMMIES DO. I took him to the doctor, and apparently, there's nothing wrong, so why then.... why won't he shut up? It's been... three months? Three? Or is it four? Longer? I don't know. I've lost track of the days, no real point in knowing what day it is, or when day is, or night, because it's not like I sleep. Sometimes a whole day goes by and I don't even notice it's gone.

I'd ask someone to babysit, but I just can't bear to let Seth out of my sight, for even a second. Since Griffin isn't here to protect him, it's dangerous. What if someone comes after him, and I'm not here? Can't risk it... can't risk it.. Griffin was supposed to be here to help. Why..? Why isn't... why here, not he, him not... him gone?

"Seth... shh... shh... mommy's here...mommy's here... mommy's hair? I have no hair! I pulled it all out!.... or did I not have hair to begin with? Right... feathers, I'm a griffin... where's Griffin? Hush little baby don't say a word... momma's gonna buy you a mocking bird, and if that mocking bird don't sing, mamma's gonna buy you a diamond ring, and if that diamond ring turns brass, momma's gonna haul off and spank your ass..... WHAT AM I SAYING?"

When was the last time I slept? When was the last time I ate? The answer... the last time Seth fell asleep. When was the last time Seth fell asleep? I... don... kno...


*Knock knock knock*

"Hello? Ms Oro? Gilda, are you there?"

I moved to answer the door, Seth in my arms. On opening it, I saw the doctor... Doctor... horse...'n sumthing.

"Oh... come on in... Docotr.. hrmarurml" I mumbled his name, cuz I really just couldn't remember it at that point.

"I'm just here to follow up on Seth's checkup. Aww... look at the cutie." As I looked down into my arms, Seth was fast asleep. "Hey there little guy..." I immediately clamped my claw around the doctor's muzzle, gripping it so tightly as to draw blood as I held it shut.

"You.... noises... make.... no.... You make noise, I kill." Seeming to take the hint, the doctor ever so slowly backpedaled out the door, closing it without making a single sound. I carefully crept across the floor of my apartment, my whole body twitching as I tried not to disturb the bomb I was carrying. Ever so gently, gently, gently..... I lowered the screaming monstrosity into a soft, comfy, warm, safe crib, with pillows made from my own feathers so he'd still feel like I was holding him and still be able to smell me so he wouldn't freak out the second I set him down. Gently, gently.....

The instant the tiniest tip of his tail touched the bed, his eyes opened wide, and for a moment, I swore they turned black as the darkest pit of hell as he took a great breath in preparation, and let out an ear piercing wail. I was overcome by a sudden sense of bliss as I simply set him down in his crib, walked away, and crawled to the couch before letting myself pass out.





I don't know how long I slept, but when I awoke, I had the feeling something was distinctly wrong. My eyes jolted to Seth's crib, Seth's empty crib, before darting to the window I had so carelessly left open.

"Oh MY GOD NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" I jumped up from where I lay and ran around the room frantically, screaming my head off in a panic before in my frenzy, my gaze fell on the couch I had just been laying on, and there he was, stretching himself out. While I slept, he had crawled out of his crib, over to me, up onto the couch so he could lay by my side. I slowly walked over to him and nuzzled him. "Seth, please, don't scare me like that again..."

And, right as I said those words, the little shit had the nerve to hold up his claw, put a single talon to my beak and say 'Shh', before curling up and falling back asleep.


> Welcome To The Swamp (52)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Welcome To The Swamp



=Griffin=


When I suddenly found myself back in the Last Sin Inn, Everyone was still waiting there for me, though they didn't seem particularly worried that I had vanished in the first place. I found Trixie and Geirmund again so I could say my final goodbyes.

"Listen, guys, I've gotta head back topside and... well, I can't bring you with me."

"Ah heck, we already know." Trixie replied. "Besides, it's not all that bad down here." She motioned to the everlasting party taking place. "Sure, I guess I'll miss being alive but it's all right. We're taken care of real good here."

"Griffin, ven you return to ze land of ze living, pleaze, tell my wife und daughter zat I love zem, und dat I vill vait for zem here." Geirmund added.

"Will do. I'll miss you guys."

"Bah, enough mushy talk, go!" He scolded, and I walked out the door where Persephone waited.





"Well, have you done what you came to do?"

"Yes. I have. I'm ready to go back."

We returned to the castle where Hades waited. Persephone seemed none the wiser as to our little chat earlier, and the pair showed me to the tallest tower, where the castle connected to the living world. Hades withdrew a key ring, each key a bone carved to a different shape, as we approached a gigantic steel door with enormous gears on it, and about two dozen keyholes. With a wave of his hand, each key jumped off the ring and flew into a slot, all turning at once. My ears were filled with the grinding of gears as they turned, massive steel deadbolts sliding back as the door opened to a dank, dark cavern.

"This is the way back. Once you pass through this door, you'll be out of my realm and on your own." A reminder to our previous conversation that he could no longer protect me. I nodded and passed through the gate, which creaked and closed behind me, leaving me in pitch blackness. I could see nothing, not even my own talons in front of my face.

"Lumen." Rummaging around my makeshift pack for the gem I had previously pulled out of my stomach, I cast a light spell to illuminate my surroundings. Nothing happened.

"What? But I'm out of the underworld... the magic suppression effect should be gone." Perhaps it was because I was still too close to it? No, I could feel the presence of magic slowly seeping into my bones, but I didn't seem to be able to use it. Still, nothing to do but start walking, CAREFULLY, and hope to find another light source.

I began walking into the darkness, no idea where I was going other than that I was on a slight incline. At least I was going up. How long I wondered in the pitch black, I don't know, but it gave me some time to reflect as well. Here I was, crawling my way out of the underworld, just as Fancypants said I would, but my experience brought me to think on my actions.

Up until Ancientwell, I may have fought and killed, but it was always enemies. Soldiers, fighters, people who wanted to harm the innocent. I was seen as a hero by many, though I was hated by just as many. Every soldier has family. A mother, father, sister, brother, daughter or son. Every life I took, regardless of justification in doing so, left behind those who would mourn, and hate me for taking their loved ones away. I thought I had come to terms with this, accepted it as just a part of trying to change the world, and that sacrifices had to be made.

And then Ancientwell happened. To get at me, they took my family. It wasn't even an act of hate or revenge, but a strategy, something I'll admit that if I was in their shoes, I would have done the same thing. A means to an end. If they succeeded, and I had died right there, would it have meant an end to the infighting? Would they have let my family go? Thinking back on it, I could have probably ended things with proper negotiation, but that was never my strong suit. It's just that with the deaths of all the cats except Nadene, and then Geirmund and Trixie's deaths which I suppose weren't exactly intentional, but the result of using explosives to clear the tunnel, it just hit too close to home. And then? I'm ashamed to admit it to myself, but my morals went straight out the window.

I knew that causing that flood would likely kill more than just soldiers, it would take civilians, honest, hard working folk who were innocent of any crime except for those of their leader, whom they had no power over, but in that moment I just couldn't bring myself to care. It's easy to just sit back and look at it from afar, to think 'well, these people died', but what about those who remain? What will I do if an orphaned child comes to me, his eyes burning with hate, or if I'm confronted by mourning parents who cause a flood of their own with their tears? I can't apologize to them. After the things I've done, saying 'sorry for your loss' would be the worst possible insult. I put aside my guilt at the time so I could act in desperation, in order to survive, but now as I crawled through the bowels of the world, in absolute darkness after having suffered in hell, it still hadn't began to affect me. I was more worried about what would happen if I came face to face with people I'd wronged. Would I feel something then? Would I be just as cold as I was in that frozen mountain, or would I break down at seeing their pain first hand? I just didn't know. Why didn't I feel the guilt I know I should? That begs another question.

What of the afterlife? When I eventually die will I get what I deserve? Up until Ancientwell, I'm certain I'd have a place in paradise but after what I did there I'd be more likely to find myself back at the wasp nest. Or would I be exempt from punishment because of my lineage to Hades? Had I already 'served my time' having been in the river of anguish and suffering with the bees? Even if I had, that still wouldn't bring relief to the living. Had news of my 'death' spread? Were they keeping it quiet? Does Gilda know? I knew the answers about as well as I knew what was in front of me, walking through the dark.

As I traveled, ever so slowly, I began to see shapes in the shadows, hear voices from the walls. Horrible, wretched figures and haunting noises. A pair of eyes watching from the edge of my vision, blinking out when I turned to watch them, the sound of creatures scrabbling around in the dark.

"It's just hallucinations Griffin. It's just hallucinations. It's dark and quiet, there's nothing there. When the brain lacks stimulus, it creates it's own input to avoid stagnation. It's just like covering your eyes and wearing headphones. There's nothing there. My voice and steps are echoing off the walls, creating auditory feedback. There's nothing there. Nothing... there.

I lost track of time as I slowly walked through the tunnel. Eventually, following the slightest breeze of fresh air, I spotted a glimmer in the dark. Rushing towards that faint light, I stopped being careful, tripped, and landed flat on my face. Since I didn't have magic, I didn't have a protect spell, and it really fucking hurt. The moment I stopped being absurdly careful, I had gone and hurt myself.

Rubbing my sore beak as I slowly walked into the light... because I wanted to give my eyes time to adjust to the change in luminosity and not because I was afraid of smacking my face again, I found myself climbing a set of stone stairs. My slow slight upwards incline turned into a drastically quick ascent. As I climbed further and further, I became more aware of my surroundings. The stone stairs I was on was a truly massive structure, set in the middle of what looked to be an abandoned underground city. 

Rather than being built into the rock, this place seemed as though it had been built above ground but sank into an enormous cavern from above. The buildings had roofs and windows, as though they needed shelter from the sun or a way to let fresh air in, things that weren't required, and would not be part of the design of a city meant to be underground. That, and clearing away all the stone would have required a titanic effort, which was why diamond dog warrens were a series of tunnels connecting caves together, not some vast empty space with structures built into it.

At the top of the staircase I could see sunlight seeping in. Careful not to fall, I rushed up the stairs, eager to once again re-enter the world I had known.





"*Huff.... Pufff.... Hufff....* If we were meant to climb stairs.... *huff* Why did god invent elevators?" I may not be THE most physically fit, but I was certainly up there, at least before going to the underworld, and yet this staircase was kicking my firm, well toned flank. Once again I looked to my non-existent left wing and growled. Ember took the first one, Fia took the fake one. Life is infinitely easier when you can fly. I really need to find a way to either regrow or reattach limbs. I get injured far too much to not have one.

I FINALLY reached the top, excited to take a deep breath of fresh air, to fill my lungs with the gentle breeze that I had been denied in the dusty depths of the earth and underworld ever since I entered that blasted cavern in the north. I closed my eyes as I reached the top, emptied my lungs completely, and took in a great breath of air.

And then I fell over hacking, coughing, and trying to plug the nostrils in my beak with my claws. I had been working on not swearing, especially the 'not using a name in vain' thing to avoid invoking the ire of any particularly powerful beings, but dear Celestia, Luna, Discord, Cadence, Zeus, Posidon and Faust, that was HORRIBLE. I struggled to prevent myself from vomiting as I looked out at just exactly what I was breathing in.

"Swamp. It's a fucking swamp. *Hack* Ugh..." For a moment, I backed up, thankful for the dusty, non fermented air of my enclosure. Taking a strip of cloth from my bags, I made a makeshift face mask to try and block out the clearly poisonous gas that had the audacity to pretend it was oxygen and stepped back out into the light.

"Ugh..." The gas stung my eyes as well. It was definitely a swamp. Looking at where I was, I stood upon a Mayan-looking stone temple. Like the kind where they cut people's hearts out. Though, it looked a lot newer than the city below. In fact, there were many other buildings about as well, all half sunken into the muck.

'It's just like Venice. Slowly sinking, they keep building more on top of it until that sinks down too. But who are the builders? The place looks abandoned. Maybe they all left eons ago when they realized it was pointless?'

It was hot, smelly, dirty, and unsuitable for any form of civilized life. I didn't see any douche bags, so it couldn't have been New Jersey, but it wasn't far off. I was already tired from my trek up here, so I decided to take a rest inside where the air was breathable. I had a feeling I'd need to be in top shape if I wanted to make it out of the swamp, which meant sleep, something that had been eluding me for quite some time, other than the forced unconsciousness I had become unpleasantly accustomed to.
> Muck (53)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Muck


I was awoken by a horrific scent choking the stale air from my lungs. As I desperately covered my mouth with the strip of cloth from before, making the mask, I looked up the steps to see a wall of dust billowing about at the entrance to the sunken city. The wind had changed, catching the entrance and kicking up all the dust that had settled. It was sunny when I had gone to sleep, and I could feel the strange way the air caught my feathers, even indoors. It was cool, with a faint dampness to it.

"A storm. Great. I better set out now. I don't know the local weather patterns. I can't wait it out, it might last for a whole season. Gotta try and beat the storm." If I had both wings, I could just fly up above the clouds, maybe grab a couple to take a break on as I flew, but once again the 'flight' option was denied. Coughing as I left the relative safety of my enclosure, I saw the rolling black clouds off on the horizon, with a hazy miasma of swamp gasses hanging over the ground, the sunlight came through muted and dull. I hadn't had any sort of schedule for the time I was in the underworld, so I was at least grateful to have some manner of telling time properly. I stood for several minutes and watched as the sun suddenly shifted about 15 degrees to the left, like a clock hand ticking, which meant I was facing north, which meant that given the landscape telling me I was most likely in the Black Marsh, was the direction I needed to go. That's also where the storm was. Most likely they were unruly clouds on the Equestrian border under watch by the weather patrol, but not under orders for dissipation.

If I was to get home, I'd have to go through the storm. Granted that didn't seem like the best idea, but I didn't really have any other options. I could run out of food if I tried waiting, and I didn't fancy my chances of finding something edible in the toxic muck. I walked to the bottom step of the temple structure and took a tentative step into the gunk. If this goop was in such a state that a whole city could sink into it, I'd have to be careful. I think that was my final reason for apprehension. I knew how to survive in a tundra, or a desert, or a jungle, but I knew next to nothing about swamp living other than, 'See dis ere gayta? We gonna cook em, an we gonna eet em'. Seeing as how I lost my gun back in the hell hive, and it didn't have much ammo anyways, I wasn't liking my chances of going toe to toe with a croc, much less a hydra, something I knew for a fact lived here.

Gently I stepped onto the muddy earth, my claws sinking into the ground, I stepped slowly to see how far I'd go. Thankfully, there was some solid ground underneath, so I could walk out. I spent maybe five minutes carefully walking through the marsh to make sure I didn't sink into it, and got all of twenty paces from the stone steps.

"This is taking way too long." On that note, I decided that the swamp, while liquid enough to sink an entire stone city over the course of several hundred, if not thousand, years, it was solid enough to hold the weight of one griffin, so I took off in a run. Of course, it was at that exact moment that I came across a spot where it was particularly deep, and plunged into the disgusting filth.

"Shiii-*sploosh*" Despite the fact that this was a deep hole filled with water, because of the fog and the slimy film atop the surface, it looked just like any other ground I was crossing. I swam to the edge and gripped the muddy ground to try and pull myself up, but it just gave way as I put my whole body weight on those points to try and lift. That, and it was quickly congealing around me, much like quicksand with a bit too much water in it. At least I knew how to handle quicksand.

Laying myself out flat, I used my wing, which was mostly free of the goop, as an oar to paddle myself to the edge and kind of roll out of the muck rather than lift myself out. That worked much better. I had already spent twenty minutes, and I wasn't more than a stone's throw from the temple. I briefly though of turning back, but the storm on the horizon destroyed any possibility of that. If the ground was this hard to traverse in this condition, it would be downright impossible after a storm. Making it through the swamp would mostly be a matter of luck in not coming across any deep spots. Well, either luck or divine intervention, which Hades had pointed out I would no longer being enjoying the benefits of. That really sucks because this would be one time that I could REALLY use some otherworldly assistance. So, my third option was intelligence. I knew next to nothing about swamps in general, but maybe I could figure some things out along the way.

As I spent the next hour or so walking to the edge of the half sunken city I made sure to vary my path. Walk near the buildings, walk far from them, walk a kind of middle distance, and at varying paces. From this, I noticed three things. The first was that those deep watery pits tended to be mostly right next to the sunken buildings. Makes sense. The heavy weight pushes the land down, which then fills with water during a downpour. If I stayed away from the buildings, it was mostly solid. Secondly, even staying away from the water pits, the solid ground still had a layer of thick mud which made my paws and claws sink into it, which required significant effort to pull myself out of, like a rubber boot stuck in the mud. Third, swamps have bugs. A LOT of bugs. Like, mosquitoes as big as my head. I had to dive into one of those disgusting pools just to avoid being exsanguinated by a swarm of the things. This had some surprising benefits. Firstly, if I coated myself in the same gross film, the bugs couldn't bite me, though it did smell terrible and being covered in mud made me significantly heavier, so combined with the strength sapping effect of having my legs stuck in the mud I was left exhausted by the time I reached the exit.

One other thing. Despite being covered in mud making it impossible for the bugs to bite me, that certainly didn't stop them from trying. Wherever I went I had a swarm of the damn things just waiting for me to dry out so the muck would fall of and they could drink me dry/give me AIDS/lay their eggs in my carcass. Now, just because I know these disease ridden things were waiting to kill me doesn't mean I flailed about like a maniac, shouting, trying to swat them. No, it was the incessant buzzing that caused that.

They kept swirling and swarming around me. One landed on my eye, causing me to wince as the delicate orb was trodden on by insect feet. They crawled all over me, buzzing around me ears, crawling into the nostrils in my beak, trying everything they could to get at the yummy griffin caked in mud. I dove into a deep pool, but when I rose, they were still there, just waiting for me.

"Stupid bugs, FUCK OFF!" And suddenly, silence. When I opened my eyes, there was not a mosquito to be found, and the ground was scorched for at least a couple hundred feet. The wet mud had dried, and there were little wisps of smoke rising here and there. "What the... I didn't cast a spell. Why am I... so... zzzzzz." I passed out right there, buried up to my chest in a hole of dried mud.





I was awoken by raindrops splashing off my beak. I blinked my bleary eyes as I tried to remember what happened, when a crack of thunder off in the distance snapped me out of it. "Uh... wha?" The edge of the storm had just reached the city. "I must have fallen asleep. Gotta... grr." Luckily, my arms weren't buried that deep in the mud, so I was able to pull them free rather easily. Unluckily, talons are not meant for digging, so I had to spend another hour trying to get my lower half free enough that I could climb out of the hole. Even though I had just woken up, I was already exhausted from my efforts, so I took to opening the second last jar of honey I had in my sack and downed it. Of course, considering my beak was full of mud, the honey tasted like dirt. I didn't have any cereal left, because the swamp had completely ruined the boxes, so all I had to go on were the sealed jars. Even more reason to get moving.

I took off to the north as quickly as my feet would carry me. Over the scorched swamp land it was easy, but all too soon I reached the edge of the burnt patch. Continuing on from that point had me spending a ridiculous amount of energy just trying to pull my feet up to take the next step. The storm drew nearer still as the downpour became heavier, the little pools filling with rain water as it came down. I took the opportunity to crane my head to the sky and open my mouth, letting the clear water wash the dirt and filth out from inside, followed by taking a proper drink as well. I couldn't trust the water down in the muck, so rain would have to do. It began to wash me off as well, relieving me of the earthen burden I carried caked to my fur and feathers. That's when I heard a groan.

My eyes scanned the terrain, searching for what made the noise, when I spotted a small bubble a little ways away. Then it grew, and grew some more. The bubble kept rising and rising until it popped, showing that it contained a hydra head within. It thrashed about erratically before I realized something. The hydra was dead. The motion came from the multitude of rats that were busy stripping the flesh from it's skull. Soon after, the rest of it's body came to the surface, performing a similar motion as it was shredded by the ravenous rodents.

The rats themselves squealed and shrieked in delight as they had their fill, then in terror as various other bog creatures came to have their piece of the kill, and ripped off chunks of the larger animal, rats and all, and swallowed them whole. Alligators, some kind of large toothed fish, vultures, all mashed together in some kind of twisted feeding frenzy where everything was a meal and everything fed on one another, leaving a mess of blood, bone, shredded meat, mangled feathers torn hides.

I stood there simply mesmerized for quite some time, part of me wanting nothing to do with that fustercluck of feeding, while the other, hungry half wanting to get in there and be a part of it. At the very end, once all the predatory animals had been torn apart, the scavengers came in. Vultures, who let their braver brethren enter the fray first, swooped down to pick at the remains, a snake or two came by and swallowed some of the smaller corpses whole, then swam off, content to wait out the storm. Finally, as all those who remained had their fill and left, I realized that the trifle I had eaten earlier wasn't nearly enough to satiate myself. That, and the fact that I had just watched several dozen animals eat their fill had, in some primal way, made me feel hungry as well.

I slowly approached the corpse, finding that a good chunk of hydra neck was left untouched. Glancing around to be sure that nothing was waiting for me to look away before pouncing, I crept up to the beast and ripped a chunk of flesh off in my beak. Trying to disregard the horrible slimy texture, the fact that it wasn't cooked and was probably disease ridden given the landscape and just how many things had bitten into it, I swallowed the bits whole, noting the lump in my throat as they went down. Taking a few more bites, I continued northward, just as I heard the howling wind of the storm.






=14 Days Later=


A griffin stood with his talons wrapped around a particularly venomous snake, keeping its toxic fangs away from him as he ripped it in half, swallowing the latter bit whole. He had not slept in a very long time. How long, he couldn't remember. It's not that he wasn't tired, but he knew the moment he laid down to rest in this god forsaken swamp would be the moment some predator came upon him. He couldn't allow that to happen. He had a task of great importance to complete. He had to keep going north.

Even as the thick mud sapped his strength, he watched the other animals that were better suited to that environment. The snakes, crocodiles, hydras, lizards and the like. They slithered on their bellies. He did not. He sank in the muck, they did not. Soon, he came to slither along just as they did, paying no mind to the filth he was wallowing in, how it seeped into every crevice, in between every feather and hair. He was so coated in the muck that even the endless swarms of bugs no longer seemed to bother him. The frogs were coated in mud too. When the bugs came near the frogs, the frogs would snap them up. So he began to snap at the bugs when they came near. It was a free meal, one that took next to no effort, and let him continue on his journey, ever north.

As he walked, his eyes constantly jumped too and fro, hunting for any sign of danger, or his next meal. Shadows danced in his vision. He kept telling himself 'They're hallucinations brought on by a lack of sleep. My subconscious mind is trying to process what's around me through dreams, but it can't because I don't sleep, so it's freaking out and making me hallucinate, that's all it is, thats all it'... ooh, mosquito *chomp*." Eventually, he just stopped talking all together. Seemed like a waste of energy since there was no one else to talk to, and any noise he made simply alerted any predators or prey to his presence. The only things his mind had room for were 'I can eat that', 'That can eat me', and Go north'. Never mind remembering how to tell which way north was. Several times he got hopelessly lost, or maybe he was heading the right way all along. The swamp all looked the same.





=40 Days Later=



A couple of ponies were enjoying a nice lunch outside as they watched the leaves fall. It was nowhere near Ponyville, so they had unicorns change the season instead of some backwards tradition of a several mile long race. No, Stillwater was a forward thinking town, if a little quiet. They had none of the crime of Stalliongrad, none of the hustle and bustle of Canterlot, the shazam of Bitsburg, or the country bumbkins of Ponyville. No, it was a nice place to eat a nice lunch of carrots and beans.

"Flora, do you hear something? Like a kind of growling?" Asked the stallion.

"No Honey, I don't." Honey Cruller was the stallion's name, though she called him honey because she thought he was sweet. "Maybe it's your stomach. Stars know you've only been eating doughnuts lately." She giggled.

"You're right. Well, I did agree to eat healthier, so, lets dig in before these steamed veggies get cold."

Without so much as a single word of warning, the table and chairs went flying, separating the pony couple. The one let out a terrible shriek of fear, while the mare rolled to her hooves, trying to find what dared interrupt her date with her stallion. The table top had broken off, their food had spilled on the ground, and some mud covered creature was busy gorging itself on HER steamed vegetables.

"Back! Get out of here you brute!" It didn't happen often, but on occasion a wild animal would wander out of the swamp or adjacent jungle, though they never got this far in town due to the superb guard presence. How this one had managed to make it to the city's heart was a mystery, though she knew what to do about it.

Thinking quickly, she swiftly bucked the creature in what she believed to be it's head, only to fall flat on her back as it didn't budge. The thing turned, dripping muck all over the ground as it positioned itself atop her, opened it's... beak? and roared in her face. Spittle flew as she got a clear look down it's throat, chunks of half dissolved meat and greens stuck in it's teeth and a maniac look in it's eye, before it turned back to eating.

The guards showed up quickly and began using stun spells on the beast, though they seemed to have no effect. "It's protected from the shocks by the mud! Hose it off!" The commander ordered. Immediately there was a spray of water on the beast, drenching it, making the layers of gunk melt away and revealing the horrible beast underneath to be... a griffin. Horribly malnourished, despite the fact that it seemed to eat it's own weight in food every day, the guards hit it again with the stun spells, this time finally bringing it... him... down.
> Medical (54)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


=Medical=


=Doctor Exotic=


A challenge! A challenge! A mare of my experience has been without a challenge for decades! As Equestria's premier specialist on exotic species and diseases, I've seen it all! I can diagnose, prescribe and administer treatment for all manner of ailments. So when Stillwater called me in because they had a feral griffin, I was not amused. I was looking for some kind of mystery disease that would require months of research and tests, not an intestinal worm and malaria cocktail. Still... the fact that he was in that swamp meant it may be something new and interesting meant it was worth coming.

"Doctor Exotic, thank you for coming. I know you're busy and that time is important to you..." The nurse at the front began.

"Then why are you wasting mine? Just hurry up and show me the patient already so I can get this over with."

"Um... right this way."

The nurse showed me to the secured wing of the hospital, to a room that was under watch by a pair of unicorn guards.

"He is under guard?"

"Well, the rest of the hospital staff haven't been able to get near him to properly diagnose, and active stun spells can give false readings on tests, so we're pretty much sunk. That's why we called you in."

"Alright, fine." I grumbled. They couldn't even get near the patient. Amateurs. I turned to the guards. "Out of my way, let me see him."

Pressing my face against the glass, I could see him ravenously devouring anything even remotely edible that the staff had in the room. When he finally ran out of food, he began rasping his claws rhythmically against the tile flooring, as though anxiously awaiting his next meal. His stomach was bulging from his gorging, yet he still looked hungry.

"Alright, let me in." The guards opened the door and allowed me inside. The patient immediately made a move for the door. When I stood in his way, he growled at me, his tail whipping to and fro behind him, likely a distraction technique set deep in his predatory instincts. When he made a move for the door, I planted my hoof on his forehead and looked him dead in the eye.

"Sit." His pupils turned to pinpricks as he immediately planted his rear on the floor, still like a statue. I pulled open his eyelids to look, placed a hoof along his neck to find his pulse, moved down his side to underneath his one wing, then began rubbing his belly, which prompted him to turn over and lay on his side, letting me get a good look at the underside of his tail. Finally, I gave him a quick once over with my horn, just to be sure. With that, I left the room and spoke with the nurse.

"Just as I thought. He has intestinal worms, which is giving him a ferocious appetite, despite being so malnourished. Judging by his rapid eye movements, despite being awake, he probably hasn't slept in a while, probably fear based adrenaline keeping him awake so he wouldn't get eaten by predators. Either that or the buzz of insects annoyed him into consciousness. He's going crazy for vegetables because he probably only ate uncooked meat out in the swamp, which is how he got the parasites to begin with. He also has minor joint shakes, gastric inflammation, yellowing in his eyes, which tells me he's got the first stages of malaria. Put him on a biltricide and standard antimalarial drugs, give him supplemental vitamins with a protein rich diet, and some mild muscle relaxants. He's far too tense to sleep. After that he should be cognitive. Try to get in contact with his family once he's able to tell you who they are, and in the meantime get him some socialization therapy. He's been alone for some time. Give him some real food, a safe place to sleep, and someone non threatening to talk to. He'll snap right out of it."


"Thank you Doctor Exotic." The nurse went to shake my hoof, but I backed away.

"Don't touch me, you have fleas. Does the hospital have my billing information?" The nurse nodded, then started looking frantically in her mane for the aforementioned parasites as I walked out of the hospital with a sense of pride, even if it was just a run of the mill double infection on a feral one winged griffin.

"Damn I'm good.... wait... one wing?" The markings, the face shape, colouration... "Oh yes. When he comes out of it I'll have some questions of my own for Mr. North. No rush however. Plenty of time."

"Dr. Exotic? Are you alright? You're talking to yourself."

"Hush, I'm a genius, you don't get to talk."


=Griffin=


Several days passed after the strange doctor told me to sit and I felt oddly compelled to obey. Each day I was given three warm meals, (with pills cleverly hidden inside them, you think I didn't notice?), and had one of the nurses come in to talk to me or sing a song that was supposed to be soothing, something I couldn't enjoy because for some reason my magic escapes me and I don't have a protect spell. If the nurse decided to stick me with a needle, I couldn't stop her! Who knows what's in those things? Medicine... or a deadly poison! I've seen the dirty looks she gives me, like she's disgusted by my very existence. Like the fact that she has to use different protocol because I'm not a pony is such a burden, and she's got to put up with it. Without my magical shield, I felt... naked. At any time the nurse could come in and make me take unknown medicines. Then there was the strange doctor. She was a completely different story. She had some way of... controlling me, and I didn't like it one bit.

Unfortunately, I didn't lose my memories of my time in the swamp. I remember those bugs, and the rats, and eating half rotten meat, and crawling through the muck with a sense of purpose, sometimes forgetting what that purpose even was. I remember feeling totally and completely lost. I remember being up all night, curled into a ball in a shallow pool of muck as I rested my body, my mind denied the same relief as I constantly searched for danger, prepared to jump up and run for it at a moment's notice. Above all, I remember the stench, like sulfur mixed with skunk, vomit, and decay.

As harrowing and painful as my experience in hell was, my two month journey through the Black Marsh, which would have taken less than a week if I could fly, had worn on my psyche more. Was this the result of no longer having Hades' divine protection? And that's when I realized it. Everything I had done up till this point, every accomplishment, every achievement, every success had in some way or another been tarnished by the fact that I literally had a god preventing me from failing. Now that I no longer had that defense, did I even know what I was capable of anymore? Could I do anything on my own?

I think that's what was the scariest. Through every hardship I had been lead by the hand, like a parent leads their child across the road, and suddenly without warning, it was gone. I know I was paranoid before, and that was with the god of the dead looking out for me. Now, everything was a threat. Were the nurses secretly assassins hired by some pissed off noble who'd lost their estate because of me, and the pills meant to 'heal' me actually dangerous? Probably not, considering that I'd been taking them for two days before I came to the conclusion that they MIGHT be toxic, but they could be some slow acting poison meant to make it look unrelated. The very notion of that gave me a lump in my throat that prevented me from swallowing them, so I wound up hiding them in my beak and discreetly disposing of them through the toilet.

The thing is, would I have been better off not knowing I had divine protection? Obviously it was gone, but if I didn't know it was gone, or had ever been there in the first place, I wouldn't be panicking like I was now. But Hades told me it was gone, and given that he had manipulated the fates so he could know the future, that meant for me to survive, he knew that I had to know that I couldn't rely on the serendipitous events that I'd become accustomed to without even knowing what they were, which meant he WANTED me to be on my guard against any perceivable threat, which meant that being extremely careful was the right thing to do... wasn't it?

"Hello. Griffin?" I don't know how the nurse knew my name, I never told it to her. Further proof of conspiracy. "I've brought your food." She set it on the small table in the room. Unlike every other time however, she didn't leave. She stayed and began to talk. "Listen, I know you haven't been taking your pills." Shit "You need to take those to get better." You haven't even told me what's wrong with me, if anything. "You're very sick. Because you haven't been taking your pills, I have to give you an injection of a stronger medicine."

She pulled the needle from out of her bag, it's sharp point gleaming in the indoor lighting and a horrific, sickening smile on her face. At that point I became convinced whatever was in that needle was NOT medicine. I screamed as I flung myself against the far wall.

"What? It's just a little needle. It'll be fine." She tilted her head on the side, going farther and farther till it made a disgusting crack, slowly walking towards me with the tip of the instrument pointed forward.




"̫̥͕̝̦͓̱̫͓͖̎́͐ͥͧͧ̀̒̂ͧͅD̤̪̹̩̖̬͍͉̺̯̮͛ͨ̔̓́ͥͮ̂̋͂̈ͧͮ̀̿̈́̚ͅo̬̙͔͎̩͈̞̬̣̼̪͔̞̤͚̓͊̍ͯ̄̽̉ͩͬͦ̃̚̚n͚̰͙͙̩̆͛̆ͫ̏̓̂̈͊́̌̚'̫͇̰̳̼̗̥̣̪̥͚̖̰̫̥̞ͮ̈́̔ͥͫ̐̓͑̑̈̀̈́̿̽ͧ̚t̮͕͓͍͉͕̼̳͓̝͔̹͖͙̘̲̘̘̂͂͂̈́̆ͧ̂ͦ̒ͅ ͈̜̘͉͖͇̋ͩͤ͋͆̊͑̌ḅ̣̭̱̮̤̬̠̗̼̫ͧ̉̂ͦ͒ͤ̈́ͤ͒e̹̞͈͉̫̗̳̳͇̫ͦ̃ͬͬ̓͌̎̓̃̉ͮ̆ͨ̏̅̽ ̠̖̻̬͎͔͔͕ͫͥ̒̏̔͛s̹̖̞̲͍͖͕̺͕͖̪̓͂͑ͫ̐ͮ̑ͯ̓ũ͔͖̹̭̜̱͉̟̫͇̞̄ͯ̏̑̿ͯͭ͐̌̔̐͆̓ͯ̏̊c͍̙̤̣͔̹̝̙͎͚̼͈͑ͫ͗͊ͮ̿ͧͬ̚ḧ̺̳̘̫͙̥͔͖̘͉́͌ͫͦ̊͆̍ͨ͒̎̈̋̿̚ͅ ̮̬̭͔ͤ̂ͣͨ̈ͦ̅ͦ̍ͪͫͦͮ͛̓̀͒̀ͫa̜̣͍̫̦͉̲̣̭͚̤̫̤̬͖̻ͥ̉͊͐ͮ̒͂̚̚ͅ ̜̻̠̳͇̟͎̙̆ͬͤ̓͌̇̽̓͆̃ͅͅd̯̤̮͚̫ͣͬ͌ͧ̍̈́ͬ̄͗̚r̗͎͔̫̪̝͖̻̩̝͍̯͚̟͉̆͌̎ͮͦ̂ͪͪͬ̇͗̔͛ͯá̗̰̗̘̱̞͚̗̝͙̮̪̫̓̓ͣ̀͌͒̐̽͋̄́̆̿͊̃̚m͈̻͕̟̯͎͈̩̲̯̬̟̞͇̦̭̤ͬ̓ͮ͆̋ͯ̏ͤͧͫ̏̌͋̉̚ͅå͔̪͕͕͖̣̘͌ͮ̒̂ͥ̇̏ͯ̈͆̚ͅ ̥͍͖̼̯͖̭ͣ̀ͮ̆͂ͤ̑ͪ̇ͯͤ̑ͥͯ̋͗̓̈́q͓̻̥̳̜͖̥̭̙̈̂̔ͭͭͯͮ̈́ͭ̔̊̒ͯͣ͂̓̌͑̚ͅǘ̝͍̜̖͚̎͂̅ͬe̦̳̣͓̠̼̝͍̰̦̤͍̲̞̥̣͂̂ͬ̀̑ͥ̅ͯͦ̂ͭͦ͒̀̈ḙ͉̥̣̗̺̘̣̞ͯ̈̒̌̽̃̌͆͒̍̊͛͒̽n͖̪̤͓̦͎̻̭̳͕̼̲̼ͯ̈̑͛̾̋̅̋̓͐̚.̤̣̘̗̭̻̠͓̹̲̬̯ͮ̓́͂͂ͨ̅͌̚"̟͚̺̣̪̳̐̔̔͆̔͛̿͆̓ͨ̒ͬ̈́  "She hissed in a mocking tone.   ̠͍͈͍͕̻̭̘̦͇̗͕̯̥̖̘̖̬ͮ̍̌ͥͭ̇́ͮͮ̌̓ͦͩͮͥͅJ̠̣̩͕̬͎̘̩̮̞͚̪̝̪̮̮̫͉̈́ͦ̉̂͌̓u̥̯̮̳̯̖̰̻͎̦͓͎ͥͩ̂͌̾̈s͓͖̩̻̹̻̣̯̹̻͔̘̬̯̻̿̿ͫͩ̏͂̈̈́ͤ̃͋̇ͣ̂͋ͤ̅ͅt͖̱̦͎͉̦̮͙̺͓̰̳̯ͯͧͮ͑̎ ̹̘̗̝̤̙̙͈̪̤͙͈̩̯̱̟̠̤̥̏̉̊̈o̜̺͚͕̞͕͇͇̒͐ͩ̄̀̀̊ͪ̒͗̒ͩ̒̈́n̗̹̖̱̻̥̣̮͖͍͌̓͒͊ͥ̽ͣ̾̿̐̃͂̊̇̏͂ͬ̓ë̥̜̟̳̻̥̲͔̩̗̪̼̪̦͓͇̺̦ͮ̈ͭ̔ͪͯ̇͊ ̬̹̮̗̲̰̩̫̹͇̱̮̬̙̩̫͙̈̂ͫ̄͌̔ͨ̈ͥ̓ͅͅl̝̥͈̟͈̦̮̪̖̮͓̗̘͎̯̮̤̘͌͗͑͛ͮͮ̈́̈́̒̎͒̚i͉̻̣͓͓ͧ̀̉͛́t̥̮̹̗̗͖̜̹̪̹̲̮̘́̏̆ͥ̐̄ͮ̓ͪͨͨͥ̇̔̅̄̚t̳͍̮̱̙͂͂ͮͦl̗̝̼͕̩͎͙̬̣̲̙̊̄̓̋͒ͨ̊ͧ̄̎̉̈́ͨͦͧe͈͖̦̦͔̣̐̆̑ ̙̱͚̖̝̜͍ͤ͑͒̈̈́p͔̣͕̟̩̮͕̬͕͚̠̣̯̉ͮͯ̐ͫ̽̏̀̾̑̆̽ͫ͆̓̏̓͊̚r͇̭͔̞̪̥̘͙̩̬̞͉̳̳̥͚͓̩͙̓̽̔̀̀͊̀̃̐ͥi̲̜̩̹̰͍̠͙͓͕̻̳̎̓͑ͩ̄̔̑̽̓ͫ̑ͅͅc̘͓͈̝͙̣̑̋ͨͭ̈͑k̪̗̝̩̩̥̼̻̬̟̰̝̹̤̍̔̾̅͂ͅͅ,̙͓̦̙͈̹͖̲͚͗̀͋̋͑ͮͨ ͙̩͍̫̬̠̗͍̣̖̟̲̻̩͙̥͔͇͓̈́͋͋̆͋ͨ͛ͭ̈̾̓̊̂a͇͇̱̖͉͉̹͇̩̩̹̝͔̞̍̎͂̏̍ͬ̒̒ͤ̚n̳̗̥̩̭͙ͯͮ͌̎ͫ̊ͮͭ̾̊̂̇͊̓ͤ̇̐̎ͫd͇͚͖͓̝͍̣͔͈̎ͪ͐ ͙̜̦̺̜̻̼͔̭̮̑ͦͭ̓̔ͣ͂͒ͪ͑̄̄̑͐̆ͮ̎͆̄ị̤͖̗̄̓̄̾̅ͦ͐̿̈͌̑̓̀ͩ̈̐ͧt͔̜̺̗̊͒̽ͦ̏͋͋̍̔͑̿̆͊ͨ̋ͣ'̞̺̲̫͚͙̺̦͎̫̯͚̺̳̯̘͚̩̏͗̆͐ͪ̉ͫ̔̂̈́̚l͕̜̲̦̩͕̞̦̜͉̙̦̗̯ͦͪ͌ͬͮ͊l̘̳̥͚̘̗͕̼̜̰̹̙̬̺̜̱̜͈͉ͦͫ͗ͨ̚ ͖̣͔͍̰̻̩̣̻͔͎̫͎̰͓͙̬͕ͣ̃ͪ̚b̼̰͓̘͉͔̯̱̣̺̖̙̳̰̺̱̽͆̐ͅe̬̣͎̙̹͓͗͂̄ͣ̎ͣ̄̄͊̉ͦ̓ ̜̻̯͙͙̳̣̖̳̼̦͎̣̑ͥ͗͐̈͂̄͊ͥ̚o̙͙̱̙͇̰̥̦̥̗̝̘͙̙̞ͭͦ͑̐ͮ̓̓̾ͧ͛̉͋̊ͬ̏̌͑ͅv̤͙͍͕̪͚̻̘̥͍ͣ̿͌ͪͩ͐͒̌̋ẹ̠͙͚̳̱̖̘̺͎̟̱͇͎̬̝͌̒͋̀̀̃͐̿ͮ̃r͍͙͇͎͙̜̯̗̼ͣ̔̑̊ͤ̔̈̎̓.̦̪͙̫͕̘̱͚̼̜͌̋ͯͯ̀̃̾͆͐ͣͫͬͯ̌͒"͖͚̻̺̻̪̼̥̳̓̆̄̑ͬͥ́̈̒͐͑̄ͥ̈͛ͤ̋̐





Just one little prick, and it'll be over! She's gonna kill me! I ran past her to the door she came in through, locked as always, and began pounding on it to try and escape. 'If only I had my magic.'

"Come back, you need to take your 'medicine'. Hehehe..." The door wouldn't open. I turned my back to it and faced the clearly demonic nurse. The only thing to do was call for help, but I couldn't manage the words. All I was capable of was a horrific, ear splitting scream.






I was surprised to feel a wetness falling down on me. Had the sprinkler system gone off or something? When I opened my eyes after my shriek the nurse appeared normal, having dropped the needle in order to cover her ears. It was also raining. I could tell because there were black clouds in the sky that pegasi were jumping on, and I could see that from my secure, windowless room because it was now missing three walls and a ceiling.

"Geez! If you were that afraid of needles you should have just said something! Hpmf!" The nurse walked past me to the door like nothing happened. "Security! Please escort patient 342 to room 361." When the security guards came and asked what happened, the nurse replied, "I've decided to use the two years of vacation time I've saved up. See you in six weeks." When they came into the... 'room' they looked at me in shock. They began asking each other what could have possibly happened and when they turned their expectant eyes to me, I said the first words I had spoken in over two months.

"Oops."
> I'm Running Out Of Names For Chapters. (74>X>31)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


People Are Never Satisfied, Least Of All Myself



=Gilda=


As soon as I heard the news, (and after Feeding and changing Seth) I packed us up and headed out to Stillwater. With Seth in a 'babybackpack' so I could carry him around comfortably and still focus on flying, not having to worry about things like him climbing out and falling to his death. Hopefully, since the bag was all snuggly and warm, he might go to sleep. This would mean I wouldn't have to listen to him cry as I made the hour long flight from Wingsconsen to Stillwater.

The flight went without incident, which I was thankful for. Another blessing was that given his reputation, it was decided to keep his return a secret. Only the hospital staff, myself, and Equestrian royalty knew. I was sent a letter detailing all this once they were able to track down my address. It wouldn't do to have the press swarm him, to say nothing of those who mean him harm. He wouldn't be able to defend himself in his current state.

That line of thinking brought me to another conclusion. What about Seth? Now that Griffin was back, he'd obviously want to be a part of his life. The problem with that is if he's still being targeted, it could be like Ancientwell all over again. People coming after us to get to him. What would be the best course of action?

On arriving at the Stillwater hospital I showed the desk attendant the letter, and she directed me to room 361, which was on the third floor. As a hospital guard escorted me, I noticed one of the rooms we passed had suffered significant damage and had a some construction equipment set up around it. When the security guard spotted me looking at it, he simply stated 'Don't ask.'

Before I entered the room the nearby nurse spotted me and gave me some instructions.

"First off, try not to be too loud or make sudden movements. He's awfully skittish. He must have been through something downright terrible, but he won't open up to any of us about it. Other than that... you may want to leave the baby out of the room for a couple minutes while you see him."

"Not a chance. It's been over half a year since Seth was born, I think it's been too long already. I'll keep him in his sleeping sack till it's time."

When I entered the room, I saw him for the first time since he stayed behind so I could escape. I set Seth's bag down as I moved closer to Griffin. To say he looked terrible was an incomprehensibly large understatement. The strong, fit, clever griffin I was used to seeing was shriveled, pale, and looked to be at the end of his wits. The mass of boundless muscle had given way to skin hanging loosely over bone. The only indications that it was really him were the missing wing, the colour pattern, and the wild look in his eyes he got whenever he was ready for a fight.

"Griff?" He sat there, paying me no mind at all. "Hey Griff?" He still sat there. "Hey! Dumbass!" His head snapped as he turned to look at me. Instantly, his eyes lost their wild ferocity and became soft, tears threatening the corners.

"Hey..." In a movement so quick I didn't think it was possible for someone in his condition, he wrapped his arms around me and held me close to his chest. I could hear the rasp in his breath, and could feel his entire body shaking.

"You're okay..." He whispered.

"Yeah... I'm okay. I got out okay. Um... it looks like you didn't do so good yourself."

"It hurts so much Gilda. It hurts." He moved a claw to clutch at his own heart. "I tried so hard, and it wasn't enough."

"Shh.. it's okay Griff... it's okay. You're back, and that's all that matters. The sooner you can get out of this hospital, the better, but, uh... the nurse told me you haven't been taking your pills. I know it's hard to trust, but you need to take those to get better, okay?" He winced. "Listen, you have to promise me you'll take the pills. They say you've got malaria and intestinal worms." I held up the first of his pills. "This one is for the malaria." I held up the second. "This one kills the parasites. You... gotta take em to get better okay?" My own eyes were watering over. "I don't want you to leave again. Promise me... promise me you'll take them."

"O... okay... I'll... take them."

"Good. In that case, I have someone I want you to meet." I moved back from Griffin and brought the sack out in front. I opened it to find that Seth was just waking up. The tiny little puff ball of downy fluff and fur yawned adorably and stretched his little arms, rubbing his big, steely eyes before crawling out of the sack. "This is Seth. He's your son."

Seth simply sat there on the floor, looking up at Griffin with big eyes, while Grif quivered in place. Ever so slowly he brought one claw forward, trembling like an earthquake as he reached ever nearer. He was just close enough to feel the edge of Seth's downy fluff when the little guy opened his mouth wide and chomped on his claw.

Griffin looked to the sky, opened his mouth wide and let out a shout so great it blew the corner of the hospital room clean off.




Once Seth released his father's hand, and Grif calmed himself, he looked at his gremlin of a son, smiled, and scooped the youngling up in his arms, giving him a great big hug. With a tear in his eye, (Not sure whether it was from residual pain or from pride) he smiled and said,

"Just like dad..."






"Alright Grif. We've got to go now. We'll come back and visit, unless you're able to leave before we get around to it. We live on 322 First Ave in Wingsconsen. We'll uh... see you then I guess." He nodded and swallowed hard. "Well, we're off I guess. Get well soon."

With that, Seth and I left the hospital. As we flew back home, I couldn't help but think on Griffin's condition. He'd always said he'd go to hell and back for us, and here he'd actually gone and done it. He'd literally gone to the underworld where he'd suffered unspeakable torture, all for me. I don't know what's worse. The fact that I wouldn't do the same for him now that I had Seth, or knowing that if it ever came down to it, he'd do it again. I couldn't help but feel that I'd be the death of him.

> In Which Griffin Laughs At The Absurdity Of His Own Life (53+pi)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Because Misery Loves Company



=Griffin=


I was laying on the bed in my new hospital room, since I couldn't exactly stay in the old one after I broke it again, which brings me to the million dollar question. What the HECK is happening to me? I couldn't use my magic in the swamp, but when I got pissed off enough at the bugs everything just burned. It had to have been me. In my first room when that clearly evil nurse was going to inject me with something, the room was just gone, and now with Seth, I blew the corner off the room. I can't use my magic the way I'm used to, and then things happen when I'm not even trying.

Seth. I have a son... I... I have a son, and he's adorable and I just wanna squeeze him! And what if the thing happens again? What if he gets hurt? What if someone else tries to hurt him? I was so focused on getting back I hadn't even considered what would happen when I did. After the display at Ancientwell, would they leave me alone out of fear, or hunt me down with even greater persistence?

One thing at a time. Deal with my magic problem, then find out what my public image is like. Thankfully, for the first one I wouldn't have to wait long.


It was another couple of days and admittedly, I was feeling better. I was putting weight back on so apparently the intestinal worms had been killed off by the medicine, which was not a slow acting poison meant to kill me without raising suspicion. That's when she came back. The strange unicorn doctor with a cadeceus as a cutiemark, the one who made me sit like a dog. She didn't bother knocking and just walked into my room, making me back away instinctually. Not just her presence caused that reaction however. It was the maniacal gleam in her eye, the same one I'm known to get when I'm being particularly devious. It was predatory and directed straight at me.

"Ah, hello." She spoke in the voice of a pony, while her face was that of a hungry animal, desperate for a meal. "I am Doctor Exotic. We've met before."

"You made me sit." I told her. "I don't want to sit."

"Well then I have good news. Since you're no longer a rabid animal you can do whatever you want, on one condition..." She tapered off.

"And that is?" She was suddenly right in my face, the raw determination returned in full force, like the very strength of her will commanded obedience.

"Tell me... what is wrong." She said with desperation. "I know there's something else, something the useless doctors here have no clue about, something that is confusing you as well, something related to why two hospital rooms have been destroyed since my last visit."


"Um... I can't control my magic."

"Yes! Yes yes yes! Finally! Difficulty with magic control is something only unicorns experience. Griffins and pegasi don't have to worry about any of that. If they did, they could fall right off a cloud. No no, out of control magic is something only unicorns can have, because they're the only ones to truly 'control' it to begin with, but YOU have it, and you're not a unicorn. Now, there may be some strange correlation due to your previous use of dragon blood and your magical training regime, but I'll have to do a full aural scan to be sure." She rambled on with clear excitement. She pointed her horn at me and I found myself covered in a golden glow. "Yes, yes, aha, yes, alright, now, how exactly is your magic misbehaving?"

I pushed her head away from me, interrupting her spell.

"I don't recall giving you permission to run any tests." I stared at her.

"Ah, good cognitive ability, not many catch that one, it's fine, I already have all I need." ... just how efficient is she? She wasn't running the spell for more than a few seconds. "Now, what trouble are you having?"

"When I try to use magic, which I've used countless times before, nothing happens. Then in a time of emotional strain, some completely unbidden effect takes place. Burning half an ancient city sunk in a swamp, blowing entire walls out."

"Mmm hmm, and what magical phenomenon have you encountered recently?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Please, it's common knowledge that you were dropped into the underworld. EVERYONE, not just everypony, knows about that." Well, at least that answers the question of what my public image is like. My image is Dee-Eee-Dee. Ded. Well, not for much longer, though I can't tell what the reaction will be. "The underworld could be a realm very like, or unlike, our own. At this point, anything could exist there without our knowledge of it. Considering I know you were there, you could tell me it was filled with Celestia's rump and I'd believe you." Exotic replied to my sass with a complete and well thought out argument... of sass.

"Fine." I relented. "I was in the underworld, the entire area acts like a null magic field meaning it takes incredible effort to do anything magically. I took a very long swim in the Acheron, the river of pain, ate some underworld food, and was pumped full of an agonizingly painful paralytic toxin by a hell bee." I began gasping for breath as I recounted the things I'd been through. The memories came flooding back. I shut my eyes tight to block out the thoughts when I felt a strong hoof on my forehead. Suddenly my mind went blank, and I no longer felt the tension of those memories forcing themselves to the surface.

"In any case, I'm not entirely sure what any of that did to you, but I can show you what's going on right now. Come with me to the sink." Dr Exotic instructed as she removed her hoof from my head.  I followed her over to the nearby faucet as she reached into her doctor's bag and pulled out a piece of paper. Not good paper either, the really cheap, lined, '500 pages for 50 cents' kind, then used it to make a paper funnel, and passed it to me.

"Hold the funnel under the tap." I did so, and she turned the water on to a gentle trickle. "This is what you are normally doing when you cast spells with your gemstones. This is the normal magic flow of anyone who isn't a unicorn, and you're forcing it into a delicate frame to guide it to the effect you want." I nodded to show I understood. She turned the faucet up to about a normal flow.

"This is a unicorn's magic flow. A lot stronger. See how the wimpy funnel can't hold it? Even with your gem casting, most unicorns just stick with their horns. These gems may not require much effort to use for a non unicorn, and unicorns have enough magical control to 'dim the lights' so to speak." She looked at me expectantly to see if I understood. I nodded again.

"Then, this is alicorn magic, like the princesses." She turned the faucet on full blast, making water splash everywhere, filling the basin faster than the drain could empty it. "Without an incredible level of control, it just goes all over the place. Finally... that brings us to your magic." At which point her horn lit up and covered the entire sink. With a grunt of great exertion, she pulled the entire fixture right out of the wall and chucked it across the room. Water shot straight at the ceiling from the exposed plumping, going everywhere and soaking both of us for quite some time until a very large puddle appeared on the floor and the water pressure subsided, leaving the stream coming from the broken pipe as a slow trickle. She gave a huff after having put forth such an effort and turned to look at me.

"THAT, Griffin, is what your magic is doing. It's far too wild to be contained within a measly rock. The only other magic I've seen that's even remotely similar is Discord's, and even then there's more different than there is the same. From what you've told me it seems to build up and then react on raw emotion. If you have any hope of controlling your magic, you'll have to get your feelings in check first. Know what you want, and don't feel rashly."

"Could you simplify that? What do you mean by 'don't feel rashly'?" I asked.

"Let me put it this way. Magic is directly tied to your will. If you want a specific effect you either need to know a specific spell to make it happen, or have so much magic to throw at it that it happens of it's own accord. The problem with the second form of casting is this. Let's say there's someone you care for, but at the moment they're annoying you. You want them to just go away. Well, your magic decides to make that happen and outright obliterates them. You wanted them gone, and now they're gone. Request satisfied. Blasting the buck out of them was the simplest means to reach that end, though obviously not the most preferred. When unicorns get angry, a lot of times they just toss a beam of raw magic at the target of their frustrations. It causes injury, the severity dependent not on their talent, but on their raw potential. At a high point, you have far more magic than any unicorn, almost to the level I'd expect to see in the late King Sombra, who used dark magic in a failed attempt to become a god, or as close as he could get. Once it's expended you're drained and don't have to worry about another outburst till it builds up again. Also, consider the fact that you've been starved and sleepless for a couple months and the effect that'd have."


"... you're saying that unless I can get control of myself, I'm a danger to everyone around me." What would happen if I got in an argument with Gilda, or got frustrated listening to Seth cry? I could unwittingly do something I could never forgive myself for.

"Well, either that or find a safe outlet to get rid of it from time to time. Here." She passed me a card with an address on it. "Once you're out of this hospital, go here. I'm told it helps." The card was for some kind of group emotional therapy session.

"No." I tossed the card away behind me. "I already tried something like that when I was in boot camp, and it didn't work all that well. I think I'll just look for an outlet. I would like to get it back in control, not just throw it away, which means I'll have to practice with it."

"Well then, I have nothing more to do here. I'd like to speak with you again once you're back on your paws. I have an interesting proposition for you."

"How will I contact you?" At that, she laughed.

"You won't have to." And then she left. Doctor Exotic is by far the strangest, and possibly least dull and predictable pony I have ever met. Right as she tried to leave however, the guard posted at my door came in, bringing her with him. He spotted the disaster faucet and looked expectantly at the two of us.

"Umm..." We said in unison before pointing at each other. "S/He did it."






After being moved into yet another hospital room while the plumbing was repaired and the room was cleaned up, I was given a few days before I had another visitor, this time in the hue of purple.


"Hello? Griffin?" I heard a call and knock from the door in a voice I had not heard in a very long time.

"Hmm?" I went to take a look and saw Twilight Sparkle's face through the small window of the door.

"When I heard you'd returned I came as soon as I could." She proclaimed. Her statement didn't make much sense however, as I'd been identified over two weeks ago. Did Celestia choose not to tell her till now? Did that mean my return was now public knowledge? "I heard you've been having magic trouble and so I came to see if there's anything I can do about it."

"Well? What are you standing at the door for? Come in." I replied, noticing her hesitance to enter.

"Well, okay, but don't freak out alright?" Why would I freak out? She's one of the few ponies I ever really opened up to. I don't think she could do anything to surprise or bewilder me. That's when she walked in. She was a fair bit taller than before, her horn was longer, and she didn't move quite so gracelessly. Oh yeah, and she had a pair of wings. And a crown. And the guards bowed to her as she entered.

It was exactly at this moment I broke out laughing.

I rolled on the floor, laughing my scrawny ass off for thirty full seconds till I was exhausted from such exertion due to my lack of muscle mass. I rolled on my side and flopped my head against the floor before wiping a tear from my eye.

"This is no joke Griffin. I'm an alicorn now and I've officially been named the princess of magic."

"Pppffffft... more like the princess of purple. Hasbro's making a new toy line!"

"Hey! Wait... what? Ugh, never mind." She grumbled.

"Seriously though. Called it."

"What do you mean... 'Called it'?" She asked.

"You becoming a princess. I called it." I replied.

"How could anypony possibly predict this? I'm suddenly immortal, I have wings I have no idea how to use, I haven't had to deal with politics yet though I'm sure I will at one point, all of this happened in an afternoon. How could you have 'called it'?" And I could have sworn she told me not to freak out when she came in.

I stood up, waved my claws about in front of her like a stage magician and said,

"The machinations of my mind are far beyond pony comprehension. Woooooo! Ghoooooost noooiiiissseeeeessss."

"If you're not going to take this seriously I'll just leave." Was  Twilight's reply. I stopped laughing and sat on the floor, drooping my head.

"Sorry."

"Huh?" She turned around to look at me again.

"I said. 'Sorry. It's just, I haven't laughed in a while and this put me over the breaking point." I replied sadly.

"That's okay." She sat her royal rump on the floor opposite me. "I'm just a little frustrated that nopony is taking this whole princess thing seriously except me."

"Have you ever noticed Twilight?"

"Noticed what?"

"Our lives are absolutely absurd."

"No they're not."

"You spent the majority of your youth cooped up in a library, were suddenly tossed out into the world to purify an ancient evil with your best friends in the world whom you knew for all of a day. From that point on, you've handled crisis after crisis all leading you up to the point where you ascend to what is essentially godhood. I went from a troubled youth with no future to the founder of a new nation, became the worlds greatest destruction mage, then went to hell and lost all of it, and SOMEHOW came out of the pit of eternal torment less crazy than when I went in."

"You weren't THAT crazy before. Okay, before coming to get help yeah, but you were doing really well." Twilight argued.

"And then Ancientwell happened. I envy you Twilight. When the going gets tough, you stick to what you believe in and it guides you through your ordeal. Me? My morals go right out the window and I resort to causing small scale natural disasters. You can see what kind of person someone really is by putting them under pressure. I did not like what I saw, and the worst part is, I'm not even bothered by it. I did terrible things, for what seemed like a good reason at the time. I just couldn't think of any other options."

"Like... what?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"That's fine, but you know that unless you open up, it won't get better."

I took a deep breath then let it out.

"I ate people." I just watched Twilight's everything droop. "I was starving and I couldn't find any other options. And then I caused a flood knowing full well that it'd kill people who weren't even involved, but I did it anyway because I was desperate, and then I made a bloody show of slaughtering my opposition to inspire fear. The things I did were not the actions of a feeling person. They were the actions of a tactician. A cold, heartless strategist. I caused so much pain that I'll never see because they hurt me."

"An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind Griffin." Twilight said disappointedly as she cringed with disgust. "That's a phrase from your world, isn't it?"

"In case you've forgotten, as a human, I had both my eyes ripped out. As a griffin, I had my wing cut off, I went to the underworld, met my great grandfather which wasn't so bad, and nearly starved to death in a swamp. And you know what? For what I've done, I probably deserved all those things, yet I don't FEEL like I deserved any of it. I don't feel guilty when I know I should. I just feel angry. I fought to protect my family, failed miserably by the way, I took drastic action to save myself and still went to hell, and I'd probably do it again given the choice. I feel like there's some deep, underlying lesson that I'm supposed to have learned from this but I can't figure out what it is. I can't ask anyone else what they'd do in my situation. Most people would just give up or die. Aoi would somehow make it out looking like a badass with cherry blossoms falling in the background and Knightmare, wherever the hell he even is, would play a rock song as he danced his way out. Me? The only way I could have done anything more 'evil' in that den was if I started kicking puppies and stealing candy from foals. My situation is totally unrelatable." I sighed as I finished.


"I'd tell you to stop trying to deal with everything on your own but you asked for help and it still didn't work. I really don't know what to say to you."

"I just want to make it all go away. To stop being 'The Griffin' and just be Grif. To raise my son in peace without having to worry about people coming after me or... setting the house on fire if I stub my toe."

"Ah! Yes, speaking of that..." Her tone changed completely. It was clear she was eager to get out of this conversation. "I've brought you some books. Since your magic is acting a lot like a baby unicorn's with how uncontrollable it is, I brought you some beginner spellbooks. They're all written in unicornian though, so I also brought an Equish/Unicornian dictionary." She brought out the spellbook, filled with all those symbols like horseshoes and stuff that I never learned to read.

"That's a very good idea Twilight. I'd at least feel better if I could have my protection spell again, though I have the feeling unicorn shields are harder to do than mine were." She nodded, and then I got an idea. "Actually, since it looks like I'm going to be here a while, can you bring me some more books? I'd like to brush up on some old subjects."

"Of course!" She seemed excited that I wanted to read. That's the Princess of Books for you. "What topics?"

"I'd like some biology books, some books on the crystal empire, and anything about alicorns."

"Can I ask why?" She seemed suspicious.

"Well, I've always liked biology, I even went to school to be in the medical field, but I haven't looked at it in a while. As for the crystal empire, I've only been there once, and I didn't even spend the day, I'd like to learn more."

"And the book on alicorns?" Twilight asked.

"Well, as it turns out, people can just up and turn into immortal princesses. I need to know what to do if I start growing a horn because I am NOT wearing a dress." At my reply, she simultaneously laughed and face hoofed.

"I'll see what I can find." I'll be back in a few days, try and get better okay?"
> Twilight's History Lesson (57)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Twilight's History Lesson



Lesson


As I returned from visiting Griffin, my mind was swimming with questions. How could anyone do such terrible things? It was as Griffin himself said, when he was backed into a corner, everything he stood for, everything he prided himself on, disappeared. Eating someone to survive... well, he is omnivorous, and they might have been dead first. Making a bloody show of his enemies, everybody knew before now that he was violent and he was fighting for his life. Being especially gruesome, while disturbing and disrespectful of the dead, I suppose the fear could possibly prevent more casualties... I mean, maybe? I guess I could see his reasoning... I suppose... What got me was when he said he caused a small scale disaster that claimed innocents. I just couldn't see the purpose behind it. Surely there would have been a better option.

Given my new alicorn abilities it did not take long for me to return home to the library. A series of teleportations to locations I had memorized on the way there meant I arrived in short order and began searching through my home for the books he requested. Finding anatomical compendiums and biological encyclopedias was simple enough. Then I tried finding books on the crystal empire. If he'd asked for that a few years ago I'd have nothing. Given it's return, centuries of history were compiled into several books which I drew from the shelves. I also made him a library card and filled out the information on the requires information on the requesition form so he'd just have to sign it. And then I searched for books on alicorns.

And I found very little. Foal's books retelling the story of Nightmare Moon, and how Celestia raises the sun, and alicorns live forever, all common knowledge. Nothing specific or useful. So, I tried looking for books regarding specific alicorns. For Cadence and Luna, there was nothing. It's as if they didn't even exist according to the history books. Then I came to Celestia and what I found was not what I expected.

While I was searching for the nature of alicorns, what I found instead was an old history book regarding the fall of the Old Griffin Dominion. Specifically one passage held my attention.

Due to pressure from the various clans of Diamond Dogs, Igor Redwing, king of the Dominion at the time, turned his warriors towards Equestria, seeking to regain the resources they lost to their canine enemies from a different source. Thinking Equestria to be weak, they demanded a portion of land, interspersed throughout Equestria, though equal in total to one quarter of it's total landmass, as well as significant resources consisting of food, precious metals, gemstones, and timber. At the time, Equestria did not have the resources to meet their demands. After numerous attempts to diplomatically dissuade the aggression, Princess Celestia herself traveled to the palace of Igor Redwing where the Dominion hierarchy were lodged and defeated them, bringing an end to the 'Old Dominion' and securing peace for Equestria for centuries to come.


All of this I had read before. I knew about that particular event in history which gave rise to a great deal of animosity and suspicion towards griffin refugees who fled after the collapse of their empire. Many believed them to be spies or the beginnings of an army, and in many cases ponykind drove them away, despite them having nowhere to go. It was one of the darker times in Equestrian history, where the kindness and harmony we value so much was withheld simply because of racial differences, something that hadn't been an issue since before Equestria's formation, namely the hatred between the three tribes.

What struck me as odd was the statement 'Princess Celestia traveled to the palace and defeated the griffin hierarchy.' Defeated. So, that suggests she beat them in combat... and then what? It doesn't say what happened to them after. Where did they go? Were they banished? Were they imprisoned? Were they stripped of their titles and forced to live as common folk? What happened? I knew that the only way I could get answers was to go to the source itself. I know I'd been having difficulty adjusting to the fact that I was a princess as well, but I was one, and that meant I could ask my mentor these kinds of questions. So, I went to Canterlot to speak with Princess Celestia.






"Twilight. How nice of you to drop by? Should I put on a pot of tea?" The princess offered on my arrival.

"Actually Princess..."

"Please Twilight, just 'Celestia' now."

"Right... Celestia. Actually, I have a question."

"Very well, feel free to ask."

"What happened nine hundred years ago? Specifically with Igor Redwing and the Old Dominion."

"I see. Might I ask why the sudden curiosity?"

"I was reading through some history books and I discovered a significant lack of accuracy on the subject." I brought out the book in question and opened it to the bookmarked page. As her eyes glanced over the texts, for a moment they shrank to pinpricks before returning to their natural, soft gaze.

"I don't see any inaccuracy." Her reaction tells me differently. "Events occurred exactly as they're written here. The Dominion opened hostilities with Equestria so to prevent a war I defeated their leadership."

"Yes, but that's the part that's unclear. How? What happened to them after that? Where did they go? Who lead the Dominion after it's leaders were beaten?"

"I..." Princess Celestia let out a sigh. "I see. The reason the history book is lacking in those details is because I didn't tell the author. It's something I would rather not speak of."

"I did terrible things, for what seemed like a good reason at the time. I just couldn't think of any other options."
"Like... what?"
"I don't want to talk about it."

"That's an odd coincidence." I replied.

"What is?" The princess asked.

"Griffin said the same thing when I asked him about Ancientwell." As soon as I mentioned Griffin and Ancientwell, Celestia cringed and closed her eyes, looking to be in some kind of emotional pain. "Eventually he broke down and told me."

"What did he say?" She asked.

"That's something private between him and I. If he wants to tell you himself, then that's his decision." She was trying to diffuse the subject by moving it in a different direction. "I'm asking you now. What happened to Igor Redwing?"

Princess Celestia sighed before she began.

"Twilight, you have to understand. The Griffin Nobility at the time were warriors. They understood and respected strength. That's all. They wanted to attack Equestria because they thought we were weak. I had to prove we were strong. If it wasn't them, then sooner or later someone else would come along and attack for the same purpose. They wouldn't listen to reason. They could not be negotiated with." She didn't actually come out and say it, but given her attempts to defend her position it became obvious.

"You killed them."

"Luna had been banished to the moon, I didn't have the elements of harmony so I couldn't turn them to stone or send them away. And they were powerful in their own right. I didn't have any other options."

"I was starving and I couldn't find any other options. And then I caused a flood knowing full well that it'd kill people who weren't even involved, but I did it anyway because I was desperate, and then I made a bloody show of slaughtering my opposition to inspire fear. The things I did were not the actions of a feeling person. They were the actions of a tactician. A cold, heartless strategist. I caused so much pain that I'll never see because they hurt me."

"You... do realize that without their leadership, the griffins had no one to organize them and lost the war, becoming slaves? As of the last New Dominion census, there's eight thousand griffins, with an uncertain estimate of two-to-four thousand living in the wilds."

"I know this very well. Because of my actions, griffins are currently on the endangered species list, but I had to protect Equestria." Celestia shook her head, a single tear running down her cheek. "I'm sorry Twilight, I don't wish to speak of this any longer."

I felt sick. I looked at my mentor with a queasy feeling in my stomach. Is violence sometimes the only answer? Is there truly no other option? I became who I am today because I believe in the power of friendship and teamwork. Look at Discord? Even HE could be reformed... more or less. Griffin, I half expected this from, but Princess Celestia! My own mentor! It was a complete shock, and I was left feeling as though everything I knew about her was only skin deep. Was this why, when I first became a princess, she bowed and said she would be learning from me? Was that her way of privately admitting her own failures? What's more, she was willing to condemn an entire race to poverty and slavery in order to protect her own. I mean, it wasn't guaranteed that would happen, but it was the most likely scenario. What of Ancientwell? After Griffin was through with them, they'd be easy pickings for another clan, or a hungry dragon. Thankfully, Aoi got there first, but did Griffin know? I was left with even more questions, ones that I'd probably never find an answer to.

"Thank you for your time..." And then I left.





Finding no other entries regarding alicorns, I decided that as a unicorn who became one, I would have the most insight on such a topic.



The Nature of Alicorns
By Twilight Sparkle

> On The Nature Of All (58)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


The Nature Of All


=Griffin=


Twilight returned a few day later with the books I asked for. She seemed rather sullen when she came in my room. Something was greatly bothering her. She cheered up as soon as she saw me, though it was likely her putting on a brave face despite whatever her issues were.

"Hello Griffin. Good to see you're taking studying seriously." She remarked at seeing the books she'd brought me previously laid out on the floor as I tried to translate the gibberish horse runes into a reasonable language. Some runes were letters, some runes were entire words, but only if they had a specific rune somewhere else in the sentence, or the next sentence, and directly translated the grammar came out as, 'Yesterday, for eggs I went to the market.' but only sometimes, and sometimes not. It was worse than french verb tenses. No wonder only ancient unicorns used it. So, as you might imagine, it was slow going.

"Would help if unicornian made any sense."

"What? But it's easy!"

"It doesn't follow any sensible grammatical rules whatsoever!"

"Well, that's because the ancient unicorns were... whimsical. They thought it would be better if their writing came out in rhyme." Twilight explained with a bit of a blush. "In fact, a lot of spells are a lyric of some kind you think in your head." Well, I suppose that could be why the grammar is all messed up, because the next line spoke about a cart and where to 'park it'. "That's only the more advanced spells though. For the beginner level spells, you just need to know the right way to direct magic at it, while the advanced ones require both."

"Huh. Thanks. Might make this a bit easier."

"As for this one," She pulled a book out of her saddlebags. It was bound in a lavender cover, same as her coat. The title read, 'The nature of Alicorns, by Twilight Sparkle'. "I couldn't find any books in the library about alicorns that weren't folk tales so I took the liberty of writing one myself." She snickered a bit. "And Spike said I'd never get any use out of the do-it-your-self book binding kit I ordered."

"Wow... thanks." She outright wrote a book for me.

"These ones are library books but I've already made copies of that one, so you can keep it."

"Alright. Thank you. I'll start right away."






The Nature of Alicorns


We all know the rumors about alicorns, the immortal princesses and leaders of our land, but there is very little recorded in terms of hard facts and evidence. Most knowledge on this topic is pure conjecture. As a unicorn-turned-alicorn myself, I feel I am best suited to try and clarify some of the misgivings regarding the subject. This should be considered an encyclopedic journal, and as such is not written in a proper scientific format, but in a method to make digesting the information as easy as possible and drawing from my own personal experiences.

The first thing we know about alicorns is they have both the horn of a unicorn and the wings of a pegasus. That implies they can perform magic as well as fly, and both these cases are true. What is less commonly known is that they also possess the natural strength of earth ponies, and tend to have a larger physical form because of this, while still maintaining the sleek, noble look means that this generally results in an increase in height to proportionally match the increase in mass.

The second point is that alicorns live forever. This can be attributed to their massive magical reserve. Magic comes from within, but is both a physical and metaphysical force. To put it in simpler terms magic is the essence of the soul, contained within the body. If the magic is powerful, that means the spirit is equally powerful, which in turn causes the body to be strong, in the case of alicorns providing limitless longevity. This is also why unicorns tend to live longer than earth ponies or pegasi. In the case of King Sombra who used dark magic to enhance his own, when his relatively average body was destroyed by Celestia and Luna in ages past, he didn't 'die', instead persisting as a spirit with a non static physical form. He then took himself and the entirety of the crystal empire into a pocket dimension for a thousand years while he recovered his strength, which he did by drawing on the stolen crystal heart.

As for my own experience in becoming and alicorn, it occurred while I was researching an old spell of Starswirl the Bearded's that he never finished. When I completed the spell it drew on my connection to the elements of harmony and overloaded my body with magic, very similar to an occurrence I once had as a filly when I was overcharged by Rainbow Dash's sonic rainboom, though much greater in power and stability. After this took place, I found myself in a strange mist filled land, which I was later told was the spirit world, where Princess Celestia found me and returned me to the physical realm, at which point I found that I had become an alicorn. Eyewitness reports that when I disappeared all that remained was a black scorch mark on the ground.

These facts have lead me to believe that the overwhelming surge of magic I encountered was too much for my current physical body to hold, so it was destroyed and reconstituted with my current alicorn body. My physical form ceased to exist, but my spirit was strong enough to manifest itself.

These points raise numerous questions. Is it possible for anypony to become an alicorn? The answer to that is no. It seems one trait alicorns all have in common is their connection to some powerful aspect of creation. Princess Celestia is linked to the sun, Princess Luna is linked to the moon, Princess Cadence is linked to the crystal heart, and I myself am linked to the element of magic, which is in turn linked to the tree of harmony.

So what then of the other element bearers? Will they too, one day, become immortal alicorns like myself? Not likely. It would take years of study and training to develop their natural abilities to the level that they could no longer be contained.

What of the late King Sombra? He wasn't connected to any aspect of creation, but he bound dark magic to himself to increase his power. It is probable that because of this unnatural enhancement that he became an immortal when he first died, but did not take the form of an alicorn like someone of that caliber should have.

This leads to the final point of this chapter. Is it possible for non-pony species to become immortal? Yes, and no. Necromancy, though long banned, is a possible method of gaining immortality, though any foolish enough to try would be trapped forever in a state of undeath. Then there's the case of 'Varg the Undying. While there isn't any proof as of the time of publishing, there are numerous legends of a diamond dog who simply doesn't die, and, according to the legend, even he is unaware as to the reason, though whatever it may be it is clearly different in nature from alicorn ascendancy. Changelings can also be considered functionally 'immortal'. They feed on emotions, which are tied to magic, and so long as the changeling in question has a sufficient supply of nourishment they will not perish. In fact, changelings do not age at all. An interview with Queen Chrysalis confirmed this.

"A changeling has only two fates available to them. To either starve to death, or be killed in another manner. We do not age. We do not take ill. So long as we have enough love to sustain and heal ourselves we cannot die. A changeling queen will often live several thousand years, until she is either slain by an usurper or the hive cluster starves to death."

Ponies are the most magically gifted of the races in this world, and as such are the most likely to reach this ascendancy, because they're the most likely to be selected by an aspect of creation. I have no doubt in my mind that I was chosen by the elements of harmony. While it is theoretically possible that a griffin or a diamond dog could achieve this level, this has not occurred at any point in history, recorded or otherwise. If it had there'd be an immortal of their kind running about. Such exceptional individuals are not easily forgotten.  This concludes chapter one. In chapter two the nature of magic itself, as well as further in depth deconstruction of non alicorn immortals such as Chrysalis and Discord.


Twilight may not have known it at the time she gave me this book, but it was the single most valuable gift I had ever been given. It was as if someone came out and told me exactly how gods worked. Such insights into the nature of the divine were so rare,  she said so herself, and she gave it to me just like that. It was more than I expected. In just reading the first chapter I had already discovered everything I'd been seeking to learn and more. Completely unexpected was that I knew how immortality worked, at least in this world, and if you know how something works, you just become that much better at breaking it.


The other books were useful as well. I refreshed my knowledge of biology and anatomy. I could never remember how nerves worked. Was it potassium and and sodium out, or the other way around? The books reminded me that sodium is inside and moves out, then potassium moves in. What I do remember is this causes the voltage inside the nerve to go from -70 milivolts to +30 milivolts, at least in humans. A human can also survive several thousand volts passing through their body, in the effect of a taser, which forces the action potential and causes the nerves to be unable to process signals temporarily. Griffins also have a natural disposition towards weather magic, including lightning generation, so it's should be a reasonable expectation for myself to develop this kind of effect, assuming I can get control of my magic. This would also have several non combat uses, such as an impromptu pace maker or defibrillator. Sustaining a person, even myself, after a normally fatal injury, if I combine that with my blood control... which I'll have to completely relearn.

That reminds me. My human body is still brutally wounded and out of magic. I'll have to get someone to turn me back at some point, preferably while I'm laying on a surgeon's table surrounded by several specialists who've already been briefed on the situation. Literally all it would take to kill me right now would be a quick true form spell and I'd bleed out. It should be fine because it's not like anyone will think of that. Except I just did. No. It'll be fine. I'm sure of it.





Thirty seconds later, I was pounding on the door to my room, practically begging the guard to take me to the ER and to call in Dr. Exotic so I could be operated on, screaming that I didn't want to die. He initially dismissed this as an insane rant, that is until the smoke alarm went off and all the sprinklers in the hallway turned on. At that point he agreed, so long as I didn't destroy another hospital room. On the way down to the operating room I could hear him swearing to himself about property damage.
> Guilt (59)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Guilt


=Princess Celestia=


I recently received word from the Stillwater hospital that Griffin was to be operated on. I inquired as to the reason, at which point I was informed that his human form had taken significant damage from his encounter in Ancientwell. That, and Twilight's own line of questioning from a few days ago still stung in the back of my mind. When I didn't want to answer her questions, she told me Griffin had the same reply, but eventually broke down and told her.

I had already heard the horror stories. How he started calm and calculated, but slowly degraded as time went on. The straw that broke the pony's back being the death of two of his adopted 'family' that he'd become close with. According to all the reports I'd received, that's when it went downhill. He intentionally went about causing as much terror as possible. I'd seen it all before, the way he acted at the Gala, Prince Blueblood's recounting of his own rather bloodthirsty rescue, but this was different. The few who'd been willing to come forward for interview, they were shaking when they told their stories. I'd like to scold him, to tell him that what he did was wrong but I can't. I wasn't there. I know what he did to them, but at this point I have no idea what they did to him. That and given my own past and the fact that this is partially my fault, I have no right to reprimand him.

That's why I finally decided I should go see him.





When I arrived at the hospital I was directed to the recovery room where Griffin was waiting after being operated on. He was still asleep. I slowly entered the room to keep from disturbing him when I found myself face to face with one of the doctors, somepony I knew for her reputation. Dr. Exotic. I hadn't met her face to face by this point but I could tell by her cutie mark and the predatory gleam in her eye that it was her.

"Hello Doctor."

"Princess Celestia. I was wondering when you might arrive."

"You were expecting me?" I asked.

"To be honest I was expecting you sooner." She turned away from me, brought a hoof to the unconscious human's cheek and rubbed it gently. "So fascinating. He was an amazing patient. He requested to remain awake through the whole surgery so he could explain how his different bits and pieces went together properly. According to him the only doctor who knew any human anatomy was 'Geirmund Freud', who is now dead, so he explained his shoulder joint to us while we operated, under the effect of minimal painkillers. As soon as he changed, we had to use magic to keep what little blood he had left inside him. After we finished, we put him to sleep for a bit to keep him from moving." She pet the hair atop his head while she readjusted the feeding and oxygen tubes stuck down his throat. After that, she abruptly stopped and walked back towards me.

"He'll make a full recovery. The main issue is the blood loss. We didn't have any donors. Eventually that'll come back and he'll be good to go." Exotic stated.

"Thank you for the report. If you don't mind, I'd like to be alone with him for a few minutes."

"Of course your majesty." And with that she left the room.





I simply sat there for the longest time, staring at him. He had bandages all over his left shoulder, little red splotches on it where the blood had soaked through. Even though he slept he wore a pained expression on his face.

"Do you blame me?" I asked in a whisper. Of course he didn't answer. "It's never easy, knowing what could have or should have been." Still no reply. "I only wanted to do what's right. I have my responsibility to Equestria." I sighed. "Twilight was right. Nine hundred years ago I ruined the old dominion to protect Equestria. I did it again with you. I could have gone with you. I could have made that choice, taken the risk. You succeeded on your own, but at the time I had no idea what you'd be facing. What we'd be facing if I went with you. What if it had been too much for the both of us? Equestria needs me. I couldn't risk myself." I hung my head in shame. "So I let you go alone. And this is the result. All for trying to clean up the mess I made nine hundred years ago that got out of hoof."

I sat there silent for a time. Pondering to myself if talking to him was pointless, if he could even hear me in that drugged up state.

"I can't be everywhere. I can't do everything. For all my power when I use it it's either not enough to fix it, or it's far too much and makes everything worse. And then there's you. Despite your confusion, and fighting with your own heart, you always seem to know exactly what needs to be done. Even if it doesn't make any sense to us. I won't even try to understand why you did the things you did in Ancientwell. You had your reasons. I'm in no position to forgive or condemn you either, since I'm just as guilty." I closed my eyes shut to fight back the tears.

"You're just... so similar to myself, so long ago. I said it once before. I see in you a younger me. Going down the same path I once did, and now you're paying for it, just like I did. I don't know what to say. Can I even apologize?" All while I asked him these questions, he didn't say a word, just sleeping off the effects of his operation. Seeing him laying there, so broken, I couldn't bear to look at him in that state anymore. That, and asking an unconscious hospital patient for advice is something I'd expect from Discord, so I thought it best to take my leave.

As I left, I did not notice a single eye open, glowing a mechanical blue as it watched me depart.
> Bleach (60)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Bleach



=Griffin=


I hate hospitals.

The endless white, the stench of alcohol based cleanser, the feeling of plastic. The endless waiting of recovery as nothing happens at all. Just wasting time as your body repairs itself in an agonizingly slow process. The not-quite silence that makes the small, normally unnoticed noises stand out so much more. Tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tock tock tock tock tock....

"The clock is stuck." 3:58 pm, and 43 seconds. Tock tock tock. The second hand tries and fails again and again to reach second 44, to resume it's singular duty to keep track of the seconds spent in this wretched room. Time spent in boredom, time wasted. Time, time, time.

I want to fix the clock. I want it to be the right time. I want it to resume it's work. Function as you are intended, you pile of springs and gears!


Tick. Tock tick. Tock tick tock.

The clock begins to move again, but it will forever be 38 seconds late. 38 seconds spent in this place.

When the mind lacks stimulus, the first effect is to focus on what little there is. Every sight, every sound, they become etched in your mind as your brain fixates on them in an attempt to keep active, to try and stop itself from becoming useless mush. Failing that, it begins to make it's own as hallucinations set in. Sights and sounds that aren't real, memories of the past, daydreams that overlay with reality.

There's a dead fly in the corner. It couldn't survive the hostile environment. Too much cleaner. Or perhaps it simply reached the end of its short lifespan.

Laying here, alone, in my recovery room, counting the seconds until the doctors let me go back to my room, so I can get back to the books Twilight gave me. That's right. Go over what we know.

Magic is the power of the soul giving an effect to the physical world. The body is a container. If the magic becomes too great for the body to hold, it reforms itself in an ascension. This brings immortality.

Blood is a part of the body, and is a medium for magic. That's why drinking dragon blood improved my magic, and why it was ineffective if the dragon it belonged to was dead. It's also why I was able to charge Hades with magic, while other magic bounced off. By taking a part of the magic into myself, I became connected with the scale, as though it were a part of me.That's also why Ember's knife stayed with my human body when I used my transformation spell, but my dragon scale armor wouldn't.

What else? Friendship is elements of harmony is tree of harmony is magic is immortality. All of the mane six have the potential for ascension, if they can figure out how to access the power at will, but they simply don't have the interest in magic Twilight has.

Changelings feed on love. The crystal heart is powered by love. The crystal heart is magic. So both friendship and love are magic. Changelings eat magic. Changelings are immortal as long as they have magic.

The underworld is anti magic. Magic is the essence of the soul, yet the land of the dead is nothing but souls and has an anti magic field. To keep them from escaping? I fell in the river, and now my magic is strong, but uncontrollable. Which means the river gave me more magic than I can handle, but I didn't have a reformation, so I'm not immortal.

If I follow these lines of reasoning, the river I fell into was filled with the magic, likely siphoned from the souls of the dead, which then infused into me. Hades wanted me to fall in the river because he said it would make me stronger, but he didn't know how because it's different for everybody. The most likely outcome is a drastic increase in magic strength, but I'm not used to it yet so it's going all wild. So then really, it's just a matter of getting used to being juiced up...


"Griffin?" A nurse called my name from the door.

"Yes? Come in."

"The doctors say you're free to return to your room, so long as you take it easy and keep that arm in a sling."

Finally! Fuck! It's about freakin time!

"Thank you for telling me."

She left after I got off the bed, ensuring that I didn't fall. Before I exited the room I pulled the annoying clock down off the wall, flipped the switch on it's back to turn it off, and placed it in the drawer. The next poor sap who is kept in that room at least won't have to suffer with the inane ticking of a clock that's 38 seconds late.





I had spent a couple days in ICU so by the time I got back to my room I was more than glad to see it. The books Twilight brought me were neatly piled in the corner. First thing I did is grab them all and lay them out on the floor haphazardly. I spent the next hour or so translating the first spell in the ultra basic unicorn beginner spell book. Given Twilight's explanation that the ancient unicorn's insisted on rhymes made understanding it a lot easier. Okay, no it didn't. It was still absurdly difficult trying to figure out what the rhyme was, but at least it was possible now. The simplest spell, one even a newborn unicorn could do, but apparently not Sweetie Belle. Levitation.


As per the explanation I just have to reach out with my magic and 'tag' the item to label it as the spell target, after which I just have to pick it up. I decided what I wanted to pick up was the book I was reading. So, just reach out and tag...

I gave the book the slightest nudge and it proceeded to fly across the room with incredible force, making a loud 'whap' noise and putting a slight indent in the plaster.

"This could take a while."
> Marionette (61)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Marionette


"Okay... again... gently... gently..."

*THWACK*

"Okay, even gentler now." I want to touch the book. I don't want to move it, just touch it. Not just touch it, but touch it like I'm playing Jenga and the entire tower is balancing on a single brick. Slowly... slowly...

I winced as my magic just barely brushed the edge of the book, a faint, dark pink aura exuded not from a horn, but my entire body, reaching out in a tendril the width of a hair, just ever so slightly resting against the spine of the book.

"Okay.... okay... I got it. Okay... now to pick it up..." 

*THWACK*

Immediately the aura pulsed a very vivid red and sent the book flying straight into the ceiling, after which I lost contact with it. It took me hours just to get contact with it that didn't fling it across the room, and the first thing I did after that is fling it across the room. To say that I was frustrated was an understatement.

"Ugh, guess I better just go get it."

*Thump*

This time the book raised of it's own accord and flew straight at me, impacting my face with enough force to knock me flat on my back. The book came to rest atop my belly as I held it in my hand that wasn't limited in it's motion by a sling on the arm. It may not have been what I intended, and it may not have been effective, or graceful, but I HAD THE BOOK.

"... WOOT."





=Three Weeks Later=





"Okay... so, what I want to happen, but way too strong. So I need to... only want it a little?" It was like trying to make a marionette dance, but each individual string was attached to an industrial construction crane, the slightest little movement just made it go flying. I had made next to no progress. I could at least reach out and touch it consistently, but any amount of motion just sent it flying.

"Okay... okay... I want the book." *Smack* Right in the face. Again. I just don't understand. I should be capable of learning this! Why can't I figure it out? Basic levitation. Just reach out with your hand, pick it up. Just reach out with your magic, pick it up. It's the same damn thing in the book! Why can't I do it? Beginner unicorn spell my ass.

"Ow... Try again. I kinda want the book?" *Smack*

"Why is it always my FACE!?!?" *Thud* it landed on the opposite side of the room.

"Well, you're no help." The book lightly shifted on the ground.

"Hello Griffin."

"WHA!" The book, the other books, the bed, the bedside tables, and the bedside lamps all slammed into the ceiling with a loud crash before slumping to the ground in a broken heap. I turned to the door to look at the startled nurse.

"Uh... I could come back if it's a bad time."

"No... that's alright. Go ahead, I was just about to take a break anyways." I had been practicing this entire time, and had asked several times to be changed between forms so I could see if it was any better when I was a griffin. It wasn't. I miss my amulet. Theoretically, I should still be able to use it because it doesn't use MY magic, it has it's own. That is if Fia hadn't FUCKING TAKEN IT!

"Well, the doctors say you're free to go." She began. "So long as you take it easy and don't strain your arm, you'll be right as rain in no time. I'm here to do your outpatient paperwork. And uh... give you your bill."

"Alright... well, lets see." I spent a ten minutes filling out the papers before the nurse handed me the payment slip.

"Um... this can't be right." I stated as I saw then numbers.

"No, it's right, we triple checked. Here's the medical bill, and here's property damage, furniture replacements, plumbing costs, construction, construction materials, heavy construction equipment rentals, and a multitude of fines for disturbing the peace and noise complaints. See? It all adds up."

"That's... a very long number." Wait.... "Okay, send it to Princess Celestia."

"What?" The nurse asked, slightly surprised.

"As an 'official' Knight of Equestria, the state is responsible for any medical bills, fines, complaints, and or destruction caused by my duties or part of my recovery." Hey, don't look at me like that. I already have enough of a debt to Fancypants, I can't afford this. And no, I'm NOT taking money out of New Dominion coffers. Taking even a single coin is the start of a very dark road where I start blowing all my country's money building casino's and private islands. "Oh, and send this note with. I want her to read it first." I quickly scrabbled something on a piece of paper and had it attached to the bill. before it was taken away to be mailed.

"Now that we've settled that, come with me. I'll get you your belongings."






"One torn and mangled shirt, check." They had to cut it off me to operate. I'd been wearing the same pair of boxers and my 'gem jeans' Rarity made for me the whole time. She's gonna kill me when she sees this. I had them laundered daily while I slept nude or wrapped myself in a bed sheet for  modesty's sake. "One black scale knife." Prisoners, I mean patients aren't allowed to carry weapons. "One ruby." The one I had eaten. "One makeshift nap sack...."

"Don't care about the rest. Just throw it out."

I collected my things and headed into town where I cleaned and sold my ruby for cash. I ate lunch before catching a cart ride to go see Gilda.






=Princess Celestia=


"Mail for you, your highness." My butler brought in several envelopes. One of them from the hospital Griffin was staying at. On opening it, I quickly scanned the page, settling on the bottom number.

"Yes I suppose he'd send me this." I sighed as I counted how many digits there were. There was also a note attached, hoof written.

Dear Princess Celestia,

We need to talk.

Griffin.
> Fluff (62)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Fluff
=Griffin=



"Okay... 322, First Avenue, Wingsconsen." I let out a sigh at the absurdity. Primarily a pegasus town, most of the business buildings were built on the ground to encourage trade, while the residences were up in cloud houses, the town threw yet another pun in my face. A feature of this town was, despite it's location in the open plains far from any forests meaning that it got the full wrath of the sun all day, the cloud formations that rested permanently above the town created a constant overcast, ensuring a moderate temperature. Not surprising at all considering the name, the town also had a significant cow population, the wide open fields good for their grazing and stampeding and whatever else cows did in their spare time. So yes, they made cheese. A LOT of cheese. There were also sheep as well, the conditions for cows also being ideal for sheep, so there was a significant wool export.

I learned from the town's brochure that originally, it had been one of the only cow and sheep settlements in Equestria, that soon found itself unable to deal with changing conditions, wound up having a large number of pegasi move in to maintain the location's weather and keep things pleasant for the more ground bound inhabitants.

Now, when I say that it's primarily a 'pegasus town', I mean the 'Wingsconsen' portion. Pegasi straight out of Cloudsdale, accustomed to living on clouds, built 'Wingsconsen' above old Hoofmeyer, which was the original sheep and cow settlement. Eventually, it came to be known by the more popular name, but old bessies and ewes sometimes still refer to it by it's foundation name. All in all, it's two towns in one. One above, one below, but remarkably neither scowl at the other or stick their noses in the air.

As for the pony resident's who live and work on the ground, well, when half the population can't fly, it doesn't make sense to have your business be up in the clouds, and apparently the operations of a weather factory are remarkably similar to the processes needed to turn milk into yogurt, cream, butter, and cheese, specifically how they make rainbows.

I literally read that off the brochure. Even the bit about 'old bessies and ewes'. Apparently they have no qualms about being referred to as such and actually enjoy the title.

This was the city where Gilda lived, and standing at the front door of her modest apartment, I knocked.

There were noises inside, followed by a moment of silence where I assume she was checking the peep hole in the door, followed by the opening of several deadbolts, and finally the door.

"Griffin. You're here." She quickly pulled me into a hug, the one we often shared with her wings around by back.

"Yeah. They finally said I was good to go, so I got released and came here."

"It's good to see you uh... feeling better." The pause was because I knew I felt better, I didn't exactly look better. At least my cheeks had filled back out and I wasn't a skeleton anymore, but I had lost a significant portion of the muscle mass I had built before, and I was pale as a ghost. Having spent so much time either underground or indoors, my skin was in dire need of some proper sunlight, though now that the surgery was completed and I had recovered from it, my griffin form was the worse off.

"Yeah." I paused. Things felt strange, different, awkward. "It's uh, good to be back."

"Well... come and sit down." Gilda motioned towards a couch. "You probably have a lot of questions."

"Yeah, you probably do as well."

I ducked my head slightly to get through the door frame and sat on the couch. Gilda hopped up as well and laid on it perpendicular to me, then rested her head in my lap while I stroked her head.

"So... shot for shot, you go first?" She nodded, then asked her first question.

"I already know the general answer, but I feel the need to know specifically, that and... their families deserve to know. What happened to Geirmund and Trixie?"

I bit my lip as I forcefully brought memories I had been repressing to the surface. I breathed deep, my hands clenching with stress as they kneaded her head and neck.

"Well... when the cave fell in and we got separated, Geirmund got crushed by a ton of rubble. There was nothing left. Trixie had a shard of rock go through her chest. Her lungs were ripped to shreds. She... died in my arms." I swallowed hard. "They stayed behind because they wanted to make sure I got out okay. In the end, off of their skill, their training, their wits, they meant nothing in the face of luck. That pile of rubble could have landed three feet to the left, and that hunk of stone could have gone over her head, or to the side, but they didn't. We didn't expect them to use mining explosives, and they didn't bolster their shields in time. They stayed behind to try and help me, and in that moment... Gilda... it hurts to say it... but...." She shh'd softly. "They... they were useless. Everything they strived for, and in the end they could do nothing to help."

"Grif... it wasn't your fault. You know that. These things happen, no matter how prepared you are, and the fact that we got so far without casualties is proof of that. If not for you, we'd all be in the same place, and a heck of a lot sooner, so stop beating yourself up over it. You can't carry the weight of the world on your own."

"Then how come every time I try to let someone share the burden, they just get crushed?"

"Who knows?" She shook her head. "But I'm still here. Your turn."

"What happened... you know... to everyone else?"

"That's a big one." Gilda replied as she got this thoughtful look on her face. "Where to start? Well... the ponies went home. They all had a place before and they all went back to it. Maybe now they're a little wiser to the world and what's going on in it, and they're all a bit more clever than before. Growl is working with Etch now as Diamond Dog correspondence with Equestria and the ND, what they're all calling the New Dominion now, because it's shorter."

"And the rest? What about them?"

"The griffins have all gone south to the ND, the call of friendly skies and warm waters was too great to ignore. And then... there's Steelhorn and Shimmer. Remember how greedy we thought that old minotaur was?" I nodded. "Turns out when he got back to Equestria, he sold the Possibility to a small group of Equestrian nobles who went in on it together. It now serves has a luxury cruise airline. After all, that was it's original purpose. To be a luxury ship that'd travel around the world, with all the arms and armor to keep it's V.I.P clients safe no matter where they went. Given it's history, it's also a huge tourist attraction, and wherever the ship goes draws an enormous amount of business. The oddest thing about all of it? Steelhorn took the bits he made and got a forge somewhere in the Everfree mountain range, a few miles out of the forest, and all the rest of it he donated to researching a cure for degenerative diseases."

"Like what Cable has?" I asked.

"Uh... had." Came her somber reply.

"Oh.. I see. Poor Furnace lost both her parents now."

"Yeah... I went to the funeral. Apparently Nadene got really stressed out after we all escaped. Her nerves started getting to her, and she made a mistake when mixing Cable's treatment. Nobody blames her, but she still blames herself. Says maybe if she hadn't been so keen to run off adventuring and had studied medicine back in the village before we arrived, then she wouldn't have messed up when we needed her most. It's a crock of shit, but she's trying to come up with some way to blame herself for it. She went back to the jungle. Not her home village since she was banished, but... somewhere. Furnace is living with Steelhorn and Shimmer now, working the forge with him."

"Finally, Maria is working as a chef in Manehatten. She got into reading some old books on griffin culture and how they made their food, tried experimenting, and now she's the head chef at some fancy restaurant. Apparently she got a bunch of new ideas which really breathed some life into the old place."

"Maybe... I should go visit them all sometime."

"Yeah... that might be good."

"Uh... your turn next?"

"What happened to you after we got separated?"

I spent the next two hours going over everything that happened. About a half hour in, Gilda had me pause so she could wake Seth up and feed him. Apparently he was at the point that he could eat solid foods now, at less than a year old. I have no idea if that's normal for griffins or not, but she told me she'd never get over having to eat bugs and then puke them back up in her beak, though the vomiting wasn't so difficult after the meal, and apparently he liked it. Because just like baby birds, young griffins lacked certain digestive enzymes that they had to get from their parent's bile. Thankfully, he was past that, and currently ate a significant about of cow's milk, which was thankfully cheap given where they were living, fruits, and bugs. Namely moths and beetles.

Gilda explained that as a special treat one day, she got a net and went out catching butterflies. All the ponies looked at her like she was nuts, but the cows and sheep just smiled and nodded with acceptance. After having a bowl of fresh butterflies, the little rascal refused to eat anything else the whole day and screamed when she tried feeding him anything else, till eventually hunger overcame fussiness and he went back to his normal eating habits. She tried them and said they didn't taste and different from other bugs she'd regurgitated for him, but they were bright and colourful so it was probably the presentation that got him hooked. Either that or they fluttered around in his mouth and that he liked the feeling.


So, after trying my hand at feeding Seth his moths, by which I'd carefully pluck one from a sealed jar with holes in the lid and place it in his beak, holding it by the wings, I was surprised to find that he didn't bite my fingers at all and was actually very careful not to nip me accidentally, to which Gilda only said 'Practice' as she put down an empty box of band-aids where I could see.

After that, I continued my story. Gilda didn't break down, or try and use soothing words, just sitting and listening, trying to understand. She likely knew that there was nothing she could say. I cradled Seth in my arms as Gilda and I went up to the bedroom. It was well into the evening, and the moths had been Seth's dinner. Apparently she buys baby food from a bait and tackle store. Moths, worms, beetles, and on occasion the odd frog or two. Ponies for the most part don't eat fish, but I was surprised to learn that they do enjoy fishing, though it's mostly catch and release. She laid on her back and spread out her wing so I could lay on it, with her arm over my chest, and Seth curled up in a ball on my stomach. That way she could keep an eye on both of us.

And we slept soundly


> Working Woes (63)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Working Woes



Fair warning, this chapter is gonna get REALLY awkward. Sorry it took so long to get out, but I had to figure out what I wanted to do with it, and once I got the inspiration for.... this, well, I had to get it where I liked it, and it still doesn't feel QUITE right to me, but at the very least it's acceptable.


I awoke feeling rather warm. When I opened my eyes and fully regained consciousness, I realized it was because Gilda was using me as a snuggle pillow, and I still had Seth atop me, though he started squirming as he was beginning to wake up as well. I gently ran my fingers through his downy fluff and he let out a soft trilling noise to show his approval. Gilda groaned and tried rolling. I was in the way so she tried rolling in the other direction and fell right off the bed with a loud thump. She blearily picked herself up and shook her head to rid it of the confusion. She seemed surprised at the fact that I was laying in her bed until the events of yesterday caught up with her.

"Mmm.. good morning."

"Sleep well?" I asked. She nodded with a mmm hmm. Seth let out a little yawn of his own before opening his steely blue eyes and climbing off of me to nuzzle up to his mother's leg. She returned the affection before gently picking him up and depositing him on a table to change his diaper. Once she finished with that she threw the dirty one out and looked to me.

"... Right... prolly would have been good to have you do that once in a while." She seemed to think about something before shaking her head no for a minute. "Anyways, it's time to go get breakfast. I'll show you around town."


We walked through the 'Old Hoofmeyer' part of town when something dawned on me. We were being watched. Not the casual glances of a passerby who wanted to see without staring, but the more sinister kind. The looking without wanting to be seen, the stalking. Gilda seemed to notice my concern by the way I clenched my fists and kept looking to the clouds, so she brushed my side with a wing to get my attention.

"Don't worry about it. They're ours."

"Ours?" I questioned before looking up again. Apparently one of our stalkers saw fit to make himself seen because for a moment I saw a stallion wearing the golden helm of the royal guard poke his head over the edge of a cloud and give me a slow nod before vanishing again.

"It's part of why we moved here." Gilda began to explain. "There's such a large pegasus population that the guard is almost entirely pegasi, and they can keep an eye on us 24/7. Originally we had lived up above, but I started having nightmares about Seth falling off a cloud since he can't fly yet. About a week in we moved down to the surface. It's a bit safer for Seth I think, and the guard is there in case we get attacked. I mean, it's not pleasant to think about but someone might try to get at us again. That's also why we avoided a larger town. We could have gone to Ponyville I suppose, but it's near Canterlot, and it seems like the end of the world happens there once a week. A city of sheep and cows seems ideal and they've long gotten over the whole 'predator' freak out that happened when I first moved in. Helps that Seth is just so cute! He did that thing with the big sad eyes and they all practically melted."

"Sounds like he learned real quick."

"Well, he is your son." Gilda laughed. "In more ways than one I assure you, little gremlin." She shot the fuzzball a glare and he giggled.

"So, here's my favorite dairy store," she motioned to a simple, rustic looking building where I could see a cow passing out cartons of milk and wedges of cheese in exchange for bits. " and here's the clothing store. They mostly sell things like hoof socks, hats, saddles and such, but they've got some skilled weavers in there.  We can probably get you some new clothes." She poked my bare chest. After all, my shirt had been ruined, so all I had on was a pair of jeans. I had been wearing hospital clothes the entire time I was there.

"Ahh cra...." I glanced to Seth. "Crud. Speaking of clothes I just remembered I promised to do a modeling gig for Fancypants to pay for the mercenaries I used to distract the army while we escaped. He's probably going to want to collect on that at some point, if I can stop being a string bean and making things explode when I look at them."

"Or shooting lasers out of your mouth when Seth bites your hand?" Gilda chided.

"And that. I have a few ideas on how to deal with that, but they involve me leaving town for a while and, well, I've been gone so long that NO. Just no. I'm not going anywhere for a long time." We arrived at a stall that had a large assortment of fish on it, with a big sign showing a fish on the end of a line. Manning the station was a unicorn stallion wearing a fishing hat.

"Ah! Good morning Gilda! Six perch and a small carton of worms for the young one?"

"Better make it ten. Griffin got out of the hospital and he'll be living with me now."

The stallion looked at me when I noticed something familiar about him.

"Aren't you Rarity's dad?"

"Why yes I am! How'd you know?"

"I saw a picture of you on her table."

"Ah, how is she then?"

"I uh... wouldn't know. It's been about a year since I last saw her."

"Righto. I went to visit her a month or two back."

"If you don't mind me asking... why do you run a fish and bait shop?"

"Well, as you can see by my cutie mark, I used to be an all star hoofball player. Well.. then I got old and I took up fishing as a hobby.  Not much you can do to make a living on that, until I moved out here. Pegasi here are less picky than you find out in Cloudsdale, and a good number of them like eatin fish, but most can't catch them, so I do this now. Have to say I like it."

"Alright, well, see you around then."

"Yeah, that'll be 16 bits for the fish, and the worms are free." The stallion leaned over to take a peek at Seth, who chirped happily at the sight. I reached for my pocket when I realized I didn't have any money, though Gilda had already taken out a pouch of  bits and paid him. I felt uncomfortable at that.





"I need a job." I announced to Gilda once we finished breakfast.

"I agree. I work the spinning wheel over at the Sweatershop..." She said, which sounded far too close to 'sweat shop' for my taste. "but it would be nice to bring in some extra bits. I've gotta get ready for work. I bring Seth with so I can keep an eye on him, and he likes to play with the sheep and spare balls of yarn. He's 'quality control' they called it. If the wool and cotton can't survive baby griffin claws then it's not good enough to make clothing out of. I think they just wanna see him be adorable all tied up in string but I'll take it."

"Well, I should probably try and find someplace that's hiring." Preferably somewhere not surrounded by flammable things. My first thoughts went to Rarity's father. Thanks to that bit of 'networking' I did earlier, aka small talk, I felt certain I could get a position if he had one available.





"Sorry there Griffin, but I already catch more than I sell. If I had a position available you'd have it, but I'm just not lookin to expand right now."

"Ah, well, thanks anyways."

"Don't look so down. I hear the dairy across the street is hiring."

"Thanks, I'll check it out."

I walked away from the fishing shack and crossed the street towards a barn with a dairy shop in front of it, and a 'Help Wanted' sign. I approached the proprietor and inquired about the position. A tan coloured earth pony stallion was manning the stall, being yelled at by a mare for some reason or another. It seemed to be a normal occurrence because he just took it in stride and nobody on the street paid any attention to the commotion.

"Um... excuse me. I'm here about the job?" I asked quietly, not really wanting to interrupt the apparently furious mare and bring her wrath on myself.

"Oh. Uh..." He looked at me suspiciously. Obviously a human isn't all that common a sight. "Good. We could use the help. You'll be..."

"Oh hello deary!" The mare, now suddenly cheerful, cut the stallion off. "Finally! We could use some help around here! Since my oaf of a husband accidentally bruised one of the cows with his blundering hooves, they're not takin all that kindly to him milkin em. Follow me 'round back, I'll get ya started."

"How much does the job pay?"

"Well, it's 11 bits a..." The stallion started.

"It's 13 bits an hour." The his wife interrupted, glaring at her husband. He nudged her for a moment and they began to whisper among themselves.

"Is.... much... 11... fine." He muttered.

"Need the help.... seen his hands?"

"Fine.... 13... higher." He relented.

"Alright, 13 bits an hour, if they take a liking to ya." He stated aloud.

"Follow me around back dearie. My name's Milky Way" The mare motioned and walked into the barn. I went after her. First thing I noticed was the smell. It was a building full of cows. I mean, these cows used toilets in proper bathrooms instead of shitting in a trough or on the ground like earth cows... but they were still COWS. So yeah. They smelled of hair and flatulence. It took a great deal of mental effort to not recoil at the stench. The mare showed me to a stool beside one of the cows and had me sit down.

"Well? What are you waitin for? Introduce yourself!"

"Uh... Hello. I'm Griffin."

"Yoooo mean THE Griffin? Ooh! Ladies! I'm about too be milked by a famooooos person!" All the others turned their heads to look. Having all eyes on me did not help with my confidence in this task, which I'd never done before. "My names Marlene. Nice to meet yooou. Since this is your first time, I'll walk you through it."

"Uh. Okay." Who knows. Maybe this won't be that hard. If Marlene's willing to work with me on this, it might be relatively simple. "So, first, put your hoove... her, hands on my udders, just one at a time, and ooh! not too tight. Don't want to pinch em. Yes.. there, just like that, now give a gentle tug." So... I followed her directions.

"Uh.. is that right?" A squirt of milk went into the bucket below.

"Oh MOOoooooo.. Yes, just like that." So... I continued milking her, all the while her mooing became louder and more... moan like. "Oooh.. your hands are so smooth, nuthin like those pony hooves. Oooh. Just like that... Don't stop! MOOOOOOO." Fifteen minutes of this before I finally emptied her udders entirely and she was ready to leave.

"Thank yooouu very moouch." Marlene turned to face me. "I'll be back this evenin. I hope to see you again." With that, she gave me a wink.

I turned to the Milky Way who had been watching my progress, then to the large lineup of cows all giving me bedroom eyes.

"And.... I'm done here." The cows all moo'd in disappointment as I left the barn and found the nearest bathroom.

20 minutes later, Milky way came into the bathroom, concerned that I was still in there. She found me viciously scrubbing my hands, a mass of suds going all the way up to my elbows.

"Clean... clean... have to get clean... never be clean again...... clean..." I could just hear the lusty moo's ringing in my ears, making me cringe and my whole body spasm awkwardly. "Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu."





So, after that horrifying experience, I decided to drop by the local clothing store to see about ordering some new clothes. I couldn't just wear the same pair of pants every day. At that point I realized something. I have hands. Most sewing is done by unicorns. I have HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANDS. Even if I was a griffin at the time, I'd have claws, which are still infinitely more dexterous than hooves. Why then, have I not been making my OWN clothing? Because I don't know how to knit, sew, or work a loom. Which means that getting a job at a place where you work a loom to make cloth, then stitch and sew that cloth into clothing would be killing two birds with one stone. The only issue is finding someone to take on an apprentice who knows nothing about making clothes.


Dear Rarity,
How have you been? It's been a while since we last spoke. I've found myself in a bit of trouble. It's a long story, but the short of it is I need to learn how to sew, and to design my own clothes. I cannot think of anyone better to teach me than you. Who knows? Maybe I'll make a bit of money as well. If you'd be willing to teach me, I'd be glad to learn. The only issue is transportation. Since I'm missing a wing at the moment, it'll take me a while to go between Wingsconsen and Ponyville. Under different circumstances I'd move back in with you, but I'm simply not willing to leave Gilda and Seth, I've missed them too much already. Still, I intend to come for a visit to see if we can work something out.

Sincerely, Griffin.
> Discord's Super Awesome Friendship Letter! (64)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Discord's Super Awesome Friendship Letter!


Before I sent my letter to Rarity, I decided I should actually check if anyone would hire someone with no skill in sewing and train them. Considering this was a town who's primary production consisted of milk and wool, there were a large number of tailors, seamstresses, weavers and the like, and it would take the rest of the day to get around to them all. So, the only thing left to do was start.

Tanner's Flannel, Sure Stitch's Repair and Alterations, The Right Cut. I shouldn't have been surprised, but they all wanted 'talented' workers, and without a cutie mark to declare my special talent, or something I'd made myself, there's no way any of them would give me a job. So, I gave the letter to a local mailmare, (and paid for postage using some of the money Gilda gave me once we got back home) as well as to have it sent express so Rarity would get it later today. I'd be heading there tomorrow and I wanted to give her a little bit of notice. I still kept most of it because I was going to need a cart fare to get there which sucked, and I wouldn't have to do that if I had my FRIGGIN WING.

As I walked the town, I made note of the different positions the various guards were in as they watched me to ensure nothing went wrong. Not like posts... more like spots they'd move to so they could see without being seen as they followed me around from above. I'm certain they had someone camped over at the sweater shack as well to keep an eye on Gilda and Seth, and another on our house. Tactical thinking meant that if at any point the spots they usually went to were vacant, that meant the absence of a guard that should be present, which meant trouble. Just me being paranoid me again. They're up in the clouds. Only pegasi or other griffins can get up there and still blend in, which means a stealth take down is simply out of the question. Even if they could get a cloudwalk spell they'd need a balloon to get up there and that'd draw attention.

Once I finished and returned home, I made a dinner of fettuccine alfredo with shrimps in the sauce. Seth's dinner tonight would be a medley of bugs Gilda had trapped, using a piece of rotten fruit she got from a vendor inside a jar with a narrow entrance. Bugs follow the smell to get in, happily roll around on the fruit, then are unable to leave. She screws the narrow top off, collects them, then Seth eats them like a child eats cereal. Put a bunch in front of him and let him stuff them in his face.

Gilda got home shorty after I finished making dinner, and she directed me in how to change his diaper. I already knew how to change a human one but given the different anatomy and the fact that he squiggled the entire time made it a bit more difficult. Especially the hole for his tail.





"I think it's a good idea." Gilda said after I told her my plan to learn sewing and stitching from Rarity. The fact that she's talented, and she probably won't charge me anything sealed the deal. I'd leave tomorrow, first thing in the morning, and be back that night with a sore ass from the two hour carriage ride. If I could fly, I could be there in forty minutes. And I wouldn't have to pay a cab. That night, we slept in a different arrangement. Gilda on her belly, Seth atop her back, and me by her side with a wing draped over me. It was getting closer to winter and I was glad for the extra warmth, though more so for the steady purr from one, and soft trill from the other.





Morning came as it usually does. Gilda and I had cereal, while Seth enjoyed a meal of crickets, playing with them more so than eating them, but he finished them all the same. Gilda left to go to work, and I hopped aboard a carriage headed to Canterlot, which would stop in at Ponyville on the way.

One uneventful carriage ride later I stepped onto the dirt streets of Ponyville, only to be immediately bowled over by Pinkie Pie who had nothing better to do at the time than assault anyone who passed by. Then she began rambling about having a 'welcome back party' for me and that she was going to drag me around town and introduce me to the ponies who moved in during my absence. Of course, there was no arguing with Pinkie Pie, so I suggested I stop at Rarity's first, where the unicorn would rescue me from the pink menace.

She bought it.

"Griffin, you've arrived. Thank you kindly for bringing him Pinkie, but I'll handle things from here." My ivory coloured savior.

"Okie dokie lokie!" Pinks bounced away, probably to prepare for a party I'd never go to. Oh well. I was here for business, and I'd rather get back home as soon as I can.

"I can't tell you how pleased I am that you want to learn, and from me no less! Not many stall.... boys, are interested in learning how to make dresses."

"Well then I'm sorry to disappoint, but I won't be learning to make dresses. I just need to know how to stitch and sew, and to make proper seams and such. I'll be making someone else's designs. I also need to learn how to use a loom to make fabric."

"Ah, well... then this will be much simpler. I can probably teach you in two days. Then it's just memorizing the different stitches. Uh... lets start with something simple. Threading a needle. Now, a lot of unicorns have trouble with this because you need very good accuracy, and you have to use magic to hold two things at....." In the time it took her to say that sentence, I had already threaded three, which I held out to show her. When she looked at me, I wiggled my fingers, and she seemed to understand.

"Right. Too simple. Okay, I'll move on to showing you the different types of stitches."

Over the course of the next two hours she showed me a 26 different types of stitches. Some were easy, like the straight stitch or lock stitch, which are normally done by machine. Others were hard, but I got the hang of them. For sewing seams, I'd mostly be using a back stitch, which followed a 1->3, 2->4, 3->5 kind of pattern, looping back through the previous position to add strength. She taught me to use the machine as well... until my magic, which was powering it, spiked and blew it up. I promised to buy her a new one, to which she replied, "Nonsense. I had you use an old machine because I knew about your... condition. You should probably inform any future employers however."

"That won't be a problem. Wingsconsen has very few unicorns. They all use foot pedal powered machines."

And that was when Discord burst in.

An eagle claw and lion paw scooped me up and squeezed me so tightly I felt my ribs creaking under the strain, while big, sloppy kisses were planted on each of my cheeks, which itched from goat stubble.

"Griffin! I'm so glad to see you again!" I managed to wriggle free of his grip and cough one of my lungs out while I regained my breath, as this merry draconequuis pranced about with glee while fireworks went off inside the store and streamers rained from the rafters. Trumpets sounded a celebration of his arrival to greet me and the creature himself banged on a parade great drum, complete with tassels, in a sort of one man parade.

"Discord! What the hell!" Why was he not a statue, why was he in Ponyville, and why did he coat my face in saliva? I wiped myself off and flung the slick spit from my hand. When it splashed on the floor it turned into grape juice, which Opalesence proceeded to lick casually, paying it's creator no mind.

"Griffin... this is Discord. We let him out a few months back and ever since he's been on his BEST BEHAVIOR". Rarity said with a glare at him so thick with spite I'm certain it would have slain any lesser being.

"Yes, and I heard you were in town so I couldn't help resist dropping in on an old friend. We should DEFINITELY go for a bite to eat, I just heard of the most exquisite restaurant that serves the most delectable seafood platter." He leaned in to whisper, though since it's Discord he came two feet too far into a one foot comfort zone and nearly put his head IN my ear. He shrank his own head to exaggerate the whispering, which kind of ruins the point. "Don't tell Fluttershy, she'd faint if she heard me talking about seafood."

"Whoa.. Discord... we're not friends." I said with exasperation. He deflated, quite literally, with the comical sound of air being let out of a balloon in a high pitched whine.

"We... we're not?"

"No. We've talked like... twice, when you were trapped in stone. I sat on your head. We barely know each other."

"*Gasp* How could you" He leaned back, backhand pressed on his forehead, even pulling out a hankie to make an over exaggerated nose blow into, before snapping his fingers as though he'd had a brilliant idea.

"Oh... then... do you want to hang out?" Discord, who had quite a bit of wind taken out of his sails due to my denial of friendship, asked in a more moderate tone, but an extra dose of puppy dog eyes. That must have been his epiphany. We could just 'hang out' and then we'd be friends and that'd be that. There was so much sap and feigned innocence in his voice I almost felt guilty saying no. Almost.

"Sorry, no. My life is hectic enough as it is."

"Oh... uh... I see. Alright then. I'll.. just be going then." He said as he sulked out the door, his legs scrunched up and his arms stretched out as he sagged while he walked.

"Uuugh... was that wise?" I asked Rarity, once I was sure he was gone and couldn't listen in, though since it's Discord you can never be certain of anything.

"Whatever do you mean?" Rarity inquired.

"I've made a point of trying not to anger people of power. That, and he seemed kind of bummed."

"Well he did come on rather strong and I agree, you've had to deal with enough chaos as of late. While Discord is Fluttershy's friend he tends to make events far more stressful than they need to be, and relaxation requires a certain distance from him."





=Discord=


"Can you believe it Fluttershy? After all we've been though he tells me we're not friends! I just don't understand it."

"Oh... well.. um..."

"You'd think that somegriffin in his position would be overjoyed to have a friend like me but no, he turns around and scorns all my affections without a second thought!" I covered my eyes and fell back onto Fluttershy's couch.

"Well... maybe he just... oh.."

"What do you think?"

"Well..." She began. "He never did make friends easily and he has a hard time trusting pon... people. That and it does sound like you came on a little... strong."

My eyes snapped wide in realization.

"Of course! That must be it! He's been through such a terrible ordeal as of late and he's only just recovering now, no wonder he's having a hard time. He needs a good friend to stand by him in his hour of need. Thanks Fluttershy, I'll head back right away and convince him to be my friend!"

"Discord stop!" Fluttershy raised her voice. She NEVER raises her voice, so when she does it means she has something important to say, and I decided I should listen. "Griffin is here to try and learn how to stitch and sew so he can get a job in Wingsconsen. He's busy and doesn't need interruptions right now."

"But why would he want to learn THAT?" I asked, entirely forgetting for a moment that both Fluttershy and Rarity both knew how to sew. "He's the KING OF THE NEW DOMINION." I called into a megaphone. "He can have whatever he wants, why get a job?"

"I... don't really know. Maybe ask Applejack?"





I found Applejack where I knew I'd find her, on her farm, because she's always there kicking trees. Apple trees, and never anything else. So completely predictable. And boring. In any case I turned all the apples in the tree she was at into lemons so I'd catch her attention when they fell. She took a moment of looking at them before she turned to me.

"Discord." She said sourly. Like a lemon. For a moment I considered turning her into one, but I don't think Fluttershy would approve.

"Oh Applejack, don't take that tone. Aren't we friends?" She closed her eyes and sucked in a breath through her teeth in a kind of hissing noise, like she expected some great pain, before letting it out in a sigh.

"Alright ya varmint, what do you want?"

"I just need a simple question answered, that's all."

"Then ask and skedaddle. I have a lot of work to do." She grumbled.

"Well... I tried to be friends with Griffin but he turned me away, and Fluttershy says he's busy learning how to sew because he needs a job in Wingsconsen, and I was wondering why he'd want a job if he's king of the New Dominion and Fluttershy said I should ask you."

"Shucks, that's simple enough. Two reasons. First off he's not the kind ta take charity. He don't feel right just 'taking' money outta the coffers, he wants to earn it himself, but more than the money, I think he's trying to keep busy."

"But being busy is why he won't be my friend!"

"What I mean Discord," She said in her usual drawl, "Is that he's been through a lot, and having something to work at would take his mind off his troubles. Regardless of whether or not he's really helping or doing something, he needs to feel like he's doing something, otherwise he'll just sit on his rump all day thinking about his troubles, and that's no good for nopony. Getting a job will help him get back some sense a normalcy, which I get ain't really somethin you'd understand, but it's important to some folk. Right now he don't wanna feel like no king. He just wants ta feel like the simple folk and not worry about nothing complicated."

"I see... but wouldn't spending time with a friend help him take his mind off things?"

"Yeah, but you're not his friend. He said so himself."

"Then how am I supposed to BE his friend?"

"I unno, go ask Twilight or somethin. I gotta get back to work."





"Twiiiiiliiiiiight. Discord turned my mint ice cream salmon flavoured." Spike whined.

"If you don't want it, care to share?"

"Discord, what are you doing here?" Princess prissy plot asked.

"Griffin won't be my friend because he's too busy and he's making himself busy so he won't think about his problems but he could do that hanging out with me which he won't do because hes not my friend but he won't be my friend and I WANT IT! I want him to be my friend and Fluttershy said ask Applejack and Applejack said ask you." I wheezed as I tried to regain my breath after my lengthy tirade.

She shook her head to clear it of cobwebs.

" No need to throw a tantrum Discord." She remarked on my childish tone. "All I caught out of that is Griffin doesn't want to be your friend. Well, I have a question for you. Why do you want to be his friend? If he doesn't want to be yours, why go through all the trouble? Despite what Pinkie Pie says, you don't have to be friends with EVERYONE."

"Because he talked to me when I was trapped in stone."

"So?" She tilted her head to the side in confusion. For such a brainiac, she sure is dense.

"When you and your friends turned me back to stone, I was sure I would never get out again, at the very least for another several thousand years. Millenia trapped in stone, unchanging, unmoving, with no one to talk to, no one to listen. I don't know about you, but for me that's torture. And then Griffin walked right up to me, sat on my head, and he talked to me. Twice, he talked to me. He let me know what was going on in the world. He treated me like a person, not some villain to ignore and shun. That... meant a lot to me." I sniffled and wiped a tear from my eye before blowing my nose in an oversize hankie. Twilight smiled and shook her head.


"Well then, I think I see the problem. Really, it comes down to simple mathematics. Friendships are give and take. You're there when they need you, and they're there when you need them. He did something that meant a lot to you, but you don't really mean all that much to him. For you, your conversations with him in the palace garden were incredibly important, but for him it was just a passing courtesy. If you really want to be his friend, why don't you try doing something nice for him? I't not guaranteed to work but it's worth a shot."

I gave the wise and mighty Princess a big wet kiss before blinking away to think.





As I lay in Ponyville park thinking, in the form of a bench upon which a couple sat and nuzzled, (disgusting. Get a room will you?), I idly watched Rainbow Dash flying overhead, trying and failing, time and time again, to perform some stunt or another, I thought back to the second time I had spoken with him in the gardens. It was right before he went to get therapy. I don't know why he did that, I didn't think anything was wrong with him. Actually... there was one thing...

"I GOT IT!" I jumped up, returning to my handsome self and tossing the couple off me into the dirt. I'd have to wait for tomorrow, to be sure. A little eavesdropping let me know he'd be back tomorrow. Yes. Tomorrow.




=Griffin=


"Gilda, do you think you can undo the true form spell on me? I don't have my amulet and I need to change back. I want to practice sewing with claws instead of fingers today."

"Yeah, okay. Reverti." She muttered as she picked up a small, low quality emerald. Soon as I was feathered once again she rubbed her face against mine in a quick nuzzle. "Hurry back okay?"

"I will. Today should also be the last day I'm there."

"Mmm hmm. And be careful. I don't want anything to happen on the road between here and Ponyville. People are starting to find out that you're back, and I hope trouble stays away."

"I will be." And with that, I left for the long carriage ride.




When I arrived I found Discord outside of Rarity's place, apparently waiting for me. Friggin crap. Here we go again. As I moved towards the boutique, he stood in my way.

"Please move aside Discord." I said in a formal tone, the please being the sternest of manners as opposed to begging, so the tone of my voice would convey the fact that I was in no mood for nonsense or pleasantries.

"Not just yet. I've decided to be your friend and I did a lot of thinking yesterday and I decided I wanted to give you something."

"Okay?" I was wary of whatever 'gift' Discord intended to give me. He nodded, scrunched his face up in determination, then bent over and started hacking and coughing... no.. it was more like the hissing sound a cat makes when they're trying to huck up a hairball. With a bob of his head and a jerking sputter, a bone popped out of his throat. He then pressed his lips to the bone and opened them, revealing a bit of meat on it. He then chewed a bit and repeated the gesture again and again until I realized what he was doing. He was un-eating something. That something, over the course of the next five minutes, took the form of something familiar. Something that I had lost long ago.

He pulled out a stick of glue with a picture of Diamond Tiara's face on it, a pun only I would understand in this world of sentient horses, smeared the glue all over the one end, then jammed the sticky bit onto my stump. With astonishment I realized that the thing he had uneaten was a wing. Not just any wing, because that he could have conjured out of thin air. Since my wing had been eaten to remove it from this world, by whatever laws preside over chaos magic, he had to un-eat it to bring it back into existence. Either that or he was putting on a show. I marveled at the fact that I could feel it. I could move it. It felt right. It's colouration was mine. It's shape was mine. It's musculature was mine. It was MINE. He had given me back the thing I had lost so long ago, a loss that had devastated me to the very core.

Discord I so crudely shunned yesterday. My wing, the lack of which had caused me no end of strife. If I had my wing, I could have flown over a vast majority of the obstacles in the underworld. I could have flown right over the disgusting muck of the Black Marsh and been back in Equestria mere weeks after my fall at Ancientwell. Discord gave it back.

I was without words. Yesterday I felt some phantom of guilt for brushing him off. Today I felt it's sting full force. This was not the villain I thought I knew. He said nothing. He just stood there expectantly, his eyes full of hope like a child's on Christmas morning, while I shook with a mixture of emotions I didn't know how to handle at that moment. I squeezed my eyes shut, and a tear escaped from them.

"Will you be my friend?" He asked, looking me in the eye.

"Hell yes."





=Celestia=


*Thump*

*Thump*

*Thump*

*SMASH*

I quickly awoke, having not been in bed for more than ten minutes after lowering the sun to make way for the night, when an iron horseshoe shattered my bedroom window. I went to see what the ruckus was, to discover who would dare to cast such a thing into my room when I saw Griffin and Discord sitting on a cloud with a pile of horseshoes between them.

"Griffin! Discord! What is the meaning of this!?"

"Why, we're playing horseshoes." The draconequuis explained as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Then why are you throwing the shoes at MY WINDOW!?!? There isn't a pole anywhere around here!" Griffin cast a shoe and cast it well, for it connected with my horn and spun around it several times before coming to rest against my forehead.

"Ah! Excellent toss good fellow!" Discord exclaimed, and they were now both wearing top hats, monocles, and sipping tea from just outside my window.

"Indeed ol chap. Don't think the lady expected that one did she? Oh oh oh." He laughed in fake sophistication, a clear mockery of Canterlot life.

"GET OUT OF MY YARD!" I shouted as I tossed the shoe back at them. They ducked and weaved around it before flying off into the moonrise, laughing like the mad... which I suppose they were.

I repaired my window with a spell and when I turned to go back to bed, I noticed the horseshoe that was on my floor was no longer that, but a scroll. Intrigued, I opened it to read it's contents.

Dear Princess Celestia

Friendship is hard.

And totally worth it.

Discord.

"I am the one who originally decided to let Discord out. I'm the one who suggested he make friends."

...
...

"What have I done?"
> One Day At A Time (65)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


One Day At A Time

Time passes, as it always does. It is inevitable, and we are powerless to stop it....
Unless you can use magic. I reject your reality and I substitute my own.




=Griffin=


Needless to say Gilda was surprised when I came home that early that night. She pulled and tugged and prodded my wing to make sure it was real. Once she was finished molesting me and was satisfied with my explanation we settled in for a nice dinner. Seth ate slowly. He seemed more interested in me. Now that I think about it he had only seen me like this once before. I'd been human around him the entire time. That got me started thinking strange things. Would he make the connection that both were the same? Would he wonder if he could change as I do? Or would he wonder where daddy went every time I swapped out? After we finished eating I spent a good hour just staring into those big, steely blue eyes of his. Time which he spent staring back into mine. Gilda was happy about that because any time he spent not crying or getting into trouble was considered a blessing. So, I laid on my stomach, with my head on the floor, looking at him, while he did the same to me. I could already tell that he wasn't some regular infant, eye's darting everywhere in an attempt to take in everything possible. It was the way he stared at me with such... focus, as though this was a thinker trying to figure out a particularly confounding problem. It occurred to me that the only reason he wasn't talking right now, despite being far too early in his development for such a thing, (he was not even a year old) was that he didn't know how yet. It was at this point I decided I would be the one to teach him.

"Gilda..."

"Hmm?" She hummed in reply as she took what little time for relaxation I was able to give her to read the newspaper, which had been neglected since morning.

"I think we need to take Seth on outings."

"What do you mean?"

"It's too cold right now because winter is almost here, but in spring I think we should take him out you know? Show him the world. Get him to see different things. Maybe once he starts talking more. We can bring him out and show him stuff, then explain it to him."

"That seems like a good idea."





Winter passed uneventfully. Well, I shouldn't say that. Seth started talking. Not really... talking talking but he knew several words. Mostly things that pertained to him. He didn't quite have sentence structure but not for lack of knowledge but more for efficiency. If he wanted something he'd say what he wanted. It took a while to get him to add some context to his words, such as 'Want juice.' instead of just 'juice' but at the very least he wasn't just pointing at something and screaming like most children tend to do. In fact, for all the claims Gilda made of him screaming constantly or being a trouble maker, he had done surprisingly little of that since I had come back. She'd often remark that he's much more well behaved when I'm around, but she attributed that to the fact that between taking care of him, taking care of herself, and working, she didn't really have the time to just sit there with him for an hour or two, something I did, and she was quite jealous of. I'd try to take the burden sometimes. "Do you want me to make dinner?" But she'd decline. I think she was so deep into her routine, a routine that was honed to perfection to make the most of every second, as she'd had to do when she was raising Seth alone, that she was having trouble getting out of it. I took solace that when spring did come, there'd be more fun things we could do, and not as much hassle dealing with snow and some such so we'd have more time to do them.





And then spring came. I had gotten an average job over the winter, sewing seams to mass produce comfortable cotton saddles which are exported all over the country. Why ponies would want to wear saddles if they're not being ridden is beyond me, but it was a steady job with a steady income.  Wingsconsen didn't have many unicorns, so something that was solely tradition for Ponyville was more requirement for our town. Winter Wrap Up but with cow and sheep bells ringing to add to the cacophony of singing. Of course, with Winter Wrap Up also came my birthday. And at that moment I became greatly aware of the passage of time, and a great many things I had left undone.

"Gilda, can you believe it? It's been a year. Seth's birthday is only a month after mine. I'm just glad I'm able to be here for it."

"Yeah, but we'll worry about planning his later. We have to have yours first. I have no idea how to plan one though." She replied.

"Ah, don't worry too much about it. I've never really had a... wait." At this moment I began searching through the house. Opening every door, searching every container. Nope, nothing out of order. "As I was saying, on my birthday I'd normally just go somewhere quiet and think. I don't think I've ever had a proper birthday party, one with friends and cake and all that. Maybe I did as a kid, but I just can't remember it."

There was a massive gasping sound and Pinkie Pie's head burst from the orange basket on our counter, sending oranges everywhere, before vanishing again.

"There. Party planning is done."

"Griffin, I don't even..." She drifted off.

"Pinkie Fhtagn." I replied. She just sighed in defeat. "Besides that, It's just occurred to me that I have a crap ton of stuff I'm supposed to do, and I haven't done."

"Like what?"

"Well, to get the cash I needed to hire mercenaries to be a distraction at Ancientwell, I promised to model for Fancypants, and he gave me the money in advance. Then there's the public declaration of alliance between the New Dominion and the Changeling hive, by the way, I have to give Chrysalis a kiss on the cheek so she can win a bet with Cadence, dying wish of the guy who took my place and died for it, uh, then we need to visit Maria at her restaurant, find out where Shimmer and Steelhorn have their forge and go see them, and then I have to check in with the new islands. The zebras have colonized 2 in my absence, and one before I even left that I never went to the naming ceremony, and with the influx of refugees the griffins have grabbed another 3, the changelings have started a hive on a particularly large one, and I've been hearing rumors out of Signal about seaponies."

"Buh..." Gilda balked.

"Well, there will probably be a lull at work since winter is ending and there won't be as much of a need for warm clothes, maybe we can get some time off here and there. Besides, we wanted to show Seth the world didn't we?"

"One thing at a time Griffin. Maybe we should start small? In a few weeks there's going to be a breezy flock coming through town. That would be a good family outing, don't you think?"

"I agree."





Gilda and I arrived home after work and opened the door of our little home to find that the door to our house no longer lead to our house, but rather to a grand hall filled with cake and balloons and streamers. Discord popped out of the cake and threw confetti everywhere.

"I'm super duper excited to be throwing this party for you Griffin!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed as she bounced along. "Buuuut your house was a teeensy bit too small to hold everypony so I asked Discord to move it all here! Besides, I'm pretty sure not everypony has met the baaaaby yet."

Forget what Rarity said about Discord. To have any sense of normalcy, one must distance themselves from Pinkie Pie, and we all know that's impossible. Seth was, of course, startled by all the havoc and started to cry. That was when Discord poked his head into Seth's travel bag.

"Griffin, I knew you had a son but I had no idea he was so cute! Why haven't you introduced us yet?" At this point, Seth climbed out, grabbed hold of Discord's beard and gave it a mighty tug. Now, I've never seen a chaos spirit in pain before but the sound they make is somewhere between a howl and the squeak balloons make when you rub them together. He giggled and clapped his claws together, releasing the beard in the process.

"Well, we know where he gets that eh?" Discord nudged me in the side. Other than the two mentioned, the rest of the mane six were there, and Spike. None of the crew from the ship were present, except for Surprise and even then she spent most of the time talking to Seth. Not baby talking, but actual talking to him. This was the first time I'd seen her after I went down the rabbit hole.


All in all, it was alright. It wasn't too lively as we were all being conscious of Seth, we didn't want to make too much noise, though the kid did enjoy a bit of vanilla lemon cake. As it wound down and we prepared to leave, Surprise and Discord wanted to speak to Gilda and I in private.

"Griffin." Surprise began. "I've learned a bit about 'Godparents' and I know normally the parents are the ones who pick, but Discord and I said 'Too bad, it's us.' Now, I know it's your birthday, but we've decided to give Seth something, something that should give the both of you some peace of mind."

"Oh? And what might that be?"

"Weeeeeellll I did a bit of experimenting with my magic, you know, how I have Whiskers and Munchkin and Ludvic and Ulfgar and Sasha and Tiny Tim and Tiny Tanya and....................." At which point she listed off  three hundred and sixty-four of her shadow mice.


..................... and Olaf Yeerganson and Alexander and.... and anyways.... I thought It would be nice if Seth had a friend of his very own! Soooo I had Discord help me give him one. He's uh... quite a bit bigger than the rest of them, and he's not really a mouse either."

"Uh? Wha?" I lost track during her tirade.

"Oh, it'll just be a surprise." She giggled. "A surprise from Surprise. And Discord. His new godmother and godfather!" I looked at Seth and saw his shadow had taken on a distinctly... darker.... hue than the rest of ours. It seemed strange... swirling... almost alive. I remembered how effective... and adorable, Surprise's shadow mice were, so I didn't see any problem with it.

Gilda on the other hand...

"What did you do to my son?" She said in a tone almost... bordering on anger.

"I  just told you silly! I gave him a shadow friend to keep him safe!"

"Gilda... it's fine. Remember the helpful shadow mice that let us get in that one den? How cute and helpful they were? And not dangerous? And how they didn't need any maintenance or cleanup?" I reminded her. She had gotten very defensive about Seth, but relaxed when she remembered that these are our friends who want to help us.

"Yeah..."

"Well Seth has one of his own now. It's... like a pet. That you don't have to feed, or train, or clean up after."

"I don't know. When he goes to school, I don't want the other's making fun of him for talking to his shadow is all."

"School? Gilda, he's only a year old. We're not near that point yet. We'll worry about it when we get there."

"Yeah... just... one day at a time."
> Breezie Blunder (66)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Breezie Blunder
Come now, you can't honestly tell me you didn't expect this.


When the time arrived for the Breezie migration it's an understatement to say that we were excited. It was our first outing as a real family. We packed Seth into his little back baby bag which Gilda wore, while I had my own bag filled with snacks so we wouldn't have to buy any of the overpriced fare they'd be selling for the viewers. We went out early and picked our spot on main street just before noon, before the street got too crowded and filled up.

"Attention everyone!" The mayor of Wingsconsen, a pegasus by the name of Penworthy, spoke over a megaphone. "The breezies are about to pass through. They are fragile creatures and easily startled, so please do your utmost to remain silent, as well as take great care not to step on anyone. Please let the wind teams do their jobs, do not disturb the main parade. If a breezie lands on you, please remain still until they leave. Thank you."

With that the mayor landed at the central town pavilion and a hush fell over the crowd. Five minutes of eager silence passed before the first specks of colour came into view. Then more, and a few more, till finally the whole sky was filled with a myriad rainbow of hues. The different coloured breezies grouped together and moved in swirling lines, like an ever undulating flock of birds, but organized into their respective flavors. All in all, it reminded me of the aurora borealis, but far more vibrant, with a different temperament, and much closer.

They flock descended and filled the street, and with them came... the singing. Every voice singing the same tune, at a different tone. There were no words, rather the song was mere vocal tones. As though words themselves weren't necessary and the tones were enough to convey the emotion. As a thousand different voices blended to create the perfect harmony, only to be replaced by a thousand different voices just as beautiful but all together different from the last bunch. I looked to the group the just passed me by, and wished they would return. I looked to the group in front of me now and enjoyed their presence, then looked to the group coming up with eager yearning and unbearable curiosity. The entire event was poetic and masterfully performed.

No wonder it's such a big deal. To bear witness to such a ... beautiful occurrence even once in ones life was to feel blessed beyond compare. Gilda breathed a sigh of relief and relaxation. I watched as the stress and nervousness she'd held onto these past few months since I returned, and even longer before then, melted away. I felt the same thing as their collective hum seeped into my very bones, a kind of ringing, tingling sensation that just made me feel good all over. I turned to look at Seth, who's eyes were wide in wonder, and I smiled.

Today was perfect.

As the main group finally passed us by, a few stragglers were filing in from behind, gently flitting over to various members of the crowd, saying something in their bizarre breezie language, then moving on. One of them gently hovered over to us, then alighted on Seth's beak. Gilda and I smiled, Seth tilted his head curiously. The breezie opened it's wings, to give Seth a full view of the masterful artwork painted upon it, just as each and every other breezie had it's own pattern. The tiny insect creature smiled and made a happy chirping sound, and Seth giggled.

*Crunch*

... One moment, a happy chirping breezie. The next, a misshapen wing sticking out of Seth's mouth.

*gulp*

One of Seth's favorite snacks is butterflies.

One of the breezies who was nearby began freaking out, squeaking frantically and nonsensically.

"Oh my god Gilda... Seth just ate a breezie."

"What?" Of course she didn't see it. Seth was on her back.

"We gotta get him to the hospital. It might still be alive, and we have no idea if they're poisonous or not. They're kind of like butterflies, and I know monarchs are toxic."

"Crap!" She took off like a rocket, disturbing another small group that had been lagging behind. I grabbed the one that started freaking out when the other got swallowed, cradling it carefully in my claws as I took off after her.





"Well doctor? What's the news?" Gilda asked as one of the innumerable, indistinct doctor ponies who we recognized as being attached to Seth's case came out of the room.

"He's fine. Everything is fine. Breezies aren't poisonous. We didn't even have to perform surgery. I just used an intro-scanner spell to take a look inside him, then we pulled it out his throat with magic. The breezie, on the other hand, has a broken wing and leg, and has also had quite a shock. It will be in recovery for quite some time. I'm afraid it won't be able to make it back through the portal before it closes."

"Thank you doctor." Gilda breathed a sigh of relief. The breezie I had with me flew out of my grasp, got right in the doctor's face, and started chattering unintelligibly.

"I said they'll be fine. They're okay. Please relax." This did nothing to help calm the breezie's mood. He turned to me. "I don't think this one can understand me. Can you try and do something? You can take your son home now, but the patient can't have any visitors."

"What the heck do you want me to do?"

"I don't know. I'm a doctor, not a linguist." Neither am I. Sure I know English, French, Spanish, some spattering of italian and crude latin, but that doesn't make me some expert.... although... hmmm.

Seth happily bounced down the hospital hallway before being scooped up in Gilda's arms and climbing onto her back. He spotted the breezie who was now bawling and jumped off her, then crawled over to it in a very submissive position. Head down, almost flat on the floor, tail down, looking overall very sad. He gave the big sad eyes too.

"Sowwy." It's hard to make r's with a beak. R sounds are mostly teeth, and his hadn't quite come in yet. The breezie didn't seem to get the word, but did understand the posture and facial expression.

Hmm... that tells me a lot of their language is based on tone rather than specific words...

I began letting out a steady, moderate vocal tone, which slowly went up in pitch as a way to kind of say 'Things suck right now but they'll get better'. The breezie hovered towards me and said, "M'excusen, t'comprende'm?"

At that moment, it was like lightning went through me.

'M'excusen means excuse me, with the pronoun first followed by the verb. Me, you excuse. It's a command. T'comprenden'm. You, understand me. But the tone went up at the end. If the tone didn't go up it would have been a statement like 'You understand me.' but the tone went up, which means it's a question. The breezie is asking if I can understand it.'

"Ya, m'comprenden't. Tote's bono." I pointed towards the operating room. The breezie breathed a sigh of relief.

"Griffin..." Gilda began. "I know we're both making an effort not to swear in front of Seth, but what the actual fuck?"

"Breezie language is based on efficiency, using as few words as possible, making pronouns part of the verb and declaring them first so you know what the subject is, then using vocal tones to differentiate between statements, questions, and commands, while the placement of the pronoun determines whether it's past, present, or future tense. The verbs, at the very least, seem to be a mutation of latin. I wouldn't be surprised if breezies have incantation based magic. That's what they were doing Gilda. Their singing. It wasn't a show for us. It was to activate their protection magic, powered by the wind from the pegasi."

".... let's just go home." She said with exasperation.





As expected, the portal to wherever the breezies come from closed. The pair of them got left behind but they seemed okay with it. From what I was able to gather from Gale, the breezie I had grabbed, she and Bluster, the hospitalized one, were a married couple. Since they could no longer go home, and given that we were responsible for their situation, Gilda and I decided that we would let them stay with us. Our house was safe, warm, guarded against the wind, and given that breezies eat about a breadcrumb a day, it's not like we'd be lacking in food and lodging. The only problem was Seth, though now that he understood the difference between breezies and butterflies, everyone was confident he wouldn't make the mistake of eating one again. Given how many breezies get eaten by mundane birds on their pollen route, the couple didn't hold a grudge.

And that's how our household grew to five.
> Debts (67)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Debts


After the escapades with Bluster and Gale, the former of which healing quite quickly, with spring in full swing there were a few layoffs in the clothing industry. As per our request, Gilda and I were among those given time off, so we could deal with the matter of things that were left unfinished. I decided that, first and foremost, I had debts to repay which were long overdue.  First off was Fancypants, who gave me the money I needed to hire mercenaries for a distraction. The first stop was Canterlot.

Our reception was quiet and without fanfare. Just a pair of guards giving us a quick nod. Gilda took Seth to get us a hotel for the duration of our stay while I went to FancyPants manor, all the while followed by a pair of eyes in the sky trying very hard to not be noticed. I'm glad to see our lookout wasn't constricted to Wingsconsen.

"Well it may have taken longer than I thought but when I'm right I'm right. I knew you'd be back." The dapper one spoke.

"Indeed you did, though did you HAVE to say 'Crawl your way out of the underworld.'?" We shared a chuckle at that.

"So, what became of the mercenaries you hired?"

"Dead." Was my sharp reply.

"I'd say I'm disappointed but then again you 'died' yourself. I'd be rather cross if you threw lives away and didn't give it your all, but it seems the sacrifice was necessary."

"Fancypants, can we please quit the formalities? I'm here for business." The stallion had a way of talking down to you without ACTUALLY talking down to you. He said nothing offensive, but the tone struck me as 'If you didn't suck so much it wouldn't have been necessary.'... Or, perhaps I'm reading far more than is really there and he means no such thing at all. Canterlot, where more is told by what is not said than what is said.

"Indeed. Here to do some modeling. We should be able to finish in about a week, given the time it'll take to get everything prepared. I'll have to send to letters letting certain ponies know we're ready to begin, we'll have to take your measurements and have the outfits custom fit. Hmm, yes, about a week." Fancypants mused.

"Okay. We'll be staying in the 'Honed Horn Hotel'. Just let me know when you're ready to begin."


With that, I went back to said hotel and got a room key from Gilda. At that point, we had a bit of a dilemma.

"Gilda, while we're here, I think I should speak to the princesses."

"I agree." That kind of surprised me. I had my reasons, I'm not exactly sure what hers were.

"You do?"

"Since you came back you've been wearing a scowl every time they come up in conversation, Celestia specifically... SEE! you're doing it right now!"

I sighed.

"I didn't think I was that transparent."

"Or maybe I just know you too well, which is why I'm telling you right now, don't do anything you'll regret."

"Gilda, what's that supposed to mean?"

"I just mean to keep your temper, that's all."

"I'll be fine. If I don't keep my temper, half the roof will be missing from the castle, the city will go into a panic and you can come yell at me okay?"

"Deal."

"Where daddy going?" Seth, who had been silent most of the trip, asked. Oddly enough, he didn't behave how I expected a regular child to behave. Most of the time he was content to sit and listen, taking in everything around him, and only asking questions when the topic concerned him. Regular children always need to be the center of attention and ask mundane, pointless questions simply for the sake of annoying others, or they talk endlessly just to hear themselves speak. Then again, Seth isn't a HUMAN child. He's only a year old, doesn't wear diapers anymore and is already talking.

It's moments like this that it really hits me. I'm a FATHER. I have a SON. And we're chimeras, living in a land of mythology. But mostly that I'm a dad.

"It's alright Seth, daddy is an important person, and he has to go talk to the princesses." Gilda explained.

"Can I come?" Gilda and I looked at each other, each expecting the other to have an excuse. I spoke first.

"Well... you COULD, but it'll be really boring. I don't even want to go but I have to. You could go with mommy to the park instead." I suggested.

"Okay... can I have ice cream?" He asked.

"Yes, you can have ice cream."





The guards to the castle didn't even bother trying to stop me from entering. Likely because the last pair of guards who tried to bar my way had their heads clonked together. The quietly stepped aside and sent someone ahead to announce my presence. The hall was empty, apparently it had been a quiet day, and Celestia sat on her throne with her mane blowing in the nonexistent breeze like it always does.

"Griffin, I've been expecting you. You sent a letter saying 'We need to talk' and then spent months avoiding me."

I said nothing. Don't do or say... or feel anything I'll regret. Dr. Exotic told me I'd have to be careful what I feel, or else my magic might react to my will and obliterate things.

"Well, if you have something to say, I'm all ears." Will you GIVE ME A MINUTE!? I'm trying to compose myself so I don't blabber like a moron.

"I was awake when you visited me. I heard everything." I stated plainly. She visibly drooped at that.

"I see. And what do you have to say in regards to that?" Sun Butt asked.

"Nothing, yet."

"Yet?"

"Yes, see there's something that's been bothering me. Something that doesn't quite add up."

"Oh? Do tell."

"It's too soon to tell. I could ask you, but I don't think I'd get a proper answer that way. The question is more something that needs to be... tested, rather than asked. Either I've been right all along, in which case I'm pretty dang mad at you but I'll get over it, or, I've been wrong this entire time."

"And if it turns out you've been wrong?" She asked hopefully.

"In that case, I'm absolutely furious and cannot be held accountable for my actions due to being consumed by blind rage, and I hope you won't hold it against me, or the New Dominion, when I try my very best to kill you."

"Um... what?"

"Like I said, I'm too busy right now to spend the time to try and figure out what the answer is, but one day when I have some free time and am in the proper mood, I sincerely hope for your sake that you're able to completely thrash me. Other than that, I have some business to take care of. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to use my magic to GENTLY open the door to this chamber."

I reached out to the grand oak slab at the end of the hall and slammed it open so fast I snapped one of the hinges, leaving the door to hang limply in it's frame, bits of splinters sticking out from where it was impacted, and paint stripped off where the hinge was ripped out of the wood. I turned to look at the princess over my shoulder.

"You see the problem then? Yeah, it's kind of an issue." And with that, I left. See? I controlled myself! No problem at all!

"Griffin! What do you mean 'Try to kill me'? And what question? What test? Answer me!" I ignored her as I walked out of the castle. "Guards st.... no... let him go. *Mumble* Where does he get off talking like that, *mumblemumble* threatening royalty."
> The Origin of Rage (68)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


The Origin of Rage


"Wait... you did what?" Gilda asked incredulously.

"I told Celestia I plan to fight her." Was my simple answer.

"Why would you do that?" Gilda questioned, not angrily. At this point she likely knows I always have my reasons.

"There's some complex politics behind it but one of the main reasons is discovery. Basically, in order to move forward, from this point I need to know where I stand. My magic is less controllable, but significantly more powerful. I need to figure out just where I fit in the picture. That and there's some other things that have been bothering me...." Such as my lack of divine protection. How much of my 'skill' was really just Hades holding my hand? "In any case, having a one on one against her is the easiest way to answer a multitude of questions."

"That still doesn't really explain why you'd warn her though."

"Well, when I show up at her doorstep, insult her and challenge her, I don't want it to be a surprise. I want her to be expecting it for two reasons. First, it may not feel like it but I am the leader of a growing nation. I'd rather any hostilities between us be a duel we both agreed to, rather than being misconstrued as an act of war, which would be bad for the New Dominion. Second, it'll give her time to prepare for it."

"Okay. that makes sense."






The next day Fancypants had a letter delivered to us at the hotel. I stopped by a clothing parlor and had my measurements taken, a dozen or so seamstress ponies pinned strips of cloth to me from a pattern to determine the fit and set about working. I had a surprise in that Princess Celestia herself was waiting for me outside once I was finished. She didn't bring a chariot, instead opting to fly there herself.

"Griffin, a word if I may?"

"The doors have ears princess."

"I was thinking the same thing. We'll talk as we fly."

We both took off and found an empty portion of the sky.

"Well? Nobody can hear us up here. I assume this is about yesterday's visit?"

"Griffin, you can't just come into someone's home and threaten them. I assume you have a good explanation for this?"

"It was more of a warning than a threat, but I suppose when I get emotional I tend to not come across clearly."

"From what you said, I assume you plan to challenge me to a duel."

"That is correct." I replied in answers short and to the point.

"Why?"

"That's complicated."

"We have time." The look in her eye said she wasn't willing to let the issue die.

"Very well. Equestria is a land that embodies peace, love, and harmony above all else. Tell me princess, do you know the origin of rage?"

The blank look on her face told me everything I needed to know.

"I suppose you wouldn't. To most ponies, hate and anger are foreign concepts, but you can't know one without knowing the other. Let me explain. The world is a harsh, cruel place, for the most part. People hunger, they grow old, they die, they feel pain, they carry heavy burdens. In such a world, one would pay any price, perform any feat or do any deed for even the slightest bit of comfort. Now, someone comes along and, of their own free will, without expecting anything in return, offers you kindness. In such a dreary world, someone comes out of the blue and lessens your load. How blessed would you feel, and how divine would they appear to be?"

"Griffin, what you're describing to me sounds a lot like love, or extreme gratitude, at the very least." Celestia replied.

"You're not wrong. Now, this person who has brought you such comfort, imagine someone else comes along and hurts them. This being who is so wonderful as to offer a miserable wretch like me kindness, is being brought pain and suffering. Can you even imagine the sheer, unbridled WRATH that would stem from that?" She nodded.

"I told you earlier hate and anger are foreign concepts to most ponies. Pride and contempt are not. Neither is greed. Gilda sent you the slave trade manifests did she not? There were COVERED in hoof prints. Any den advanced enough to have paper and records had recorded ponies selling each other. I own a business, you own a competing business. You're doing better than I am, so I'm going to have you kidnapped and thrown into the mines. Your business disappears. I profit. Or maybe I simply just don't like you. Or maybe I don't even know you, but I'm not making enough this month to maintain my luxurious life of comfort, free of the woe and burden others suffer with. I'm better than they are, I shouldn't have to put up with this. They're just riffraff. If sending the 'undesirables' to slavery makes my life a little easier then I'm all for it. Do you see what I'm getting at?"

"That's all been taken care of. Those responsible have been arrested and..."

"And big deal, you've gotten rid of a few. The ones responsible were arrested, but when the common folk found out exactly WHO'D been stealing away their families, they rioted. When I was trapped in Ancientwell, a pony was pulling the strings. He planned to kill me and my entire family because he lost his estate. Do you understand the magnitude of what I'm telling you? His manor was burned to the ground. You can't tell me the guard did that. It was the ones who found out about what he did. He fled Equestria. Gilda sending in those manifests cost him his easy life, cost him his 'comfort' and in retaliation he planned to murder several hundred people, just because it'd cause me pain."

Her breath caught in her throat.

"The fact is that this perfect world you've tried to build has a poison rotting away at it's very heart. In time more will rise up to take the place of those you've gotten rid of. It never should have gotten this bad to begin with. The only reason you even found them is because MY loved ones risked their necks to get that information for you, something that wasn't their problem, wasn't their responsibility. What about in twenty or thirty years from now when a new batch of bad apples start selling people they don't care about?"

I paused for a moment to let it sink in.

"And what of the ones who are still trapped? The ones who died? The families who've been ripped apart by someone else's greed, or even just lack of caring for their fellows? It's NOT taken care of. All this could have been prevented if the ponies had taken a little initiative to protect themselves. The guard can't be everywhere. Do you know why they don't protect themselves? It's because of you."

She hovered in the air silently.

"When I first came to this world, the first ponies I met were wandering right through the danger zone, drunk off their asses. 'We don't need to worry about anything. If something happens to us, the princess will save us.' The words right from their mouths. But you weren't there to save them. I was. So let me ask you something Princesssss..." I said with a hiss "Are you god?"

"What?" Celestia was taken aback by this.

"Are. You. God?"

"Define 'God'."

"A being of immeasurable power, all seeing, all knowing, immortal."

"No." Was her reply.

"No?"

"I am a pony who became bound to the sun, and gained power and immortality. But I'm not all seeing, all knowing, or infallible. Chrysalis was able to deceive me, I'm sure you remember."

"She's on the same level as you though, but that's besides the point. You're not 'God'. Everypony thinks you are. When they see something awe inspiring, they say 'Oh my Celestia'. Or shocking, 'Sweet Celestia'. Each and every stallion, mare and foal in Equestria thinks you're a god, and you've let them believe this. You control the SUN. I know precisely why you haven't told them you're not a god. Because if you did, then their illusion of safety and security would shatter. We all know how ponies act when they panic. They run around screaming and stampeding. All of Equestria would be in complete and utter pandemonium. You could cause more chaos than Discord ever did just by addressing the nation and saying three words. I'm not god. 'You're not safe' would work equally well. So, you opt to let them believe the lie, to live in complacency."

"Your point, Griffin?" Celestia was getting impatient.

"My point is that if you're going to let everyone believe you can protect them, then you better damn well be able to protect them. Me, my friends and family, all these people who've shown me kindness, we've all suffered immensely because the peace you've enjoyed for so long has made you weak and you can't protect anyone anymore. Igor Redwing and the Old Dominion? You defeated him and proved yourself to be STRONG. That's what's let you have this peace in the first place. Let's see if you can do it again. Either step up, or step down."

"You're telling me to relinquish the throne of Equestria?"

"Those are the terms of the duel. If you lose, you are 'Princess' Celestia no longer. You can still manage the nation, passing laws and whatnot, considering that's all you'd be good for, but the ruling and protection of the nation would be left to those capable of doing so."

"And who might that be? You?" She growled in anger.

"Don't be stupid. I already have the New Dominion, if I were to take the throne of Equestria, it would be a conflict of interest, and an act of war. Besides, I think you're forgetting about someone. That's unwise, since the last time you forgot about her, you neglected her for so long she fell into the depths of despair and tried to bring eternal night just for some attention."

"So... you're telling me you'd leave the defense of Equestria to my sister?"

"I am. Unlike you, she hasn't forgotten her burdens. She hasn't forgotten what PAIN feels like. She's been recovering her lost powers quickly. The damage done by a thousand years of solitude has almost been undone, and if I remember correctly, you only defeated her because you had the elements. In terms of strength and skill, I'd say she's many times your better. The difference between you, much like your ass which you've been doing nothing but sitting on the past thousand years, has only gotten larger."

"Why are you telling me all this now?"

"Because, Celestia, despite what you may think I'm not completely wicked. I'm giving you a chance to prepare yourself before I officially challenge you. Prove me wrong. We still haven't discussed the other terms of the duel. What if you win? I'll give you some time to think about what you want. In any case, if you win, you'll have proven yourself stronger than me. Given my reputation, you'll have bought your people another age of peace. I wasn't lying when I said I hope you beat me. I really, truly do, to the point that I'm going to be PROPERLY pissed off if you don't. That's why neither of us can hold back, and why this cannot be settled with discussion and negotiation. Until then, don't talk to me, because there's nothing more to say." I flew back home to await the next call from Fancypants.
> The Essence of Fear (69)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


The Essence of Fear



The time came for Fancypants to call on me yet again, this time for a proper photo shoot. The clothes had all been finished, the venue set. Gilda and Seth decided to go see a play at the theater while I was off modeling.


"Ah! He is here!" ... I know that voice. That thick accent, that attitude. "Grash an finesse are last season! I finally have a subject with... attitude."

"Hello, Photo Finish."

"Ya ya, les get to the set already. Here, put these on." She threw a pair of denim jeans and a loose Hawaiian shirt at me, then dragged me over to a beach set. The jeans even had a hole meant for my tail to go through, set with a metal ring to keep the fabric from rubbing or chaffing.

"Show me... confidence. Relaxation." They took a shot from a 5 o'clock angle, with me looking over my shoulder to flash the camera a toothy smile.

"Good! NEXT!" In a whirlwind of motion, her assistants were on me. I was wearing full leather, fake of course, an unzipped jacket, tight pants, and put on an open road. "Show me, determination." I gave a focused stare down the 'open road' set they put me on, and they took a shot from 9 o'clock.

"Next!" Aviator scarf, goggles perched on my forehead, coat and breeches in earthen brown next to a cloud backdrop.

"Next!!" Pajama pants and a wool sweater, relaxing on a couch reading a book.

"NEXT!!!!!" Khaki's, no shirt, on a skateboard.

"NEEEEXXXXXXT!!!! Sleek red, collarless trench with black jeans, an attire I'd almost call villainous, (oddly enough, my favorite so far besides the Hawaiian) on a pitch black backdrop, clutching a globe with my most sinister face, the camera shot from 12 O'clock.

"And finished! We go!" That took all of twenty minutes. Well, at least that means I have the rest of the afternoon off. It'd be another hour yet before the theater performance was over, so I decided to hang out on some clouds and just relax for a while, go over my thoughts.





High above Canterlot, I sprawled out on a nimbus. Now that I think about it, I hadn't actually been on a cloud since before Ancientwell happened. Dr. Exotic said that pegasi and griffins couldn't have magic control problems like I did, because then they'd fall right out of clouds. Thing is, I did have those issues, so why wasn't I falling out of this one? What did I feel when I tried to land on a cloud? Well... nothing. There's no emotional state linked to standing on a cloud. There's no 'try' involved. You just stand on it. I realized it was entirely possible that I was overthinking this.

"Okay... I want to stand on the cloud." If overthinking and trying too hard is what's causing me to fail, then something should happen....

"Nope." Well, scratch that. When I think back, if you do something enough it becomes second nature and you don't need to think about it. Daffodil helped me realize that magic was the same.... but how do you release, or prevent the release, of the magic without an activation phrase? That and Dr.Exotic told me that it was my emotions making my magic run wild. So the big issue isn't so much of identifying what I want to happen and making it happen, it's keeping control of my emotions while I do it? Perhaps the reason I was having so much trouble picking up the book without sending it flying is because I got frustrated with it.

Hmm. So my magic is behaving like unicorn magic, with more power and less control.

I rolled over on my back and opened my wings, not fully, just to a relaxed state. I let my entire body sag and release all the tension. I began taking deep, slow breaths.

"Calm in, stress out. Calm in, stress out." I began to feel a strange, tingly sensation throughout my entire body as my constricted blood vessels relaxed and blood rushed to the surface.

"In all religion, mythos and sorcery, blood plays a role. Blood is the medium for magic, which is the essence of the soul, seated in the heart. The heart is the center of the green chakra, representing love, which is harmony. Friendship is harmony is love is magic. But... not only friendship is magic. The will to survive, curiosity, knowledge. My magic is out of balance because my spirit is out of balance, focused on pure survival. Paranoia, ever alert, always keeping watch, constantly ready to shield myself. To survive, you have to be alert, able to judge danger."

I sat for a moment in silence.

"So then... fear? Once I learned that I no longer had divine protection, I went further and further to survive. I've been avoiding even slight risk. Even in a situation I know I have the skills to handle, I lack the confidence to do so. I understand this. It's part of why I challenged Celestia, so I can figure out where I stand in a relatively controlled situation. But, if I'm ever to get control of my magic, which is the essence of my soul, I have to be in control of my soul, which is to say in control of myself. If I can control my emotions, I can control my magic. The reason I could do it before, even with my emotional state as it is, was because the raw force was so minimal, being applied in creative ways. The power is much greater, which means even light focus discharges a great deal. So... rather than focus... awareness? But not awareness out of fear?"

I groaned and clutched my head.

"For all I know I'm just spouting nonsense... to... myself... ugh. I thought I kicked that habit."

I rolled to my feet and sat atop the cloud, still but not tense. Empty of thoughts. Empty. Calm, still.

"Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out."

I began to close my eyes, and the moment they shut was the same moment that, for the first time, I could truly see.

What I saw terrified me. Everything was wrong! Everything was disturbed! Nothing was as it should be! I was no longer seated atop a cloud in Canterlot. I was in Wingsconsen. I watched as a flock of pegasi charged a great, horned beast, covering the escape of the ground bound sheep and cows below. I watched... no... felt, as the monster opened wide it's great maw and... stole their magic. Magic is the essence of the soul. I felt sick to my stomach as those ponies, guarding the escape of the non winged townsfolk, had their essence ripped from them and became empty husks, barely able to move.

My consciousness shifted from there to Appleoosa, where all that remained were the empty husks of earth ponies who's names I didn't know, but I could feel their intense sorrow. This thing that was stealing their magic, no, their very souls, was on a path straight towards Canterlot. I could feel it's hunger and it's greed. I knew that it would never be satiated, not so long as it lived. It seemed to notice me, with those piercing eyes. I gazed into them from afar and in that moment I knew the monster's name.

"Tirek."





Had I been in any other situation, I would have been ecstatic at having achieved a 'fargaze', attuning one's self to the magic world in order to sense disturbances in it, find people you have a connection with, or just connect with the world in general. Such a thing marked a major milestone in a unicorn's development, according to the textbooks Twilight gave me. The reason it was not often used was because even for the advanced, it is difficult to enter that state at will, and it generally happens on accident. That, and if you attempt a fargaze with any specific target in mind it won't work, because the very premise of the thing is to ignore specifics and open yourself to the world at a whole. Concentrating on anything wouldn't show it to you, it'd just end the vision. It's much more common with powerful entities as well, which means that I'm almost certain Celestia, Luna, Cadence, and Discord had all seen this vision. Twilight's mind never stops, so it's possible she had not.

I would have been bothered by the fact that, given the amount of area Tirek had covered, draining the magic from those he came across, and the speed in which he did it, meant that he had been at it for quite some time. Celestia must have known this was happening for a while already. What was she doing about it? Again, this would have bothered me at the time, had not every fiber of my being been screaming at me to find Gilda and Seth, and get as far away from Equestria as possible.

Once I ended the fargaze, I felt exhausted, and it took me some time to gather myself. The moment I had the energy to stand, I made a beeline for the theater house where Gilda and Seth would be coming out any moment. As I flew, I took note of all the cheerful ponies in the city.

"They... they don't know. Celestia knows. There's no way she DOESN'T know. Why hasn't she told anyone? Why aren't they making preparations? Why aren't they evacuating? Why aren't they readying a defense? Why aren't they doing ANYTHING!?!?" The sheer absurdity of it was mind boggling. Tirek was on his way here, RIGHT NOW to steal their SOULS and they were still skipping along in their happy go lucky lives... the exact same thing I was doing up till now. I went to a photo shoot just this morning! I had no idea either! An Celestia.... she KNEW I was here and didn't tell me that this Generation 1 villain of badassery was on his way to destroy everything! I've seen Gen 1! The villains played for keeps!

"Gilda! There you are!" I spotted her out of the crowd.

"Hey, what's up?" She said nonchalantly. She doesn't know either. How could anyone with any degree of magic NOT FEEL the massive disturbance taking place a few kilometers to the west?

"Gilda, listen. We gotta go." From the look in my eye and the tone in my voice, she knew something was wrong. Even Seth knew.

"Daddy, what's going on?"

"Listen Seth, there's no time to explain, but we need to leave NOW. No time to go to the hotel and pack our things. No time to go back home. We've got to leave the country."

"Griffin, what did you do?" Gilda scorned.

"I didn't do anything! This has nothing to do with me! I'm not in trouble. Equestria is."

"Then we have to do something. We have to stay here and help."

"Damnit Gilda LISTEN TO ME. We have to GO."

"You're telling me to drop everything and just leave? We live here. If something like that is coming, we have to do our best to stop it. If we don't then what have we been fighting for, dying for, all this time?"

"Seth, cover your ears."

"Dad?" He questioned, scared.

"Seth, just do it okay."

"Anything you have to say to me, you can say to Seth too." Damnit Gilda! No, wait, she's right. She's forcing me to keep in control of myself and not go off the wall in a swearing fit. Okay. Calm. Calm.

"Okay... listen. We're not running away. We're regrouping. If we charge in right now we can't beat this thing. We have to make preparations. We're not abandoning anything. As much... as much as I'm disillusioned with Equestria right now, this is bigger than Equestria. We have a responsibility to the New Dominion first. As far as I can tell, nobody is going to die, but things are going to get bad."

"How do you know all this?"

"Just trust me okay? I'll explain while we go."


So, we flew. We flew straight east, away from Tirek. We flew over the Ring Sea, resting on clouds and snatching fish when we could until we reached Signal. As far as I can tell, Tirek, no matter how powerful he may be, can't fly or walk on water. On arrival, I ordered the New Dominion to turn away any incoming air or watercraft bearing an Equestrian flag or crest. The first step in protecting the New Dominion would be stopping Tirek from setting foot on it.
> Peace, Resumed (70)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Peace, Resumed



It was during the process of preparing the New Dominion for the possibility of a soul stealing, magic eating centaur that it happened. A giant, rainbow boom cascaded across the sky. Each and every citizen watched as the wave etched it's way across the horizon in awe. I tried to feel for the ever present perversion of magic that I had come to associate with Tirek, the terrible wrongness his entire being exuded, and found not a trace of it, though I did feel a tinge of what felt like the underworld. It had taken less than a week for Gilda, Seth and I to reach Signal. We were there for the span of one afternoon of frantic preparation, gathering clouds with which to rain lightning down from out of range, only to be dispersed.

I picked up a loud speaker and addressed the population.

"Attention citizens of the New Dominion. In regards the the upcoming invasion by a soul stealing demon. Well, you all saw that right?" I pointed to the sky. There were murmurs of acknowledgement. "Um... false alarm I guess. Good work everyone. Pack it up." The crowd's reaction was a mixture of relief and disappointment. The griffins, and to a lesser extent the few ponies, zebras, and diamond dogs living on the isles, are more hot blooded than Equestrians. The thought of fighting a demon had quite a few itching for a scrap.

"I'm rescinding the order to turn away Equestrian craft as well. Trade is important for our economy. If there's no threat, no point in strangling the country."


"So we came all this way for nothing?" Gilda asked, quite irately

"I'd rather be safe than sorry Gilda. Equestria managed to handle it this time, but if things turned out differently, I'd prefer to be prepared. We can't just charge at things... not like we used to." My gaze drifted to Seth, who was just waking up. He stretched adorably and yawned as he got to his feet. How he slept through me using a megaphone, I haven't the slightest clue.

"Huh, it's all better." He said. Bluster and Gale, who had been inseparable from him since they moved in with us, chirped affirmatively.

"What is Seth?" Gilda asked.

"The glowy stuff. It was sick before." Gilda gave me a 'what the fuck?' look. I nodded.

"Well, I'm glad it's feeling better." I replied.

"Yep." It occurs to me that Seth, as a child, is far more sensitive to magic than Gilda or I as adults. It's said that children are always more in tune with the spirit world, since adults look past  the abnormal and dismiss it. I wonder if it's his lineage or the fact he's had so much magic happen around him in his short life? His black, swirling shadow, the gift given to him by Surprise and Discord, seemed calm as well. It had been agitated before.

That gift they had given him, to protect him when we couldn't, to give us some peace of mind. Thankfully it's never been needed yet, though that also means I'd never seen it do... anything, other than reflect his emotions. I'm kind of curious as to what it can do, or what it even IS, exactly. I know it's something similar to Surprise's shadow mice, but Discord did something to it.

"Now what?" Gilda asked me.

"Well, we were gonna come here anyway, at some point. Might as well take care of business before we go back, yeah?"

"That would be good, though since we're here anyway, I kind of want Seth to see what it's like, you know?"

"I agree." I turned to my son. "What do you say son? Tomorrow, do you want to see the island life?"

"YAY!!!!"





So, the first thing we did on our 'vacation' was get laid. A welcoming committee came up, apologized that they couldn't see to us earlier, considering I declared a state of emergency as soon as I arrived, and put leis on us. You know, those flower necklaces they have in Hawaii? So... technically, we didn't get laid, we got 'leid', but they made the joke none the less. Seth didn't quite get it, and I told him I'm explain it when he was older.

"There's... SO MANY!" Seth seemed excited at seeing so many griffins. Back in Wingsconsen and old Hoofton, all we really saw were pegasi, sheep, cows, and earth ponies. I realized he'd never seen any griffins other than Gilda and I before this. Gilda gave Seth some juice and scones as a snack while we headed into town. The goal was to meet with Mayor Bluebeak and get a report of what had been going on the past two years since we'd left him in charge. Then... came the awkwardness.

They bowed. *sigh* Why did they have to bow.

"No.. no.. guys, come on. You don't need to do that. No, really."

"Mommy, why are they bowing to daddy?"

"Well, Seth, your dad's the king." To be honest, watching that kid's eyes bug out was kind of worth the endless barrage of questions that came after.


"Are you married to the princesses?"

"No."

"Oh... so are they my sisters?"

"No, they're from a different country. You're not related."

"Oh, okay. Wait, if you're the king, is mommy a queen?" Oh sweet Hades, my son is a bastard, in the literal sense. Not that I care, but you try explaining the delicacies of familial legitimacy to a toddler.

"Eh, yes. I suppose she is."

"Then why aren't they bowing to mommy?"

"To be honest Seth, I'd rather they not even bow to me. Bowing like that makes the person you're bowing to seem unapproachable, like you can't get near them. I don't like it."

"But if you're the king, can't you tell them to stop?"

"Because bowing to someone is a sign of respect, and it's weird to order someone around like that."

"Ooooh." He said with a tone of intense comprehension. "I don't get it."

"Me neither."





Many questions later, we arrived at the mayor's office. Bluebeak greeted me with a handshake.

"Oooh, so why didn't he bow?" Seth asked.

"He's the mayor. He runs the town. He's a very important person." I replied.

"Oh... should I bow then?"

"Oh hohoho, that won't be necessary. I've always been a griffin of the people, like your father."

"So, Bluebeak." I changed the subject to a more progressive one. "I know I've been gone for a while. I hope you've managed well on your own. I am sorry for leaving you hanging like that."

"Think nothing of it. You've had your own fair share of troubles to deal with. Would you like a report of what's occurred over the past two years?"

"I would."

"For starters, it's been mostly peaceful. We've had a couple raiders, generally some of the braver diamond dog clans, but that didn't last long."

"Really? I figured they'd get more serious as time went on."

"Your actions at Ancientwell seemed to take a lot of the fight out of them. That and when you have to take a boat or airship to get here, an opponent who can make thunderstorms and tornadoes whenever they want it's greatly deterring. There hasn't been any hostile activity here since about three months after we thwarted the attack Ivan informed us of."

"Well, that's good to hear."

"There's also been some trouble with our... residents. Many griffins don't trust the diamond dogs living here, and vice versa, and while they've been quiet about it, there is some unease." Bluebeak explained.

"Well, that's unavoidable. They'll get over it in time though, as long as things don't escalate."

"Speaking of unease... about the changelings... are you entirely certain it's a good idea to have them just... walking around among us?"

"I actually have a plan to address that. I just need to meet with Queen Chrysalis in public."

"Good. When you first arrived, I immediately sent word via one of the representatives here on Signal. She should be here within the hour."

"Good. How about the economy Bluebeak?"

"Booming. Fish has become a lot more acceptable among pegasi since we've started supplying it. Fresh tropical fruit, rice, and oddly enough, seaweed. Ponies enjoy the texture and the salty flavour. We've already implemented a rotation schedule so that areas we harvest have time to recover."

"How do you get seaweed from the ocean floor?"

"Well, that's has to do with something else I wanted to show you, follow me please."

Gilda, Seth and I followed Bluebeak out of his office to the shoreline, at the docks built on the inlet at the bottom of the cliff. There, swimming right in the harbor... were seaponies.

"Shoo be doo!" He hollered into the bay. Then, the singing began.



"Call upon the sea ponies, when you're in distress! Helpful as can be ponies, simply signal SOS. If you find you're cast adrift, and haven't got an oar, call upon the sea ponies, they'll see you to shore."

A seapony swam up to the shoreline.

"Greetings Coral, this is King Griffin, Gilda, and Seth."

"Greetings and salutations." A deep voice replied. Bluster and Gale squeaked excitedly. "Hmm? Breezies? Let me see... uh... yes, now I remember. *Ahem* Comen't? M'nommen Coral. Que t'nommen?"

"M'nommen Bluster. S'nommen Gale." Bluster introduced the pair. "We are well. Also, we speak equestrian now. We've been learning with Seth and teaching him breezie too." They squeaked excitedly.

"The seaponies harvest the seaweed, pearls, and other things only found on the ocean floor for us in exchange for other goods." Bluebeak explained. I couldn't help but laugh. Sea ponies, of all things!

"Is something funny?" Coral asked, seeming a bit offended. I quickly salvaged the situation.

"No, nothing humorous. It's just that the sight of a sea pony after so long has filled me with joy and mirth!" I proclaimed.

"Ha! Then all is well!" He replied boisterously. I mean, he MUST know how hilarious his is. When you think of a sea pony, you don't think of a low baritone voice.

"Well, now that greetings are complete, I must get back to work. Remember, if you ever find distress at sea, shoo be doo. Shoo be doo."

"I'll keep that in mind."





After the meeting with Coral, we returned to Bluebeak's office to await Chrysalis's arrival. He went over some other minor details, however he did give me some important information regarding the other colonies that had risen up in our absence. The most prominent was the black mass on the horizon. One of the islands that we'd deemed uninhabitable during our pass over the ring sea so long ago, due to lack of natural vegetation and flat land, those rocky crags made the perfect place to raise a changeling hive.

A knock on the door of the office interrupted us.

"Hello? Mayor Bluebeak, if I may intrude?" A lady griffin with a blue crest entered.

"Ah, yes, my assistant, Sylvia. Come in. What is it?"

"No." Seth said plainly.

"Huh?" Bluebeak, Gilda, Bluster, Gale, and I all said at once.

"Sneaky sneaky." He wagged his claw back and forth and made a 'tsk tsk' sound. His shadow seemed agitated as well. Green flame enveloped 'Sylvia' revealing Chrysalis instead.

"That's... not possible." She said dumbfounded.

"I thought she had that perfect. How'd you figure out so fast? She only said like, three words." The real Sylvia asked, coming in from behind.

"I unno." Seth shrugged.

"Well, never mind that. I would have come as soon as I heard you were on the islands, but I had other business to attend to."

"Oh, she's super busy because she's a queen! I get it." Seth has been extremely talkative from the moment he learned that I'm a king.

"I suppose we should address the populace then?" Chrysalis suggested.

"Yes, that is the reason why I wanted you here. It's time to put this anxiety to rest."





I made a declaration that I wanted a meeting at town hall in two hours, which gave everyone time to finish what they were doing so they could attend. I stood on the patio next to Chrysalis and began.

"Everyone, thank you for attending. I know there's been some rumors going around, but I'm here to put your minds at ease. Many of you have been questioning the validity of the changelings here. I want to assure you, I have permitted them to be here. Look around you, to your left, to your right. Ponies, griffins diamond dogs. I even met a sea pony today. We are the misfits. In this world, we didn't have a place to call our own, so we made one. We were lost, and I lead you all to our own paradise. I am so very proud of you all. I know there's some distrust. I fear that may always be the case. There's too much bad blood. Too much history. But look around you! Look at what we've built! Look at this city! Where you see timbers, I see hope! We built this city in the hope for a better future, that we could leave the past behind, break the cycle of hate that's kept us in shackles for so long."

"This may be the New Dominion, built from the ashes of the old Griffin Dominion, but this New Dominion is not 'The New Griffin Dominion', because it is not just for griffins. It's for ALL of us who want a better future. For those of us who have nowhere else to go, for those who want to live in peace. The old ways don't work anymore. No... they never worked in the first place. Parents who lost their children, children who lost their parents, they've all come together and become families. We, this entire nation, are a family. Now, it's time to proudly add the changelings to this family."

The crowd mumbled to themselves, not entirely sure what to make of this.

"The changelings themselves. The unloved, hated by most by their appearance alone. They take disguises in the hopes that they can get even a modicum of care from those around them. Look at me now! Here I stand, next to the changeling queen. No disguises! No deceit!"

I stood on my hind legs, as did Chrysalis. I looked deep into her green eyes. This is the one. She helped me when no one else would. She's the reason I have my family. She's the reason Gilda is safe. She's the reason Seth is safe. She's the reason I'm alive. In this harsh, cruel world, she offered me kindness, and only asked a pittance in return.

I felt my heart throb as I gently grabbed the back of her head, tilted my own to the side, and gave her a proper french kiss. I felt her fangs scrape gently on my beak as her forked tongue wrapped around my own. I used my wings to press her tight against me, and ran my free talons along her back, just under her gossamer wings.

"Woooooooo!" Hoots and hollers came from the audience as I broke the kiss. We both went back to all fours and backed away, the queen visibly blushing. The last wish of the changeling who took my place at Ancientwell was for me to give Chrysalis a kiss. She was clearly expecting a peck on the cheek. For the purpose of ending the fears of those who would have changelings living amongst them, that simply would not do. Besides, Chrysalis is attractive in her own way.

"Whew. One thing to take note of. Changelings do feed on love, so you may feel a bit winded afterwards. This is normal. You don't have to worry about them sucking you dry or any nonsense like that though. Now then, questions?" There was a mass of shaking heads. "Good. I got business to take care of, so head on back to your own." With that, they dispersed.





The lot of us went back to Bluebeak's office for a discussion afterwards.

"I certainly wasn't expecting that Griffin." Chrysalis stated. "You don't do anything halfway, do you?"

"If it was just a peck on the cheek, it wouldn't have had the same effect. Have to lead by example. If I had done anything less, it wouldn't feel sincere, and this alliance of ours would only be skin deep. Generally, an alliance between two nations occurs when two members of the royal family get married. Compared to that, a kiss isn't all that big of a deal."

"At least now I know you're serious." Then Chrysalis snickered. "And now Cadence owes me a beach house."

"I've been meaning to ask, what is up with that anyway?" Gilda inquired.

"Fancypants, shame on him, heard the news that Griffin 'died' and decided to have him uphold his end of the bargain. A lot on Signal with a beach house was the prize. He had it constructed, but his business meant he never had any time to be there, so he gave it to Princess Cadence and Shining armor as a gift, which did raise his political standing, but they're in the Crystal Empire and had no time to be there either. She and I got into an argument, she said something out of character, that I'd never get a guy without a disguise, so I made her put a bet on it, and that was her wager. I don't really need one, since the hive is two islands over, but shutting her up was more than worth it. I made sure to get some pictures taken for the next time I see her. I can't wait to rub it in her face. As for the house, I'll probably just put it up for auction or something."

"Unfortunately, that changeling you sent to bust me out wound up making that kiss his last request. Without him buying me time, things would have wound up way worse than they did."

She nodded solemnly.

"Hard to believe the first time we met you beat me three ways to Sunday." She sighed. Not in disappointment, more like remembering bad times, how desperate things had gotten. "Oh, and Griffin?"

"Hmm?"

"While you were in Equestria, I noticed you had pegasus guards watching you from above. While it was a good idea, it was entirely unnecessary."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you really think, as the Queen of the changelings, I'd leave the family of our allies unprotected? If any danger befalls your family, I can have two dozen changelings on the scene in a matter of seconds. Besides love, we don't eat, and we don't need sleep often, and we have eyes everywhere."

"Thanks Chryssy." She blushed at the nickname, and seemed satisfied with the wave of gratitude I sent her.

"Any other business Bluebeak?"

"You really should go to the island of Na'yy Jhaka."

"Gesundheit."

"No, that is the name of the New Dominion colony founded by the zebras. It means 'New Friends' in their tongue. You were meant to be there for the naming ceremony, but life took it's course. You should still head there and officially acknowledge it."

"What do you say Gilda, Seth? We stay here for a few days then head for Zebrica?"

"Yeah!" Seth squawked. He was startled by the fact that he squawked instead of his normal voice and blushed with embarrassment.

"Sounds good to me." Gilda agreed.

"Well then, in that case we are officially on vacation. Lets go have some fun."
> An Exercise in Mysticism (71)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


An Exercise in Mysticism


Gilda and I spent a few days showing Seth the island life. When you're on vacation, specifically an island, there's one thing that people do more than anything else.

You EAT.

To be in a location that has such a fundamentally different culture and cuisine means there's an unending cornucopia of pure, savory deliciousness available to you. We ate clams right from the shell, then in chowder, and then as the little meaty chunks in stuffing, except instead of a turkey it was in a tuna, and we had tuna salad, as a side for lobster. And then we ate fruit. Mangoes, bananas, cinderfruit, oranges, avocados, cocoanuts and rambutans! All served in as many different ways as you can imagine. Just like cooking food changes it's flavour, so does freezing it, and frozen banana tastes fantastic.

So, once we had eaten about a week's worth of food, we went to a bath house. Seth had about as much food on his face as in his belly, and refused to take a bath unless we all took one, so we headed off to a hot tub. Sinking ourselves into the bubbling water, in the shade of palm trees, gave us some time for reflection, but the best way to spend time is wasting it.

"Griffin." Gilda began.

"Hmm?"

"You have that look on your face again. You're thinking about things."

"So?"

"Ever since you got back, you spend way too much time dwelling on your thoughts. You need to let go for a while. Don't think about stuff and just enjoy yourself."

"You're right." I smiled. After all, we were on vacation. I had every reason to indulge. If I was constantly worrying about other things, I wouldn't be able to enjoy the moment. Here I am, with Gilda and Seth, having a nice hot bath, with full bellies. No outside threat, no rush, no nerve-wracking problem. For all my knowledge and skill, I'm no good at relaxing, and the only way to get better is by practice.





So, we took our time and bummed around a few days, trying to unwind. It did a world of good. Feeling all the tension melt away was an ever pleasant sensation. Bluster and Gale seemed to enjoy themselves as well if the way they chirped and buzzed was any indication. Still, it felt as though it was not meant to last. The lot of us soon grew bored, at which point we decided it was time to leave before we became fat and lazy. It was then that we packed up what few things we'd brought with us, and headed to Na'yy Jhaka, the island of 'New Friends'.

Na'yy Jhaka, despite being at a similar latitude to Signal, was vastly different. While Signal had thick forests and deep fresh water pools, Na'yy Jhaka was a boundless grassland and wheat fields, with flowing rivers, lacking in trees, instead had a large number of bushes and shrubs. Their houses were made with wood, rather than the typical thatch huts customarily used on other Zebrican isles, but that was due to the griffin lumberjacks transporting it from other islands.

When we arrived, the village elder came out to meet us. He was, in all senses of the term, and elder. He walked with a cane and a struggled stride, huffing with each step, his eyes white with cataracts. We landed in front of him and he let out a distinct, hacking cough before he began to speak.

"Hrmmmrm... so you're the king. Eeeh... I've seen worse. I am Elder Zih Gin."

"Many pardons for the delay. I would have come for the naming ceremony, but I was otherwise occupied."

"Yes yes, enough about you." 

'Self centered much?' He grumbled to himself.

"Well, you're here now. This is Na'yy Jhaka. We zebras mostly keep to ourselves, but having a new neighbour has brought great prosperity and security to our people. Now then, lemme get a good look at you."

He took my head between his hooves then tilted his head this way and that, as though trying to see me past the haze in his eyes.

"Yep, as I thought, you're an idiot." He grumbled, to the gasps of the younger members of the tribe.

"Um... I... already kind of... knew that..." I replied.

"Yeah... when we first met he insisted I call him 'Dumbass'." Gilda added.

"What? No no... when it comes to intelligence, I'd say you're above average, but you like to over complicate things. Most of your problems have simple solutions. Take your magic for one."

"You mean you know how I can control it?"

"Bah, control. Listen up youngster. What do you think magic is supposed to be used for?"

"To do things you normally can't." I replied.

"Can you pick up a book in your claws?"

"Yes..."

"They why the heck are you tryin to use magic to do that you idiot!"

"Umm... How do you know what..."

"Bah, for you, picking up a fork without crushing it is harder than picking up a mountain, so why are you trying so hard to do the little things?"

"Because power is nothing without control, but no, seriously, how do you know how I've been practicing?"

"I can see it in your face."

"You're BLIND!"

"The blind can see more than those that still have their eyes."

"You're not making any sense."

"And now you understand how it works!"

"... no, I really don't."

"Yeaaaah you do. You just don't think you do, which is why you don't."

Gilda and I looked at each other. We said nothing, but it was easy to tell what the other was thinking. 'Old coot is senile.' Or something along those lines.

"Bah, your young one gets it, just let him explain it to you. In the mean time, welcome to Na'yy Jhaka. Enjoy your stay." Then he huffed and made his way back inside his house.




Later



"So... Seth... did you understand any of what he was saying?"

"Hmm... well... umm... hmmm." He pondered as I watched the gears turn inside his little head. "I think you just have to fwweeeeeeee your minnnnd."

"What?"

"Umm... I think the old zebra can see because he thinks he can see?"

"So wait..." Gilda stopped. "Seth, are you saying he's deluded himself into believing he really can see, and because of that, his magic is making it real?"

"I guess." Seth shrugged.

"In which case..." I began. "I think what he said makes a lot more sense now. It has to do with an old philosophy. The philosophy states that it's impossible to be 'wrong' because whatever you think is real is real to you. Your perception of reality makes it your reality. If your perception is different than everyone else, then you're crazy, or hallucinating, BUT, if you have sufficient magic, then it alters everyone's reality to match yours. Even if you lie to yourself, eventually you delude yourself into believing the lie, it becomes your reality, and if you have magic, it becomes the reality."

"By the gods." Gilda proclaimed. "Well, we know how Discord works now. He just rejects reality and replaces it with his own. Him snapping his claws is a mental trigger so it doesn't just happen automatically."

"Gilda, when I was in the hospital, Dr. Exotic told me that my magic was 'Similar to Discord's' Even though there was more different than there was the same, it was closer to that than to unicorn magic. Not only does this explain why I'm having so much trouble controlling it, but there's something else that elder said."

"Yeah?"

"If magic is used to do the impossible, why am I trying to use it to do the mundane? The reason I keep applying way too much force in my spells is because I'm trying to do too small of a task. I should try to do big things. I'll still practice doing small things, after all, power without control is dangerous, but I should try doing more extreme things with my magic as well."

"There's one more thing Griffin." Gilda added. "If this line of reasoning is correct, that that old zebra, Zih Gin, is far more powerful than I care to imagine. He lacks raw force, but if he can change reality at a whim, even on a small level..."

"Which is why Dr.Exotic told me not to 'feel rashly'. If I get into a certain state of mind, my magic could alter reality, like making someone cease to exist just by wishing it. It's kind of scary."

"... Mommy, Daddy, do you always finish each others' sentences?"

"It just means we're thinking the same thing." We replied together. Seth giggled at that.





We stayed a few more days on Na'yy Jhaka, going over what happened since it was founded, different aspects of the island's maintenance and economy, boring politics stuff. I saw the elder one more time before we left though, and thanked him for his insights. He let out a huff and called me crazy, thinking the ramblings of a senile old zebra had any meaning, but the smile on his bald, wrinkled face as I left was unmistakable.

With our business on the islands complete, we headed back to Equestria. After all, I had a duel to prepare for.
> An Act of Sensibility (72)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


An Act of Sensibility


On our return to Equestria, the first place we decided to go was Wingsconsen. Our home. The little apartment we had been renting got squished when Tirek stomped on it. Also the Sweater shack where Gilda worked, and the tailors where I had my job. Most of old Hoofton had been wiped off the map. It was taking them a bit longer to rebuild, given the more secluded location and the fact that there wasn't a magical princess doing the heavy lifting.

"Yeah... can you imagine if we came back here instead of going to Signal?" I motioned to the ruins of our little home. "That could have been us."

Bluster and Gale chirped to each other that they'd have to get a new home as well, since the birdhouse they'd been using got crushed along with our place. Thankfully, something like that is easier to replace, and I eased their concerns.

We stopped by the post office as well. Since we'd been gone, and our house was gone as well, any mail sent to us would have been held there. Thankfully, since the postal service is run by pegasi, the main mail storage was up in the clouds, and survived the attack. There was only one piece of mail, it had arrived only recently, and it was nothing more than a single page.

Griffin,
In light of recent events, there are a great many things we need to discuss. Please come to Canterlot at your leisure.
Princess Celestia.

"Well, I guess she made her decision."




The next stop was Ponyville. The main reason for this, Tirek was headed right for Canterlot, Ponyville is within a stone's throw, and when giant rainbows explode across the sky to get rid of villains, we all know who's responsible. Basically it's where the shit hit the fan, and I wanted to see what the aftermath was.

Most of the town seemed fine, a couple busted up buildings that had long since been repaired, some deep furrows in the fields outside of town, and a big-ass crystal castle where the library used to be. Looks like somebody found a magic plot device, used it to save the day, and got a new house out of the deal. I didn't bother stopping in to say hello. I was satisfied just seeing how things had turned out. So, the next stop was Canterlot.

When we arrived, there was no fanfare, thankfully. The guards just let us in, and we had to wait in line for half a day because Celestia was busy dealing with issues regarding rebuilding towns that got destroyed. I didn't mind waiting. It shows that yes, I may be a king but I'm still a normal person. That and I didn't really care for what she had to say. There was no rush.

When it eventually was our turn, and I do mean 'our' as Gilda, Seth, Bluster and Gale were all with me, the rest of the ponies seeking audience were dismissed and told to come back in an hour.

"I trust you've made your decision?" I asked before she could even begin.

"Currently Griffin, our little spat is the least on my priorities. We're still in the process of rebuilding after a major incident."

"The damage of which could have been minimized if you'd taken any precautions whatsoever but still, go on." I chided.

"In any case... the fact that we were caught unawares like this disturbs me."

"As it should." I replied.

"Then you understand the importance of what I'm about to ask you. In my efforts to quickly and quietly solve a minor issue, it escalated out of control and became a major incident. While nopo... nobody was killed, there was extensive damage to property and livelihoods. Before you left, you made a point of declaring my incompetence in protecting my people. You said it was my strength and wisdom that was lacking. Your challenge to me was to prove that point yes? I'd say Tirek has done a fine job of proving that."

"Get to the point please. My patience is running thin."

"I'd like to officially appoint you as the head of Equestria's emergency tactics council."

"I refuse."

"What?"

"I refuse. I will not advise Equestria on matters of national security."

"If it's due to the conflict of interest, because of your ties to the New Dominion, we can draft an alliance and..."

"I said it before and I'll say it again, I refuse. If you want me to take that position, then make that the stake for our match. If you win, you'll have earned it. I'm not just going to hold your hoof for the heck of it."

"Why must you be so difficult? Having you as an adviser would solve a large number of problems."

"I have my reasons."

"Care to explain them?" She asked hopefully.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because the machinations of my mind are beyond pony comprehension." *ahem* "Woo. Ghost noises." I added sarcastically at the end. Celestia face-hoofed.

"The other matter, your demand for a duel. You said that if you win, I will no longer be 'Princess' Celestia. That is impossible. As long as I am an alicorn, ponies will see me as Princess Celestia. Even if I officially give up my title and position, ponies will still see me as their princess, and there is no magic that can turn an alicorn into a normal pony."

"I see... hmm." I really hadn't thought of that. I must be slipping. In which case, what do I want? What do I want? The obvious answer is more power. Those without power always suffer. If I want to protect my family, I need more power, or, more precisely, more control over the power I already have. My power has been compared to the power of two other beings. Discord, who's power is chaos and totally uncontrollable, and Sombra. Sombra was an ordinary unicorn, not an alicorn, but he had such power that it took both princesses to defeat him, and even then, He didn't die, he pulled the entirety of the crystal empire into a pocket dimension.

"I want King Sombra's library and laboratory."

"Pardon?"

"If I win, I want King Sombra's library and laboratory. I don't mean I want 'access' to it. I don't mean I want to borrow it. I mean I want it to belong to me, to be my own personal possession."

"That is the property of the Crystal empire, not Equestria. you cannot ask me for what I don't have." Celestia replied.

"Well then you better start sending Cadence letters because those are the terms. If you want me to be Equestria's adviser in the event of emergencies, then you better be prepared to give me what I want when you lose." Before she could retort, I turned around and began to walk away.

"Griffin, I won't pretend to completely  understand why you refused, but I do think I get it a little. Having you as an adviser means it takes the responsibility off her, and the whole point is that she needs to shape up, not get other people to do it for her." Gilda stated questioningly.

"Yeah, that's part of it. The other part is that I'm really just getting sick of her attitude. 'Oooh, we had a crisis because I'm an idiot and didn't warn anyone. Somepony get someone smarter to do my job for me, whaaaaa.' Oh hey, I know, lets choose the guy who I've already pissed off. I'll pretend I've learned my lesson, then he'll swoop in and rescue me from the overwhelming responsibility of leadership.

When I went to the New Dominion, I told everyone a giant centaur monster was coming to steal their souls. Nobody panicked. Not the griffins, not the diamond dogs, not even the ponies living there. They said 'What can we do?' I told them what we can do, and we did it. If ponies in Equestria caught wind of it there would be a mass riot. Ponies in one town didn't even know that the next town over was getting ransacked. If they did there'd be hysteria."

"Is it.... because of confi... confi... confettii...?" Seth began.

"Confidence?" Gilda added hopefully.

"That's the one."

"Ponies in Equestria are so used to looking to Celestia for protection, but time and again when they're in danger she does nothing. Nightmare Moon? She got imprisoned in the sun. Discord? Powerless. Changeling invasion? She wound up in a goo pod. Tirek? Again nothing. Ponies don't have confidence in Luna because they still remember 'Nightmare Moon'. Twilight only just became a princess so she doesn't have a reputation yet. Where as I've been there for the New Dominion since the beginning. Everyone there was actually hoping Tirek would show up so we could collectively kick his ass.

Ponies are already starting to lose faith in their beloved Celestia. If I'm right about this, I'm going to completely thrash her, and that's going to crush the last bit of confidence they have in her. Maybe then they'll start standing up on their own. Speaking of which, I need to find an old quarry."

"What for?" Gilda asked.

"I wanna see what I can really do if I go all out.
> Grasp (73)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Grasp



As I stood in the abandoned quarry, I took in my surroundings. There was a small lake in the bottom, which took up about a quarter of the quarry floor. The entire thing was littered with boulders, chunks of rock that had either fallen after it was abandoned, or had been dug out, only to be left behind as whatever project that required the stone was either cancelled or met their quota.

"Okay... lets try this again. A boulder is a lot bigger, heavier, and stronger than a book. I'm going to lift the boulder." I reached out with the tendril of magic, just as the book instructed, just as I practiced. Just tag the item with your magic, so you can effect it at range. As soon as it contacted the rock, it shuddered a little.

"Right, now up." A sharp pulse of red surrounded a rock about twice my size as it was tossed 30 feet in the air before coming crashing down and breaking in two.

"I need to think of this from a different angle. I want the boulder to move. What is motion? Kinetic energy. No, wait. All energy is kinetic energy, it's how it's applied that changes what happens. Motion is energy applied in one direction. Rotation is energy applied in a circle. Heat and fire are energy applied with no direction. Electricity is the motion of free electrons. The reason the boulder flew up so high is because it had no indication of how high it should go. Wait... If I want to pick something up, I use my hand. I may be using magic to do something I physically can't, but why should it be any different? I want to pick up a boulder. I'll just use my hand, with magic..."

Spotting another large rock, I focused my will again, but instead of reaching out with a single tendril of aura, I split it in three, like a claw, gripped it from all sides, then slowly... slowly... lifted it. It didn't explode, or get crushed, or tossed into the horizon. It floated there in my magical grasp, held by three prongs of dark red for a 'hand' with the arm stretching all the way back to me.

I held forth my claws, and made the movements of the magic hand match. The I was thinking it might be similar to playing one of those claw machine games to try and pick something up, except you have multiple tries and no time limit. I sucked at those abysmally, but at the very least this was possible, as compared to what I had been trying before.


Using my wings as another set of legs to stay standing, I lifted both arms into the air, with a magic aura arm to match each of them. I grasped a boulder in each hand, and smashed them together. I was rewarded with a shower of splintering rocks. So, this was something I could do, although if I tried it on anything smaller or lighter I'd have a great deal more trouble. Besides this, there was one other thing I wanted to try.

"For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. I want to hit something, I recoil my arm, and thrust it forward. When it comes in contact with something, half the force is exerted on the object I strike, with the other half of the strain being put on my arm as the object resists being hit. This is why when you punch a wall, the wall doesn't topple over, you break your hand. Magic doesn't obey the laws of physics... or... it finds a way around them. If I use magic to apply unidirectional force, instead of the counter force affecting my arm from hitting it, my magic takes the counter force."

I walked up to another, particularly large rock. I remember one time, thinking the royal guard training regime was impossible, because if anyone could succeed at it they'd be able to kick boulders over mountains. How silly of me, the amount of force that someone who completed that training could output would be nowhere near the raw power I put into that rock. This entire time, I'd been having difficulty controlling my magic, trying to make it not send things into orbit or obliterate them. The fact that I was now trying to do what I'd been previously avoiding dawned on me as somewhat ironic as I gently pressed my claws against a two-thousand pound boulder and made dear old Tom the newest member of Team Rocket. I really hope nobody gets hit by that, but at the very least I had the sense to aim it towards the ocean.





Later, Elsewhere


"Welp! There ya go! I finally fixed all the problems on this damn ship. The rivets have been welded properly, the balloon has reinforced seams, and the engine ain't a hunk of junk anymore."

"Mr. Fixit, I knew I could count on you to fix the Hindentanic. After it's horrific debut, I hope it's reputation isn't damaged too badly, otherwise I'll never recoup the extravagant cost that went into building this thing."

"Hey... do you hear a whistling sound?"

*SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS BOOOOM*

A giant boulder fell out of the sky, landing directly on top of the ship and punching straight through the top of the balloon, and right out the bottom of the hull, snapping the keel in half and ripping the ship in two. Poor Mr.Fixit looked at the ship he'd spent the past two years repairing, then at his client.

"Here's your pay Mr.Fixit." The client passed him the agreed upon sum, followed by the ownership papers of the downed vessel. "I bucking quit."

The repair pony looked at his new property and sighed.

"Welp, back to work."
> Cultural Difference (74)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Cultural Difference



Twilight
One month later.


I was going about my normal morning duties when Spike burped up a letter. Princess Celestia had previously informed me that she and Griffin were going to have a match. She'd already sent him the time and location, and was just waiting on his reply. According to her message, he'd agreed to keep the fight private. Having a public audience would strain relationships between the nations, and, according to her, the whole reason for this was because Griffin wanted to prove a point, not needlessly shame the loser. I expect the real reason is they're both hoping to avoid any possible collateral damage. There would be media present however, to document it for the newspaper, as something like this would be impossible to keep quiet, and there would need to be an explanation for their fight, as well as the outcome and what was gained or lost.

Each side would bring an entourage. Rainbow Dash, Luna, Cadence and I would be there for Celestia. Fluttershy didn't come because she hates fighting, same with Pinkie. Applejack was too busy, and Rarity wanted nothing to do with such unladylike business. For Griffin, only Gilda and Seth would be there. Discord would be the referee.

We all met at the Canterlot arena. It was closed off to the general public for the day, and would serve as the venue for the event.

"Are you certain you want to go through with this?" Celestia asked.

"Yes." Griffin replied.

"I know, but it's customary to ask the opposition if they have any second thoughts."

"In order to make sure every last opportunity for a peaceful resolution has been exhausted, I know. I read up on old Canterlot duel tradition. I hereby declare our differences cannot be reconciled with words. Satisfied?"

With that, Discord floated over, carrying a stack of papers, wearing over sized glasses, and a fancy lawyer suit. He sighed, since law is a subject that is boring as hell, and began. 

"In accordance with the honorable combat law of year 322, Griffin and Celestia, do you agree that no legal action can be taken for the assault about to commence?"

"I agree." They said in unison.

"Good. The rules are that you are to fight until either one of you gives up, or is unable to continue due to unconsciousness, injury, or death. The wager for this fight. If Celestia wins, Griffin is to act as military and disaster situation adviser to Equestria for so long as he is capable, up to the standard age of retirement for griffins, which is 95. If Griffin is the victor, The entirety of the late King Sombra's Library, laboratory, and all it's contents, currently the property of the Crystal Empire, will have ownership transferred into his name." Cadence nodded.

"Now that the legalities are out of the way, are you gonna get ready?" Griffin asked.

"What do you mean? I am ready." Looking at Celestia, she looked the same as always.

"Oh for goodness sake, if you're not going to take this seriously, then I guess I'll have to. Discord, can you make me human for this? I'm getting tired of her crap." With a snap of the chaos spirit's claws, Griffin the human stood in the arena.

"I don't get it Twilight. Why'd he do that? She can fly, and now he can't. He's giving up a major tactical advantage." Rainbow asked me.

"Yeah, but he's gaining speed. As a griffin he can fly, but he's a lot heavier. He might have a higher top speed, but like this he's got more agility. He's decided that adaptability will be more important. What I don't get is why he's ticked off. I mean, Celestia  she looks the same as she always is."

"Sister, take off your regalia. Also, you agreed on no weapons. Your shoes could do damage." Luna whispered to her sister as Griffin took off his own shoes and gloves, so that he was bare foot in the sand of the arena floor. He also took off his shirt, leaving only his loose fitting pants. He wasn't overly muscular, but he was definitely fit, not like he was when he was in the hospital.





Now bear with me, this isn't my usual style, and I personally hate using 3rd person because rather than being part of the story it makes you feel like an observer, but I really don't have any other way of doing this without PoV swapping every other line, which, as both a writer and a reader I despise even more than 3rd person.



Griffin and Celestia stood in the arena, 15 paces apart, and stared each other down. Each trying to get in the others head, trying to figure out what the first move would be. For Griffin, he already knew. By turning human, and robbing himself of flight, he made it so Celestia's opening move would be to fly, to gain distance, and then rain spells down on him from above. In knowing this, he knew that instead of reaching for Celestia herself, he'd take hold of all the air in the arena, and pull it downwards. He'd do this every time she'd try to fly.

Celestia on the other hoof, was not expecting that. Given his display in the throne room, when he broke the doors right off their hinges, she was expecting an immediate offense, and would take to the air to dodge, then try to shield herself. She knew that she didn't know the extent of his powers, and knew that was a disadvantage, so she'd buy time to figure out what Griffin was capable of.

"Begin!" Discord shouted as he teleported into the stands, with a bag of popcorn and an ultra-extra large soda.

Celestia immediately took to the air and put up a shield. Griffin raised his arms, then swung them down in a large, sweeping motion, bringing the alicorn crashing to the ground. Her shield absorbed the impact and she stood up unscathed.

As soon as she landed, Griffin immediately rushed towards her, hands open. She fired a pair of quick magic blasts, but as they reached their target, he smacked them away, his palms flashing with each contact.

'I can't let him touch me, but I can't fly.' She thought as she teleported to the other side of the arena. As though anticipating this, Griffin contorted mid stride and sent a large ball of red magic towards her. It missed wildly, impacting the floor instead and kicking up sand in front of her, blinding her. Celestia shielded herself once again, just in time to guard against another impact, this one from his fist. Her shield cracked, but held, and she felt herself sliding back a few feet from the strike.

When she looked at him she expected to see a face full of rage, or intense focus, but what she saw was dull. Uninterested.

At this close range, Griffin hammered her shield again and again, pounding on it and deepening the crack that had formed in her magical barrier. She couldn't shoot back, since she was already using her horn to cast the shield. She couldn't escape, as he would not relent the pressure he was putting on her. She'd have to take a chance.

Just as Griffin wound up for a big hit, she lowered her shield, pointed her horn directly at him, and began casting as strong of a magical blast as she could, given the short time frame. Just as she closed her eyes to focus on the spell, she heard a sickening sound.

*schlick*

The sound of flesh being torn. She could feel... something... impaled on her horn. She could feel the wet warmth of blood running down it's spiral grooves onto her forehead, and she could feel an iron grasp on her mane.

Her concentration broken, the spell she hoped to cast fizzled out. When she opened her eyes, she saw that Griffin's left hand had been run through completely, the hand he was now using to grab her mane and hold her head in place. Now, even if she managed to throw him off, her horn would be caked in blood, and she'd be unable to cast.

She thrashed back and forth, trying to throw him off, to loosen his grip and get some distance, but she couldn't seem to dislodge him.

"Gotcha." Griffin gave a big right hook and delivered a crushing blow to her left temple. Her body tingled, her vision swam, and she heard a ringing in her ears. He gently pressed the flat of his right hand to her nose, his palm glowed, and she was flung across the arena, smacking hard into the barrier wall.

His hand still dripping blood, Griffin sat in the warm sand of the arena, very calmly.

"You know, it's funny. Back when I issued this challenge, I thought for sure, I'd lose my cool, go berserk and try to kill you. I thought I'd be so pissed off, so furious that once I started wailing on you I just wouldn't stop. But I'm not. I'm not mad anymore that you didn't come and help me try to rescue my family. I may have more brute force now, but I'm a lot less lethal than I was before. If you came with me, you'd probably have gotten in my way."

Griffin sighed.

"I realized something. As much as I hate you for being too weak to help, I realized that my friends died because I also, was too weak to help them, and I hate myself for that just as much. I might not be mad that you didn't come to help, but I am mad that you weren't strong enough to make it an option. At the same time, it's my own damn fault I couldn't save them. I've already been punished for it by losing the people I care about. And now you've been punished for it by having me beat the tar out of you. Maybe next time someone gets down on their knees and begs for your help, you'll be able to do something."

Celestia's head lolled about on her shoulders before finally slumping down into the dust.

"Hey, Discord, you gonna call it?"

The draconeequis hadn't even been paying attention to the match, and had instead entertained himself with a hackey sack, missed the bag when Griffin called his name, grumbled at his loss, then came over and declared him the winner. Griffin left the arena as the medical team on standby saw to his fallen adversary. Cadence passed him the deed to Sombra's private tower in the Crystal Empire, then he met up with Gilda and Seth.

"So, who wants to go see the crystal ponies?"

"I do!" Seth cheered.

"Griffin, your hand." Gilda remarked, reminding him of something rather important.

"Yeah, it's fine, see?" While the hole in his hand remained, the wound had already closed and stopped bleeding. The metacarpus of his middle finger had broken off, leaving the digit incapable of motion independent of the rest of the hand. "I'll get a doctor to heal it up once they're done dealing with Celestia's blunt force trauma."

"Doesn't it hurt?" Seth asked.

"Nope."

	
> Seek Adversity (75)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Seek Adversity



A Few Days Later


We went to the Crystal Empire on the same train Cadence took to get back. We were going to ride coach, like normal people, but Cadence invited us to her private car. Of course, she had questions of her own. Seth almost immediately fell asleep to the clickity-clack of the train, so it left us free to have a more adult conversation.

"I have a couple questions. There's some things I just can't wrap my mind around." Cadence began.

"Ya. K. Better than sitting in silence looking awkwardly."

"I understand than Aunt Celestia has taken a... oh... how do I word this... I get that she hasn't exactly taken a direct role..."

"Please Cadence, stop beating around the bush." She seemed almost scared to ask."

"Was fighting her really necessary?"

"Yes."

"Why? Couldn't you have just explained it?"

"If I did that, it wouldn't have had the same effect. For her to realize her failings, she had to suffer a bit."

"That's your justification for causing pain? Celestia has been miserable ever since then. You really hurt her, and not just physically."

"Cadence, pain isn't evil."

"How can you say that?"

"Hmm... let me ask you something. Cadence, how do ponies learn to walk?"

"What?"

"Learn to walk. How do ponies learn to walk?"

"They don't. They're born, then they get up on their hooves a few hours later and they walk. What do you mean learn to walk?"

"When humans are born, they're completely helpless. Their parents lay them on their backs. This is uncomfortable, so the baby cries and screams and flails, and their parents leave them there, watching them. Eventually, their random flailing builds muscle and they stumble across the correct pattern of movements to roll from their back to onto their chest. This is a bit better, but it's still uncomfortable. Their face is pushed into the ground by the weight of their head, and the weight of their body puts pressure on their lungs. They try to lift their head to ease their pain, they flail their arms and legs till they somehow manage to get their limbs under themselves and then? They crawl. They lift their head and see the world. They see such wondrous things, all out of their reach. They want to see! They want to know! They want to reach those lofty heights they see the rest of the world is at and be a part of it! So, they find something, pull themselves up... they stand. Then, they take their first step, and fall flat on their face."

I punctuated this by slapping myself in the face, hard enough to leave a red imprint.

"Friggin hurts. Way more than anything they've felt before, and yet they get up and try it again, and again they fall, and again, and again and again and AGAIN, AND AGAIN. And then they learn to walk."

"That's awful."

"No Cadence. That's LIFE. Pain is what lets you know your limits. Without it to tell you where the boundaries are, you never push past them. You never grow. You wither away. You stay an infant, laying on a pillow, never doing anything for yourself, totally reliant on other people to do everything for you. Celestia has been like that for almost a thousand years. She's forgotten what it means to suffer, to push past your suffering and become more than you are. Losing Luna a thousand years ago hurt Celestia, more than anyone could comprehend, and because of that, she intentionally avoided any and all strife, but in doing so, she became weak and let down all the people who need her. I had to fight her Cadence, because she's been asleep for a thousand years, and needs to wake up. The fact that she's been miserable ever since I beat her is good. It sounds cruel, and I don't care if she hates me for it."

Cadence just shook her head.

"In any case, now she has a choice to make. She can reject her pain, go back to the way she is now. If she does, this will all happen again, only, it will not be me. It will be someone far more cruel. Someone who won't stop at a bloody nose. Or, she can accept it, realize that she needs to get stronger. Feel the burning need for strength and follow it."

"When is it enough Griffin? When do you stop? Do you just let your hunger for power grow and grow till it consumes you? Where does it end? Once you've thrown away everything?"

I could tell that the love-alicorn was having a hard time accepting this. I merely looked away and sighed.

"Who can say? I don't have the answers, but I know where I might find them."

"Is that why you wanted Sombra's library?"

"Yes. Sombra, from what I've heard, was unique in many ways. Yes, he was evil, and a tyrant, but he was also something else. Of the powerful beings in this world, there are the alicorns, bound to an aspect of creation. There's Discord, the spirit of chaos. There was Tirek, but his power was not his own, it was borrowed from others, and his immortality came from the fact that as a demon, he was not technically 'living' to begin with. Then there's Sombra. Sombra was a normal unicorn who became something more. He gained incredible power and skill, enough that even after dying, his soul remained, with enough power to pull an entire city into a pocket dimension for a thousand years. Sombra was someone who understood the need for power, but he took it too far and became a villain. If I can figure out where he went wrong, where he crossed the line, I can avoid doing that myself."

"I see." Cadence seemed thankful that, at the very least, I wasn't going to go totally evil villain. I will admit, after fighting Celestia, many people will change their opinions of me, for better or for worse. I don't care either way, but it would be bothersome if someone with significant influence decided to get rid of me. It would mean I'd have one more pain in the ass thing to deal with.

"That, and there's one more thing."

"Which is?"

"The crystal ponies, many have been alive for more than a thousand years. They weren't put in stasis while in Sombra's realm. They lived. They are not powerful beings like alicorns, but they have incredible longevity. Sombra wasn't a crystal pony, yet he also existed for a thousand years, even after his body was destroyed. How the hell did he do it? It's become clear to me that Equestria can't be counted on to protect the New Dominion. Right now, I'm doing it, and I'm trying as hard as I can to make it so it's people can protect themselves, but what if someone like Tirek shows up? There has to be someone like me there to handle it. Who's going to do it when I die? I got to thinking... Sombra died, but he stuck around. There's no guarantee I'll find what I'm looking for, and, right from the beginning I've never wanted to, but I may have to become immortal, or, at the very least, find a way to stick around even after I die. That's why I wanted his library."

"Thank you, I think I understand you now."

"That's good Cadence. Not many people can claim that. The inability to understand others is what leads to conflict, and I think we've all had enough of that for the time being."






When the train arrived at the Crystal Empire, there was a familiar trio at the train platform. On exiting the train, a pair of crystal pony foals rushed towards us, one jumped me, and the other squished up against Gilda's leg.

"Does your mother always bring you two to play at the train station?"

"Uh-huh!" The colt replied. "That way we can see everyone coming and going!"... Every-one? Not everypony?

"Oh... sorry." Their mother followed her foals. On noticing Gilda and Seth nearby, she perked up. "I see you got them back. I'm glad."

"Grif, who is this?"

"This is... uh... I... well crud. I met them last time I passed through the Crystal Empire, when I was coming to rescue you, but I can't remember their names for the life of me."

"I'm Misty Morning. This is my daughter, Sunny Day, and my son, Cloudy Day." She mercifully reintroduced.

"And do they always hug attack people?"

"Just griffins. Apparently that's a common occurrence here."

"Yep!" Sunny piped in. "Griffins are just so fuzzy. We used to have one live with us. And he made hay fries."

"Out of potatoes!" Cloudy added.

"That would explain the giant crystal statue of a griffin outside the town hall." Gilda stated.

"Though... the massive statue of Spike holding the crystal heart is new." I pointed out.

"Anyway, don't you have something you should be doing?" Cadence reminded me.

"Oh, yeah, that's right! Group up everyone! We're going sightseeing!" Yes, I know Cadence meant the library, but I promised Seth we'd get to see the Crystal Empire. I'm not going to lock myself in a library while everyone else goes and has fun. Who do you think I am, Season 1 Twilight? If there's anything I've learned from this is that no matter what happens, family first.
> The Tragic King, Part 1 (76)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


The Tragic King, Part 1


Gilda, Seth and I spent some time enjoying ourselves in the Crystal Empire, though we didn't spend long. We already had our fill of vacation from the time we spent in the New Dominion, so instead of a full blown holiday, we instead decided to just take the tour for the day, then retire to a hotel and get a fresh start tomorrow.

First stop was the castle, with Cadence and Shining Armor holding court. The atmosphere of this throne room was fundamentally different from the one in Canterlot. It completely lacked the pompous arrogance of Canterlot, and instead of stuffy nobles whining that they weren't making nearly enough money, they had actual ponies with actual issues, having those issues be addressed.

We didn't linger there long, as our tour guide continued to show us around the city. The rest of the tour was rather boring, a few interesting tidbits here and there, but mostly nothing noteworthy until we arrived at the Crystal Heart, and the end of our tour. The guide spewed the same humdrum as always. Powerful artifact, linked to everypony in the city, powered by their joy. Just drawing close to it I could feel the magic humming inside, as could Seth.

"Excuse me, I have a question."

"Yes, Mr. Griffin?" The guide turned to me.

"Is the crystal heart indestructible?"

"Well, nothing is totally impervious, but the crystal heart may well be considered indestructible to anypony using normal means. *Gasp* Don't tell me you intend to break the thing?" The rest of the crowd gasped as well.

"Oh gods no." They all breathed a sigh of relief. "It's just that there's some things about the way S..." I paused, bringing up his name might put a bad taste in everyone's mouths. I don't care, personally, but I do know how to use tact and walk on eggshells every once in a while. "Some things about the way you know who acted that confuse me."

"I'm glad. Everyone, even the King of the New Dominion can find no logic in the tyrant's actions." The guide said almost with a sense of pride. I take it Sombra is a bit of a verbal punching bag around here.

"That's not something to be proud of." I retorted. "If we can't understand our past and the reasons why things happen, then how can we prevent them from happening again?"

"Now that Princess Cadence sits on the throne, there's no chance of the crystal heart being stolen and corrupted again. You can rest assured we are all safe."

More blind faith in an alicorn. Wasn't Cadence on the throne before, when the heart got stolen in the first place? And what's more, the heart is, according to Twilight's book, an aspect of creation, but the guide just said that Sombra corrupted it somehow. Is it like when Discord used magic seeds to choke the life from the tree of harmony? It just doesn't make any sense. From all the reports I've heard, King Sombra could make crystals with his magic, and he was forcing the crystal ponies to mine them as slaves, but why? If he could make them himself, why was he making others mine them? 

The obvious answer is that he didn't actually need the crystals, he just wanted to keep the ponies miserable. And the obvious answer to why he wanted them miserable was to corrupt the crystal heart so it couldn't be used to get rid of him. That's where the facts end. If he was able to corrupt the heart, then why not destroy it completely? It's indestructible to a pony with normal methods, but Sombra was the very definition of abnormal, by pony standards. And, even if he, with all his power, couldn't wreck the thing, then why keep it in the tallest tower in the city? All the records say the heart was lost, but it was right in the middle of town the entire time. It was less that they didn't know where it was than that they didn't know how to get it. Why? Why would Sombra keep the only thing that could destroy him so close? Why not hide it somewhere out in the tundra, where the nearly constant storms would prevent anyone from finding it? It almost sounds like he needed it...

"No.... that couldn't be it, but it makes so much sense, if that's how it is."

"Griffin, what are you on about?" Gilda asked.

"I think I just figured something out. You go on ahead and book the hotel. I'm heading to Sombra's library."





When I arrived at my property, I found a pair of scholarly looking unicorns being denied access by a very bored looking guard.

"As I told you before, the library no longer belongs to the Crystal Empire. You've spent long enough trying to get inside without any success, so you've run out of time."

"What's going on here?" I demanded.

"You're Mr.North, yeah?" The guard asked.

"I am." I showed the deed.

"Great." He turned to the researchers. "This is the new owner. You can direct any questions or concerns to him. Job's done, I'm out of here."

"Finally, now all we have to do is convince him to let us keep trying."

"You know I'm standing right here, don't you?" I replied as they spoke among themselves.

"Oh, yes, well, we've been trying to gain access to this library for a long time, but we can't get in."

"Why not?" I asked the pair of bookies who shall remain nameless because they are of little interest.

"Well.... if I may..." The one on the left asked. I nodded in approval. She walked up and opened the door, only to reveal an empty tower with nothing in it. "This is the location of King Sombra's library. But this..." She motioned inside. "Is NOT King Sombra's library.

"He was known to use magic to create pocket dimensions. He pulled the entire Crystal Empire inside one for a thousand years. We've figured out that while this is the entrance to his library, it isn't physically here. He must have cast a spell pulling it into another realm."

"That theory doesn't check out though, because when the crystal heart was purified, it destroyed every last bit of him, and if he's totally gone, then his spell should have disappeared. It's not like this is a small item you could put a long term enchantment on, it's a whole building! The magic definitely should have been used up by now."

!

"Which means that, wherever this library is, there must still be a small part of King Sombra alive in there, maintaining the spell. It didn't get destroyed when the heart was purified because it wasn't in the Crystal Empire. Ladies, thank you for the information, however, this library is my property, and it is NOT a public library, so geeeeet out!"

"But we're so close to finally getting insi..."

"Out! Outoutout!" I shooed them out of the foyer leading into the tower and slammed the door behind me, making sure to latch it tight.


"Well well, 'King' Sombra. We meet at last." Yes, I am talking to a door. "I know you're in there." I said to the closed door. "Hiding. I think I've finally figured you out. Ever hear of a phylactery? Those who seek to overcome death remove their soul from their body and bind it to an object. Then they possess their body and keep walking around in it, but when the body dies, the spirit persists because it's housed in a different vessel. That's how you survived when the princesses blasted you into oblivion. That's why you corrupted the crystal heart. It's almost indestructible, so it's be the perfect vessel, except that it was already bound to Cadence. You made the ponies miserable, by using your magic to make crystals and forcing them to mine, all so their misery would corrupt the heart so you could bind yourself to it. You had to keep it close, somewhere in the city, because you couldn't stray too far away from it. When Cadence purified the heart, it kicked your soul out of it, and you had nowhere to run or hide when the shock wave of love magic came."

...

"But you didn't put ALL of you in the heart, did you? No, you kept a portion of yourself hidden here, in this library, bound to something else. From in there, you're casting a spell on this door, so that instead of leading to your library, it leads somewhere else. All these actions... they are the actions of someone who's terrified of dying. As a descendant of Hades, hellfire is my birthright." My right talons burned black with the magic stealing flame, before I put it out." "Here's the deal, dead king. I'm going to open this door, and if it doesn't lead to your actual library, I'm going to close it, then burn the door with hellfire. It'll eat the magic holding your lab out of this dimension, then travel back along the spell connection straight to you, and it'll burn whatever is left of your soul. I'll kill the last piece of you and send you on to the afterlife. Given what you've done, I doubt Hades is going to show any mercy." I paused to give the door a second to think about it.

"Look at it this way Sombra, either way I'm getting in this library. One way, you die and the ponies outside get access to the knowledge held within. Sure, this place may belong to me, but I'm not going to stick around and guard it, I've got shit to do elsewhere. The OTHER way, I still get what I want, but whatever is left of you doesn't get destroyed, and can keep guarding this place. Make your choice."

I put my claws on the doorknob, turned, and flung the door wide.
> The Tragic King, Part 2 (77)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


The Tragic King, Part 2


The door opened, and what I saw was not at all what I expected. This wasn't some library or laboratory, this was a private study. A single bookshelf, a fireplace, a comfy chair, a cabinet with wine glasses, and a few bottles of wine on a stand. The most notable, however, was a lectern with a single, closed book on it. The book itself had a... feel about it. Some kind of foreboding, like you're not meant to go near it. So, instead of doing the obvious thing and opening it, I decided to investigate the rest of the room first.

The first thing I took a look at was the wine shelf. Now, I don't know much about wine, and I don't care for it myself, but Sombra kept a few bottles of some ancient vintage. Then again, given that the place was out for a thousand years, this may be a very cheap wine that just sat for an eon, again, i don't know much about the drink itself, but it does tell me that Sombra liked to sit in here, read his books, and enjoy a good/bad wine.

So, what made him into the snarling, mumbling beast everyone described him as? Next, I checked the bookshelf. It contained some advanced spell books, and, oddly enough, was mostly medical journals. Why would a powerful wizard have medical journals? Enough pondering, time to look at the book on the lectern.

As I drew nearer to it, the book seemed to shudder, as though the inanimate object was afraid and, despite being unable to move, was trying desperately to flee. This would be the object housing Sombra's soul, I was certain of it.

"Hey now, none of that." I told the book. "You let me in, after all. Now then, show me everything." As I opened the book, the world twisted and tore, like scraps of paper being ripped away, to reveal... the same room? Only, this time, there was someone sitting in the chair.

"Hello, Sombra." I said. He scoffed in reply. I stood there, glaring at him for a time, till it became clear to him that simply ignoring me wouldn't make me go away.

"Well then, what do you want?" He asked in a thick Spanish accent.

"Quiero apprender." I want to learn. That, at the very least, got his attention. Thank you first year Spanish, where I watched Dora and learned how to make salsa.

"Hmm." He climbed out of his chair. "You show up to my home, threaten me with immolation and death, then ask for a favor?" His eyes burst with flame as he seemed to look through me. I wasn't afraid though, not of this mere fragment of a person. He seemed satisfied with my lack of response.

"Oh your heart is wonderfully dark. Very well, what do you want to know?"

"Only two things. How you became immortal, and why."

"Very well, but you must do something for me, in return."

"And that is?" I asked.

"Take me out of this place. Those two ponies outside aren't nearly as dull as most. It's only a matter of time before they manage to get in here. When the book housing my soul is found, it's likely they'll destroy it.

"Deal."





The world twisted and warped again. This time showing a different room, and a child Sombra, his horn straight and swirled, like that of a normal unicorn, and no evil about him, standing next to a pair of graves. He was weeping silently. I could feel a deep sense of sadness permeating the air as I realized that I was inside one of Sombra's memories. He wasn't going to tell me, he was going to show me. It didn't linger on this image for long, shifting to one of an older, teenage Sombra, in a doctor's office.

"I'm sorry." The began. "There's nothing I can do. Not enough is known about the disease to give a proper treatment. I know it's difficult, and I know it's not fair."

"Just like my parents then? But they got sick well into adulthood, why is it happening to me so early?"

The doctor only sighed and shook his head.

The next few scenes were Sombra, looking older and more frail with each passing scene, sitting in this study, with a progressively larger pile of books surrounding him. I heard his voice, not the image's but King Sombra's speaking.

"My madre and padre died of a wasting disease. No matter what they did, their bodies slowly wasted away to nothing. I watched as they grew weaker with each passing day, until they eventually closed their eyes forever, and left me alone in this world. The doctors knew nothing, other than that this was the kind of disease that passed from parent to child. It usually begins well into adulthood, but mine began while I was still a teenager. Just like my parents, I was to waste away and die, before even reaching the prime of life."

"I tried everything. I used spells to make myself younger, which only affected my age, not the progression of the disease. It felt like I finally had the answer when I surged my body with magic, forcing cell division. I could regenerate quickly, and almost overnight the effects of my disease seemed to disappear, but the sickness was still there. I had slowed it, but I was still withering. That was when I thought of the alicorns."

The next image was the crystal heart, shimmering and shining, like a beacon in a black void.

"An aspect of creation itself. Any who are bound to it possess incredible longevity, and Princess Cadence, who became it's bearer at a young age due to her boundless love for others, became an immortal alicorn. I was not bound to the heart, because I was an outsider who moved to the empire. That was when I found... a book. This book was written by a mage from a distant land. A zebra shamaness who passed through. Zaria. She was a priestess of some old zebra god, and she knew a thing or two about souls. I managed to convince her to let me have it. I'll... uh... leave out how. the first thing I did is bind a small fragment of my soul to it, and keep it in this library."

"So then you became immortal." I finished. "But then why did you mess with the heart?"

"Only a fragment of my soul resides in the book, the piece you're talking to now. Do you have any idea what it feels like? To have the culmination of your entire being ripped apart? You don't know because you feel nothing. You'd think having your soul ripped to pieces would be painful, but it's not. As long as no part of it is destroyed, you don't feel a thing. Here I was, in this book, and the rest of me continued thinking the experiment was a failure, that the book wasn't powerful enough to contain me... him. So he started looking for something that could house all of him. The heart."

"After that, I think I know the rest of it." I replied. "You used your magic to make crystals, which you forced the crystal ponies to mine endlessly so they'd be miserable, weaken their connection to the heart so you'd be able to pour your soul into it, which was purged when Cadence purified it." The room twisted back into the one with Sombra sitting in his chair.

"He lost his mind. He corrupted the heart so it could contain him, but that very same corruption spread to him. He knew he needed the ponies to mine, but he no longer knew why. All he knew was that he needed more 'Cryyysssttaaallllsss' and that they were as precious to him as life itself. He became some snarling monster of rage and greed while I sat in here, reading my books and drinking my wine, in total seclusion for a thousand years. It's my hope to stay here for the rest of eternity. You want to live forever? Take my advice, don't split yourself up. The sheer agony of having a part of you die while the rest lives on is unbearable."

"That being said, I may not be ready to do it but... when I am, I have another problem."

"Which is?" Sombra inquired.

"I haven't even the slightest idea of how to use soul magic, and I'd rather not fuck it up."

"That's too bad, I'm not doing it for you."

"What? Why not?"

"Because I don't feel like it. And don't think you can threaten me into doing it. I'll agree and then cut you to ribbons when you're vulnerable. I had to learn to do it myself, why should you get the easy way out?" I sighed, then nodded in agreement, before walking over to the book on the lectern and closing it. The world came back together, and the book stopped shuddering. I put the fragment of Sombra into my backpack, along with some of the more interesting spell books, such as the one detailing Sombra's method of forcing cell division, and left the room.

I closed the door behind me. Just to check, I opened it again and saw that everything was still there, not the empty room it was before. So I went back in, grabbed a bottle of wine as well, then left again. The two ponies I shooed out were still standing outside.

"Ahem... ladies. Sorry about earlier."

"Oh..  uh, no, that's okay."

"No, I really mean it. I was rude and inconsiderate, so, by way of apology, here you go!" I tossed them the deed to the building. They looked at me all confused.

"What?"

"Well, I managed to get in. There wasn't really all that much in there. Some medical journals and spell books you can find at a lot of book stores, namely ones in Canterlot. Oh, it also has a wine rack. I took a bottle with me. The place is all yours now. Nothing of interest to me. Wow, I really got a bad deal. I was sure this would have what I was looking for. Oh well, guess I keep looking."

With that, I left the pair of scholars to their business. They were all excited to finally get in. Well, I mostly told them the truth. Other than the part about the ripoff necronomicon in my backpack, housing the soul of a dead tyrant king, I omitted nothing. You really could find any of those books, albiet more modern versions, in Canterlot bookstores. Time to find Gilda and Seth at the hotel.
> Trouble In Paradise (78)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Trouble In Paradise


Finally having what I had gone to the Crystal Empire for, the time came for Gilda, Seth and I to return to the New Dominion. We no longer had a house in Equestria since Tirek wrecked it, so for the time being we would live in the capitol. The return trip was uneventful. Mostly just a lot of time flying.

"You know Gilda, I've been thinking."

"What else is new?" She replied sarcastically. I shot her a quizzical look. "Sorry."

"Anyways, some day soon, there's going to be a lot of children in the New Dominion. We need to see about setting up schools. The problem with this is that most griffins never went to school themselves. As much as I hate to say it, for the first generation or so, we MAY have to rely on the ponies for teachers. Coming up with a curriculum shouldn't be too hard, but actually getting people to do the teaching, we'd have to rely on outside resources. Doctors too. As it stands, any New Dominion resident who needs medical attention either has to go to a zebra healer or to Equestria. This needs to change. I should suggest it to the council."

"That's right... Given how far we've come so quickly, it's easy to forget that a few years ago, most of us were either living in caves or underground. Barring the few skilled trades we have, and a few modern things, we're sitting at something similar to a medieval level right now." Gilda remarked.

"Maybe we should advertise that we're hiring teacher and doctors? Hmm... first we need to get schools and doctors offices constructed. Unfortunately, we'll still be reliant on Equestria for medical supplies, not including what we get from Zebrica. That begs the issue of currency. Do we use the bit, or do we come up with our own monetary unit? Then what about currency fluctuations? Hmm......"

"Well Griffin, we've got a long way to go till we reach Signal. Plenty of time to think."

When we arrived at Signal however, all those matters got put on the backburner, because there was a matter that required my urgent and undivided attention. Since the New Dominion had been formed, we'd had our first murder.





"Griffin, I'm glad you've arrived. The council has reached an impasse. We don't know what to do." Mayor Bluebeak began. "If you'll follow me to my office, I'll explain the situation.  We don't have a prison, so we're holding the prisoner there, under guard. The family of the victim are in the next building over."

When I entered the office, I found myself looking at a griffin in chains.

"This is the culprit?"

"Yes. Rift is his name."

"He murdered another citizen?"

"Yes. A diamond dog named Litwug. His guilt is beyond doubt. There were many witnesses, and he's openly admitted to it."

"Then what's the issue?" I asked.

"The issue is what his punishment should be, given the circumstances."

"I see. May I speak to the prisoner?"

"Of course."

Bluebeak and his council let me into the room, then left. I dismissed the guard. There wasn't much he could do to me, given that he was in chains.

"Tell me, Rift. Do you know who I am?"

"Finally! Now we'll get this cleared up. You're King Griffin. I know you'll make the right choice."

"Which is?" I asked, confused.

"Releasing me of course!" Rift replied.

"Hold on, let me hear your side of the story first, before I make any decisions."

Rift paused for a moment. He took a deep breath, then let it out slowly.

"That... that damn mutt. A couple years ago, he was part of a clan. He was a member of a hunting party that captured me, my wife, and my son, Camron. She DIED in that pit. Then you... you came. You and your crew. You rescued me, and my son, but you chose to let them live. And then, for him to come here, to live HERE. As long as I live, I'll never forget his face. Litwug. Every time I think about him, I see red. I see my wife, and I see my son, suffering. I had to kill him, for what he did, you understand right? I know what you did to protect your family. I was just doing the same!"

Rift seemed to be breaking down from stress.

"I see. I'll need to think for a while." I left, and told the guards to go back to watching him. His son was outside the room, crying.

"Are... are you gonna kill my Papa?"

"I... I don't know.... I... really don't know."

Next, I went the the building next door, where Litwug's family was. Three diamond dogs in all. Bluebeak informed me they were his brother, his wife, and his daughter. The wife and child were bawling, while the brother was gritting his teeth and growling.

"You!" The brother snarled as I entered the room. "You're full of dog shit!"

"Oh, and why's that?"

"You're gonna let that bastard go! After what he did, he deserves to get chopped up and put in the gruel, and you're gonna let him off the leash."

"Actually, I haven't made my decision. Instead of insulting me, why don't you tell me your side of it?" Litrug seemed to calm down a bit.

"I'm Litrug, Litwug's brother. That's Nara, his wife, and Lusa, his daughter. she's only four years old. My brother was down at market, minding his own tail, when that winged rat dove out of the sky and ripped him up with his bare claws!"

"Winged rat?" I gave him a harsh glare.

"Oh, no, not you. That's what my clan call griffins without honor. Sure, we fight like cats and dogs, but at least there's a little bit of respect to it Not much, but a little. Him? He's worse than scum. I'll see him dead. If you don't do it, I'll do it myself!"

"Nara? Lusa?" They stopped crying as I called their names, took one look at me, then began crying again, this time huddled up in what looked like fear. Lusa probably couldn't tell the difference between me and the one who killed her father.

"I see... I'll need some time to think."

"What's there to think about?" Litrug snarled. "He deserves to die and if you give him anything less you're just as bad as he is."





I stayed the night in a hotel on the island, where I confided in Gilda.

"This is a really tough decision. I can see why the counsel couldn't do it either."

"You're telling me. I never was good with politics."

"... geez, I wasn't even taking the politics of it into account! Just on a moral level. Is it okay that he killed another Dominion citizen, because of what happened before either of them were citizens? Should he be allowed his revenge? But then what of the family on the other side? They'll want their revenge on him, and then the cycle goes on and on and on... What's worse, they BOTH have children. Do I let him live for the sake of his child?... No."

"No?"

"I can't Gilda. I can't let him get off scot-free. If I let him go then I'm the worst hypocrite to ever live. Here I go around, preaching peace and unity for the nation, and then I let a murderer live just because of his species. Rrrrg.... Gilda.... make me human." She didn't question this, and obliged.

"Okay, not looking at it from a griffin point of view, looking at it from a neutral point of view. It's not okay that Rift killed Litwug due to their past interaction with each other, because once they became citizens of the New Dominion, they left their old lives behind. This is a country of second chances, and not just for griffins. For diamond dogs and ponies too, and whatever else comes to live here. As king of the New Dominion, I have a duty to protect all of it's citizens, no matter their race. Politically, if I let him go, I'm basically giving griffins free reign to murder diamond dogs free of consequence. If I punish him, I'm upholding the law, but a lot of griffins are going to feel betrayed by this. I have to do it in a way that makes everyone understand the reasons behind it. I know what I have to do. I just REALLY don't like it."

"Try and get some sleep, okay?"





The next morning, I gathered the council in town square, along with most of the populace. Litrug and family were there, and Rift was in the center of town with me. Gilda had Camron by her side.

"Everyone, may I have your attention please. This is a sad day in our history. I will remind you all again, the New Dominion is not the griffin dominion, it is a dominion for all of us. A few days ago, The griffin Rift, murdered the diamond dog Litwug. Under normal circumstances, the punishment for murder, not in self defense, is death. As it stands, however, Litwug was responsible for capturing Rift and his family years ago. His wife died in the mines."

I paused for a moment to let everyone process this.

"However, that occurred before either of them became citizens of this country, before either of them were under my protection. This country is one of second chances. A new life for liberated griffins, and diamond dogs, ponies and dragons and changelings, and whatever else comes to call this place home. Rift killed Litwug because he wanted revenge. Litrug, his brother, demands Rift's blood as payment. And then? When Cameron, Rift's son, grows up, he'll grow up hating Litrug, and Nara, and Lusa, and all diamond dogs, and they'll grow up hating all griffins, and then? We'll all be at each others throats all over again. It'll go on and on until nothing is left."

"As king of the New Dominion, I chose members of the council, leaders of each village, who gather to discuss what should be done in this country. They make laws on my authority. Do not murder. Do not steal. Do not destroy that which is not yours. The council is unable to decide whether or not Rift should be punished for killing Litwug, due to what happened previously. However, they have neglected to consider another crime he has committed."

"Rift, the very act of breaking the laws of the New Dominion is, in and of itself, a challenge to my authority. You have, by your actions, challenged me for the crown. I hereby accept your challenge. As king of the New Dominion, I am above the law of the New Dominion, because I make them. Should you defeat me and become king, you will be absolved of this crime, due to no longer being under the law. Guards. Release him. If he tries to escape, shoot him down."

"You can't be serious." Rift stated in shock. "No way. They're Diamond Dogs. How can you choose them over your own species!?!?" He shouted.

"Excuse me?" I motioned to my human form. "Do I fuckin look like a griffin to you?" He was taken aback by that. "You have NO IDEA what you've done, have you? You don't understand at all! Diamond dogs HATE griffins. At least, they used to. And then you know what happened? I came along. I became your king, and became the biggest bastard this world has ever seen. I kill, I steal, I do all those horrible, terrible things so that you don't have to. So now, most diamond dogs don't have griffinS anymore. They just hate Griffin. Me. I was hoping that griffins could just forgive the past and it would be over, but I guess that wasn't going to happen."

"I.... I..." Rift had tears sneaking into the corners of his eyes.

"So now, I have to take their hate too."

"You can't judge me! I've done exactly what you've done! Yeah, I killed him, so what? You've killed way more!"

"I CAN judge you. If I were innocent, some kind of hero, or martyr, I couldn't. But I'm not. I'm a sinner too.. I hate you for what you've done, only because I hate myself for what I've done so much more. I'm the king, not because I'm a a warrior, or because I'm intelligent, but because I can have all this guilt and self loathing and still live with it. Now then, if you're ready, we're going to have a duel. I suggest you fight for your life, because if you lose, I WILL kill you."

"The fight will begin in ten seconds." Bluebeak announced before exiting the town square. The guards unshackled Rift, then left as well.

"Heh... fine. If I'm gonna die anyway, might as well take a chance on living."

"Three, two, one." Bluebeak counted down. "Begin!"

Rift charged at me. Claws forward, beak open, ready to take a bite out of me. I gathered power in my palm, then, when he was two feet away from me, released it. My arm snapped back as the shot went off like a cannon, straight into his face, throwing him through the window of the mayors office. I reached out with my 'magic hand' and grabbed hold of Rift's limp form, dragging him out of the building as I slowly crushed him to death. He wheezed and struggled for breath, like a mouse being constricted by a snake, when I suddenly felt a pair of paws pounding on my leg.

"Stop stop stop! No more... no more... no more..." Littla Lusa, the daughter, was pawing at me, desperately trying to get my attention, trying to make me stop.

I slowly put Rift down, and took not that he was still breathing, though was now unconscious.

"Why are you making me stop, little one? This is the one who killed your father."

"Look!" She directed me to look towards Gilda, where Cameron was shrieking and crying as he watched his father die. "No more.. Please."

"Then, you are sparing him?"

"Yes, please just no more."

"You won't regret this later?"

She shook her little head no so quickly I was sure she'd get dizzy from it.

"Everyone. Lusa, has decided that Rift should be spared. Litrug, will you accept this?" His mouth hung wide as he tried to contemplate what was happening. He slowly nodded.

"Very well. Rift, as king of the New Dominion, I declare your punishment has been served." I don't think he heard me. Never the less, it was important to announce it to the crowd.

"Get him some medical attention." The guards dragged him away on a stretcher to the nearest healer as Lusa hugged my leg. "No more... just, no more..."

"Everyone, from this point forward, if you have any grudges that you can't overcome, you are to challenge the person to a duel. You'll fight fairly in the arena, which will be constructed. If you kill someone in the arena, that's fine, because they agreed to the fight. If you get challenged and don't want to die, then just decline. The person can mock you and call you a coward all they want. If being called a coward is too big of a price to pay for peace, if your pride demands you answer, then accept the arena challenge. If anyone kills someone outside the arena, the punishment is public execution, NO EXCEPTIONS. If you flee I will personally hunt you down, drag you back here and kill you myself. Understood?"

"Great. Show over, get out of here."





Back in the hotel room


"Oh thank whatever god pays attention."

"You can say that again." Gilda replied.

"Lusa really gave me an easy way out."

"Mmm hmm. Grif.... that part you said before, about taking everyone's hate on yourself, don't be so sure about that."

"Why do you say that Gilda?"

"Well, if a diamond dog can learn to forgive a griffin, who's to say they won't eventually forgive you as well?"

"Heh... now there's a nice thought, isn't it? Heh.. haha... I think I'll keep that one in my pocket." I snickered. Gilda giggled as well. Seth just sat there with that dopey smile on his face, the one he gets when he knows way more than he should and is keeping it a secret. He's a strange kid. Then again, what do you expect? He's my son.
> Docta Docta, Gimme The News (79)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


I Got a Bad Case Of Loving Youuuuuuuu


The next morning I was in a particularly good mood, gently snoozing on the bed when I was awoken by Gilda gently shaking me awake.

"Griff, hey Griff, get up."

"Huh? What? What's up?"

"You're... uh.... leaking."

"I'm what?"

She gestured to the inside of our room which was filled with a red haze that I quickly concluded was coming from me. It was the same style, colour, and feeling as my magic that appeared to be.... seeping out.

"Uh huh.... well, this is new."

"Griffin." Gilda gave me a stare.

"I'm sure its fine."

"Doctor, now." The stare turned to a glare.

"... Alright, alright, though I doubt anyone on the isles will know what's going on, I should get in contact with Dr. Exotic. Feather me up."

A quick flash of magic from Gilda and I was ready to fly to the mainland. Changing form didn't seem to stop the leakage though.





The flight to Baltimare was relatively fast, though by the time I arrived the haze had stopped coming out. The moment I arrived, I was swarmed by reporters.

"Griffin! A comment, if you will?"

"Huh?"

"After your private bout with Princess Celestia, you dropped off the map. You've been spotted on Signal, in the Crystal Empire, all over, nopony could get in contact with you."

"I was busy. You know, doin king stuff."

"So, you weren't hiding from the possible backlash that comes from challenging the ruler of Equestria?"

"Nope, and she's not the ruler, she's a ruler. There's two more, if you'll remember." That seemed to answer all his questions.

"Griffin!" Another called from the crowd. "What about the judgement on Signal? There's rumors that you nearly killed one of your own."

"He was guilty of murder. I fully intended to."

"Then what happened?"

"What, you've never heard of mercy? It's this new trick a little diamond dog pup taught me. I have to say I like it. Tends to solve problems with a lot less heartache."

Another rabble of questions, which I decided to avoid by flying away, as most of the reporters were ground based, and the few fliers took the hint, though I did mention to one of them that I was looking for Dr.Exotic, and gave them my autograph as payment for buzzing off. I didn't know where her office was, and she did say I wouldn't find her, that she'd find me. So, I figured the morning paper would be the easiest way to get a hold of her.

That being said, I now had some free time. What do people do with their free time? Spend it with friends.

"Dissscooooooord, come out to plaaaaayyaaaaaaaayyyyy." I called into the empty sky. A house appeared in midair. Discord poked his head out of the second story window, wearing a scraggly orange wig.

"Discord can't come out to play today." He called in an old woman voice. "He's been very naughty and has been grounded."

"Oh? What did he do?" I asked, interested.

"Betrayed all his friends."

"Well, that's no good at all. I think he needs a good talking to. Can I come in?" The front door opened to reveal a swirly purple abyss that sucked me in. I watched as all of reality twisted and warped while I passed it by, before appearing inside a very disorganized house. Discord sat at the kitchen table, standing atop the tablecloth, which was on the floor.

"Hey buddy.... soooo..... wanna talk about it?" Discord was now wearing a helicopter hat and a striped shirt. I feel like this entire thing is the setup to a bad sitcom.

"Well, it happened when Tirek showed up."

"Yeah?"

"Celestia wanted me to go capture him. I found him easily enough, but then... I let him convince me to work with him instead. It wound up biting me in the tail when he turned on me."

"So... what did he say?"

"Well, he made me remember the old days, causing chaos wherever I went, wrecking havoc. I got to thinking that if he took over Equestria, I'd be able to do what I want again. It was true, for a while anyway. Then as soon as he didn't need me anymore, he took my magic and threw me away. I can't help but think you'd do the same thing. Discard Discord, if I didn't have my magic to do nice things for you."

"Yeah, you're probably right." I replied quickly.

"What?" Discord seemed totally confused.

"What can I say? I'm a horrible person. I'm trying to become better, but as it stands, I won't let anything get in my way or hold me back. Even people I call my friend."

He just sat there, mouth agape.

"So, if you think about it, even though you made a mistake, you realized it and tried to make it better, which makes you a fair bit better than mean old Griffin, doesn't it?" I took the helicopter hat off his head and plonked it on my own. "Gee golly mister! I sure am sorry I fucked everything up! You think you can forgive me?"

He couldn't help but laugh. The best cure for misery is more of it, generally someone else's self-deprecation.

"Seriously though, we've both made mistakes. If your friends forgave you for it, then why are you still worried about it? It's not like you're going to do it again, right? I mean, it may not be much, but I've started to do the same. Know what? I'll make you a deal. If either of us loses their way again, the other one has to come and smack them upside the head. How about it?"

"Deal." Discord let out a chuckle and shook my claw. Feels good.

"Great. Now then, I gotta go see the doctor for a bit."

"Yeah, you're leaking. Might wanna get that checked out." Discord snapped his claws together, and I flopped belly first on Dr.Exotics desk at her office, knocking all the crap off it onto the floor.

"Um.... paint me like one of your French girls?"

"Yes! Alright, get off my bucking desk and into examination room 3."





"So, you have no idea what's causing it?" Exotic asked as she stood in the red miasmic, cloudy haze that filled the room.

"Nope. I just spent a few days relaxing, had a huge weight lifted off my shoulders, and overall I'm just feeling good about life on the whole. I've also been getting better at controlling my magic, but I can't figure out why it's doing this."

"Hmm......"

"Hmm?"

"No not Hmm?, Hmm......"

"Oh, Hmm....."

Yeah, Hmm....."

"What are we even saying?"

"Nothing, I was just humoring you." This doctor, I don't even.

"So, diagnosis?"

"Well, you're not an uptight stick in the mud anymore, as far as I can tell, your relaxation has cause the, bottleneck, on your magic to relax also. It's like a valve. You're used to forcing it open, now it relaxed on it's own. Instead of being pushed out like you normally do when you want to use it, it's kind of just.... flowing. Should be more manageable, in any case."

"Is it dangerous?"

"Well, your magic is an extension of your will. All this..." She waved her hooves around in the air haphazardly. "Is flowing out because you're felling... well.... good. Because of that, as far as I can tell... say, do you want ice cream? I could really go for some ice cream right now. Chocolate fudge mocha..."

"I.... think I'll pass, and I think I understand what you're getting at."

"Oh well, suit yourself." She opened a mini-fridge she had hidden under her desk and pulled out a tub of the frozen dessert. "It's healthy, by the way. The magic thing I mean. Not good to keep everything pent up all the time. Yeah.... I think I'm gonna take the rest of the day off and enjoy the sunshine. Oh, but if you get all mopey and depressed again, it'd probably be a good idea to shut the valve. Griffins are naturally in tune with the weather, like pegasi. You might rain on everyone's parade, literally."

"I'll keep that in mind."

With that, I left her office and headed up into the sky. I wasn't entirely sure where I was, but I wasn't really worried about it. To get back home to Gilda, all I had to do was go east.

Look to the sun. Dance on the wind. I faced eastwards and felt the wind change direction, easing my journey home. I allowed myself to float on the gales, never flapping my wings more than once, more to keep them from getting stiff than to gain altitude. I wasn't in any rush. I'd do a little loop here or there, drifting on the wind, letting it take me where it will, trusting that it would see me to my destination safely.

Considering that, for the most part, Equestria doesn't have wind and it has to be generated by pegasi, I should have been more intrigued by that, but I didn't bother to think about it. For however long it may last, for the moment I was charmed and I figured I'd best just enjoy it, rather than confound myself trying to figure out the 'why'.





I made it back before nightfall. My magic had stopped seeping out, but I was still in a rather good mood, though a little tired.

"So? What's the verdict?" Gilda asked on my return.

"Well.... it's happy go lucky juice, coming out in cloud form. If it happens again, you should probably roll around in it."

"I think I know something that would make us both happy." She snuggled up to my side and wrapped her tail around mine, purring softly. We both turned to look at Seth, who was making gagging noises at our display. We immediately stopped our romancing, then spoke in unison.

"Well.... that's a problem."
> Royal Mockery Part 1(80)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Royal Mockery Part 1


Thankfully, for the next few weeks, nothing of interest happened. It gave Gilda, Seth and I some time to bond as a family, and settle in to a routine. I had put my proposition to the council at it's bi-weekly meeting, of building hospitals and schools, which was accepted unanimously. They had already been in the process of discussing those matters, and the idea of bringing on Equestrian doctors and teachers to get the New Dominion up to speed was well received. The moment this news reached Equestria, I found Dr. Exotic on my doorstep.


"I cannot believe I forgot to mention this when you came to my office. I blame you for acute ice cream cravings. Anywho, I'm setting up a hospital here on Signal. Since you've decided to go ahead and do it without me, I'm taking over. I'll bring in a construction team I know works well, and the hospital will be built to my standards." She demanded.

"Well, someone is awfully aggressive. What makes you think I'll just 'let' you do that?"

"You and I know that I'm the most qualified. If I wasn't you wouldn't have kept coming to me as your doctor and would have gone with someone else. There is no one else. Most doctors are content to deal with broken bones, runny noses, coughs, vaccinations, and cramming pills down their patient's throats because they get paid per prescription. Do you have any idea what it's like? Day in, day out, having overprotective mothers drag their foals into my office, working themselves into a frenzy because something is wrong with their 'precious little angel', demanding medical treatment for the common cold? I became a doctor to help people, to solve actual problems and cure real illnesses, not cater and pander to vicarious hypochondriacs and overbearing worrywarts!"

"And, you'd be willing to train a full team of doctors, from scratch? I'm talking many of them may have literally no medical background at all. You'd have to start from 'The leg bone's connected to the knee bone'." I sang in the classic tone. "If you can manage to keep any students long enough that they can actually work as doctors, I'll see to it you have full tenure as chief physician, THEN you'll be head of the hospital, which isn't built yet."

"Deal."

So, we sent out advertisements all over the world. Anyone interested in medicine could come and receive an education in it, and employment guaranteed by the crown when they were finished. In the course of the next few weeks, the arena was also completed, and I set about improving my control over magic.





"Whew... okay... okay... whew.... Easy now... eaaaaaaaaaasyyyyy." I laid on the floor in front of a metal plate, filled with mashed potatoes. A pair of long arms, formed of the blood red aura surrounding me reached out. The plate sat in the palm of one hand, while a spoon was delicately positioned between two digits of the magical appendage.

"Okay, no problem. Next... take a scoop of potatoes..." I gingerly moved the utensil, placing a modest amount of whipped spuds on the end before slowly pulling it over to the other side of the room where Seth was seated, wearing a bib. He opened his beak, then clamped it shut on the spoon and refused to let go.

"Seth, let the spoon go."

"Uhuh." He mumbled out with his mouth still full of spoon and potato.

"Seeeetthhhhhh, is the tickle monster going to have to come over there?"

"Nyuuuuuuuu!" He let the spoon go and swallowed the mouthful, laughing the whole time.

Back across the room, the spoon once more digging in to the piping hot mashed potatoes, once more coming out with a big blob of the delicious mush on the end.

"Okay, here we go again. Open wiiiiiiiide." *TING*

The spoon in my grasp snapped, flinging its contents directly at Seth's face. His eyes shot wide in surprise, and mine in worry, considering it was a ball of extremely hot vegetable heading his way.

Seth's shadow popped out of the ground and swatted the blob, sending it directly at me. Next thing I knew, I had hot goop dripping from my face, while Seth broke into an endless fit of giggles, while the swirling black of his shade was once again at rest.

"Gildaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. Seth just used magic!" She ran into the room from the kitchen, where she was preparing a meal for the two of us while I fed Seth. She had a camera ready and turned to me expectantly before laughing her guts out as well. Potato face is apparently hilarious.

"Well, at least we know what the deal is with his shadow now, or part of it anyway, though 'Potato point defense' wasn't exactly what I was expecting when Surprise and Discord gave him that."

"Ppp...potato point defense!" Gilda laughed. "*Whew* anyway, you've got a letter." She walked over to me, through the faint red haze and handed me the envelope.

"Dear Griffin North, King of the New Dominion, your presence is requested in Canterlot for the first annual... multinational summit?"

Good mood gone, happy go lucky clouds gone, laughter gone. Plate of potatoes dropped. Poor potatoes.

Everyone sat in the room looking at me expectantly.

"Well? I mean, I can't say I WASN'T expecting it. It was bound to happen sooner or later."

"Yeah, but it's not just discussion between the New Dominion and Equestria. There's going to be representatives from every nation that we know of. That means Equestria, us, Zebrica, Aquaria, Marble Pillars, and Aoi's clan, Nanashi."

"I'm not exactly happy I'm going to be meeting with the Princesses... well, no, mostly just having to sit and talk with Celestia."

"That's not the problem. The problem is Fia might be with him." Gilda explained.


...


"Well, that IS a problem. Alright, you're both coming with me. If you think I'm about to do something I regret, just tell me you want to leave and we'll go." I told Gilda.

"That's if I don't do something we regret first." It had been a long time since I'd seen it. That look in Gilda's eye. We'd been living a happy life since I'd gotten back, and even before, as long as we were together, we'd be alright. But the look in her eye now, it screamed hatred and murder. It was the same look I knew I was wearing. Seth, sensing the tension in the air, started to whimper, and his shadow swirled beneath him, agitated, as if to lash out at the threat as soon as it became known.

It was in that instant that both Gilda and I calmed down, pulled Seth from his high chair and held him close.

"Definitely not going to get a baby sitter."






A month and a half later, late October, we found ourselves at Canterlot Castle. The Possibility, repainted and re-purposed as a cruise liner, hung in the air overhead. As far as the itinerary of this gathering, the leaders would meet in the main hall and mingle, giving us a chance to become more familiar with the other leaders before we began the actual meeting. While I was familiar with most of them, they might not be as familiar with each other. That is, unless of course there were other nations I didn't know about that would be participating.

I decided it would be best to arrive as a human. As a griffin, I represent griffins. As a human, I represent all the races of the New Dominion impartially. That's a crock of shit, it doesn't matter what form I'm in, but it does matter to whoever I'm talking to. Stupid little things like that are why I both hate, and if you can turn it to your advantage, love am impartial to, politics. I mean really, everyone hates lying, two-faced assholes, but who doesn't love being one? Hopefully this summit wouldn't contain too much in terms of politics and would be more of a meet and greet, letting us go over the events of the past year, and our presence is more of a token gesture so we can leave whenever we feel like it.


On entering, I found Etch and Growl, both of who I had not seen in a very long time, and greeted them both warmly. Etch's son, Grog, had grown as well. They were all dressed in their Sunday best, or, at least their Tuesday pretty-good, I can't claim to know much about diamond dog fashion. Growl had, apparently, opened his own art studio in Canterlot where he made sculptures by carving the rock with his paws, and had made quite a name for himself among the dignified. Nothing better to raise your standing with someone than making a giant chunk of rock look like them. Still smaller than the ego, however.

Etch, on the other hand, had taken linguistics courses and had become remarkably well spoken. His voice lost it's... grating quality, and he spoke clearly and plainly.

"Etch, if you keep that up, we may have to rename you to Smooth."

"And lose this rustic charm? Don't you dare." We had a good laugh at that.


The next one I met up with was Queen Chrysalis, who was having a conversation with Cadence, ending with the queen sticking her tongue out and walking over to me.

"Sourpuss over there is still upset she lost our bet. Mostly because every time I see her I make sure to rub it in her face, and there's not a damn thing she can do about it."

"I'm glad. I had my own little chit chat with her on a train ride, and pretty much ruined her mindset. Anyway, who else is here?"

"The pony Princesses, of course, including Cadence, the Quetzalcoatl Empress is here, apparently the ruler of the desert, to the south of the jungle." Chrysalis motioned to a big snake person, with a pair of plumed wings. The coloration of the scales and feathers would make a peacock weep in envy. The vibrant greens and deep red, the lightning yellows and blues varying between sky and oceanic. Someone is compensating for something.

"Hmm, Quetzalcoatl, Meso-American god. Vegetation god, closely associated with rain god. Worship altered to emphasize war and human sacrifice. The feathered serpent. Sometimes depicted as a dragon. She's likely not a god though, since it's less divine being and more a full race of people. Desert culture suggest emphasis on survival and efficiency, possible warlike tendencies."

"Hmm, impressive." Chrysalis stated. "I haven't had much dealings with them. Nobody has. They're a very private people, and don't like outside interference, almost, but not quite, to the point of xenophobia. A simple trader might pass through their lands, while an explorer or diplomatic envoy might be arrested, or vice-versa. Some say it depends on the Empress's mood. Other than that, you may know more than I do."

"Wait, you said they live in the desert? As in, the Southern Dunes?"

"Yes, why?" Chrysalis asked. Gilda and I looked to one another and shared a silent laugh, remembering an old coincidence. The changeling didn't know what we were thinking, but definitely picked up on the fact we thought something was humorous.

"Oh, just something that happened a while ago. Anyway, they may or may not be cloud worshipers, which if they are, means that despite being able to fly, they can't land on clouds or control the weather like griffins or pegasi can. I may be able to... impress them."

"Then we have the representatives from Marble Pillars, who you already know. Interesting, how their leaders are selected by a trio of dragons. Even if one leader dies or steps down, a worthy successor is selected by the three and takes the name of the previous leader. Red, Yellow, and Blue."

While Red and Blue were the same, Yellow was someone different from when I last visited. I met with them as well. They were very professional, not betraying what their opinions of me may or may not be, given my more recent actions. Yellow had explained that the previous 'Yellow' died of old age, and he'd been selected as the new one. He was no newbie, not by any means, and had likely been playing the political game for years before his ascendancy.

I wanted to at the very least be acquainted with the Empress of the Quetzals, so I decided to speak to her next. She had an entourage of guards with her, though her motions quickly told me they were nothing more than a show, and she was quite capable of defending herself. More than anything, the desert was fairly far away, so they probably ended up being more like pack mules than guards. She was looking around cautiously, trying to get a read on any possible threat. Right... borderline xenophobic. Instead of introducing myself, I simply allowed her serpentine eyes to meet mine, those dark grey orbs with glowing rings of blue. Forgetting that my eyes were machines, and that I couldn't properly convey emotions with them, I gave a slight, almost imperceptible nod to the empress, while keeping eye contact.

'We'll talk later, if we have reason to.'

The discussion at this summit might be all the talking we need.

That was when Aoi arrived. Eol followed, along with someone I believed was dead.

"Wait... is that you? Ellie?"

"Yep, it's me." The tall cat replied, hanging off Eol's arm.

"I thought you were dead. From what I heard you poisoned yourself before everyone got taken."

"I remembered you once told us all the story of Romeo and Juliet, and, well, I come from a tribe that uses stealth and cunning. Nadene isn't the only one who can mix potions, or poisons, in this case. I didn't tell anyone because... well, It had to be believable, right? I got left behind on the ship. When I came out of it, I ran my tail south and met up with Aoi's group. The others. They didn't make it."

"No, Nadene was the only other one who escaped. Trixie and Geirmund are dead as well."

"You better believe I had some harsh words. Speaking of which, you uh, may want to prepare yourself."

The next person in Aoi's group who entered was Ubi, with Fia next to him. My blood ran cold. I looked to Aoi. We didn't say anything to each other, but he had a hand at each side, resting on a pair of swords, though tensed as if to draw them at a moment's notice. I turned to look at Fia again. Ubi stood in front of her protectively, but I could still see her face. She was wearing my amulet. Our eyes met.


It was at that moment I realized that I was on fire, storm clouds were billowing inside the building, and the castle floor was cracking beneath my feet as tendrils of my magic flowed out and lashed at the stones. Needless to say, I was attracting a bit of attention. Gilda was standing right next to me, lightning crackling all over her body. Sometimes, I forget that I trained her as well.

It was at that point that Seth thwacked his mother on the head, bringing her to her senses, and she grabbed my arm, snapping me out of it as well.

"Excuse us." I coughed out as the flames subsided, the clouds dissipated, and the static left the air. We quickly went to the far side of the room, to the refreshment table, where I grabbed a half dozen ice cubes from the tray cooling the shrimp and cold cuts, stuffed them into my mouth and began crunching on them loudly.





Chrysalis came and found me, my mouth numb from the ice, and a worried look on her face, but said nothing. For a love eating bug, she can show a surprising amount of care.

"Do you wanna just go?" Gilda asked.

"I think I'm okay." I replied. "You?"

"Yeah. I think as long as Seth is here, we'll both be alright." So it happens that an infant, less than two years old, (Holy crap and he's already talking in almost full sentences? They grow up so fast!) was more in control and mature than two adults, and prevented an international incident.

"As long as I don't have to look at her too much. Besides, I don't think we can leave now, not after that display. If it were just us it would be a different story, but there's representatives from the zebras, the seaponies, Marble Pillars, and the Quetzalcoatl Empire. If we were to leave now, without even going to the discussion, it would look worse than bad." And this is the part about politics I hate. If you do it, you're stuck with it. Then again, it could have been even worse if we didn't show up at all.

"I hate this."

"Then why do you bother with it?" Came a hissing voice from behind. I knew better than to turn around, and with a small hand gesture I motioned to Gilda to keep looking the way we were. I don't know anything about Quetzal tradition, and I didn't want to offend by looking at the Empress if it was against social norms. She'd obviously approached from behind for a reason. Not turning around shows I'm not afraid, and I'm confident in my strength that I can afford to turn my back to a potential enemy. Jumping and turning around would have been a declaration of 'You snuck up behind me, caught me by surprise, and I took a defensive position because I'm weaker than you.' Instead, I was declaring 'I knew you were coming, but you're less than nothing, no threat at all, I don't even have to acknowledge your existence if I don't feel like it. I'm talking to you out of courtesy.' I have a feeling that most of what I say to this Snake Empress wasn't going to be said at all.

"I have my reasons."

"I normally refusssssse invitation to thesssse kindssss of eventsssss. They tend to be uneventful. The poniesssss drabble on and on about pointlesssss affairs, and I have no reassssson to open dissscourssse with them, regardlesss of what they claim they have to offer. Though I heard that sssssomeone interesssssting would be coming to thissss one, and decided to sssssseeee for mysssself. You have created quite a sssssstir. I do not like thisssssss."

It was at this moment that I turned around. Despite being about a head taller than me, relatively the same height as one of the cats, I still managed to look down on her, as if to say 'You think I care what you do and do not like? I am above you.' She seemed extremely taken aback by this and recoiled ever so slightly before catching herself and maintaining her position.

'She is not accustomed to people being so brazen.'

"That'sssss nice." I hissed back. She swayed on the spot in a serpentine manner. To her surprise, so did I. Months of slithering about the Black Marsh, modeling my movement after the snakes and alligators that lived there in order to ease my movement through that thick muck had left me with a serpentine grace she was not expecting me to possess. That and my mimicking her speech pattern caught her off guard.

'I don't give a shit if you're offended. You're not the boss of me.'  She seems the kind of person who'll only respect you if you make it very clear that you don't respect them, without openly insulting. Just a little quip here or there. I really hope this is the right thing to do.

Soon enough I discovered that this was indeed the correct course of action, since I noticed a tiny smile on the she-snakes mouth.

"I look forward to thissss disssscusssion." With that, she slithered away.





"Everyone, your attention." Luna stood at a balcony. "We will begin shortly. You may enter the meeting room now. The guards will direct you." No pleasantry, no 'Your attention please' Clear cut instructions of 'If you're going to be part of this meeting, then get your ass in the meeting room, or go home.'
> Royal Mockery Part 2 (81)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Royal Mockery Part 2



Narin, Quetzal Empress


It has been many years since I last met with the leaders of another nation, due in part to there only being one other nation with any interest in negotiation, and the worth of said negotiations being a topic of debate. The lands of the Quetzal empire consist of great deserts, steep plateaus, rocky crags, and savannas of tall grass, dotted here or there. Our lands are harsh and unforgiving, and yet we have adapted to not only survive, but thrive in them. We have what we need. What Equestria offers us is luxury. They expect us to glut ourselves, become dependent on trade with them. This makes vulnerability.

Each year, more as a token gesture than anything, the ruler of the ponies sends an invitation by mail, asking me to come to this discussion. For many years, I have not replied, my silence correctly interpreted as a decline. This year, however, I could not ignore the request.

Rumors have been circling my people, like a flock of vultures, of great changes taking place in the north. Griffin North, as he is called, carved a bloody path across the continent, gathering all those who would follow, and forged an island nation. Aoi Nanashi, though naive, through skill, solidarity, and the apparent fulfillment of prophecy, (as well as having most of his opposition slaughtered by Griffin) put an end to the infighting in Gem Fido and united the clans under his own banner. Marble Pillars, and it's triune of leaders, retaining their independence and undergoing expansion from the mass influx of people who suddenly found themselves leaderless, and King Triton, of the seaponies, who had until now been almost as unknown as my own people, choosing to isolate themselves from their ground-walking cousins for reasons unknown to me. Beyond this, there was also the appearance of the Crystal Empire, apparently a subsidiary of Equestria, far to the north, the return of the second Equine ruler, Luna, and the appearance of another, with an entourage of five. Finally, the appearance of the changelings, their count innumerable.

Given the drastic shift in power that has taken place, it is my duty as Empress of my people to assess these changes for possible threats and eliminate them, through diplomacy or otherwise.


I arrived far ahead of schedule. Knowing that the discussion itself would mostly be a farce, accomplishing my own goal would have me take assessment of the other major powers and how they interact informally. Many of the others seemed to have to same idea, as they arrived shortly after myself.

A pair, no, trio entered. A biped, perhaps a head shorter than myself, walked in next to a griffin and her child. He met with a pair of diamond dogs who I learned were permanent residents of Canterlot and represented the New Dominion. They spoke quickly ,shared a joke or two, and then he moved on to meet with the Changeling Queen. Her visage was unmistakable.

The Queen herself had just finished an immature display of mockery towards someone I was not familiar with. Bright pink and wearing regalia, my own entourage of guards informed me that this was Princess Cadence, associated with the Crystal Empire. Apparently she and the changeling queen had been enemies at one point. In any case, the tall walker and griffin met with the changeling, who provided him with information regarding those attending this meeting. I deduced that this must be 'Griffin North'. He was definitely one to keep an eye on. I tasted the air apprehensively. His scent was strange.

He continued to meet with the representatives of Marble Pillars, who he seemed familiar with, before he turned to look at me. My eyes met his, though his were unnatural. It seemed that he had lost the originals at some point and whatever message or emotion he was trying to convey to me was lost, so instead he nodded in approval.

'We'll talk later, should the need arise.'


Next to enter was a figure that could only be Aoi. Followed by another diamond dog, and a feline as tall as myself. Griffin immediately moved to greet the cat, expressing confusion and relief. They spoke for a time, in tones of sorrow, before the next pair entered.

A third diamond dog, still larger than the two New Dominion representatives he first greeted, but smaller than the other two in his own group, entered, followed closely by a fox with brilliant red fur. The moment Griffin laid eyes on her, it was as if time stood still. He looked to Aoi, who prepared to draw his blades at a moment's notice, the third hound took a position in front of her, and all the forces of nature raged within the confines of the room. Fire burned, storms brewed, and the earth cracked as the world fought to contain his fury.

'He is dangerous.'

He looked at her with an expression of cold rage. Not the hot, blinding fury of someone who lost their sense, but calculating, seething anger. The forces that circled him, however, betrayed that portrayal. She, on the other hand, looked to him completely undaunted. The sheer intensity of her stare made me feel as though I had a knife against my throat, and the glare wasn't directed at me. The third dog in Aoi's group moved into a position to protect her, but he knew just as well that he was preventing her from going after him. The griffin in... Griffin's... company, I have the feeling this will become confusing quickly.... the griffin in the king's company took her position next to him, lightning crackling all over her body as though the very same storm he had released into the room raged inside her body.

And then the child riding on her back smacked her over the head.

It wasn't a significant blow, by far, but it was enough for her to regain her sense, and once she had done so, she directed her partner to do the same. The storm quieted, the flames that engulfed his body were doused, with his adornment unharmed by the inferno.

"Excuse us." He said with a cough, similar to one of choking on smoke, before heading to the refreshment table. The Changeling Queen said nothing to him, but but her expression and the mere act of checking on him told me they were not just acquaintances and were somehow affiliated.


"I hate this." He stated.

"Then why do you bother with it?" Does he do it out of duty to his people, like myself? Does he have something to gain from this discussion, or does a force greater than himself demand his presence?

"I have my reasons."

"I normally refusssssse invitation to thesssse kindssss of eventsssss. They tend to be uneventful. The poniesssss drabble on and on about pointlesssss affairs, and I have no reassssson to open dissscourssse with them, regardlesss of what they claim they have to offer. Though I heard that sssssomeone interesssssting would be coming to thissss one, and decided to sssssseeee for mysssself. You have created quite a sssssstir. I do not like thisssssss." I hissed. He has been the cause of much of the uproar in these northern lands. He is the cause of my people's concern, and he is the one that has unsettled the world, disrupting the peace.

He turned to face me, staring me down despite his lesser stature. He looked upon me as though I were merely a commoner who had the audacity to question his motives. I felt myself recoil slightly, though kept my form. I could not afford to let him think I was intimidated by him.

"That'sssss nice." He hissed in a serpentine manner. He was clearly challenging my authority. I tensed my body and swayed on the spot, only to find that he matched my serpentine motion, something normally not possible for someone who isn't a serpent. Where did he learn such behaviour? If he were one of my own people, I'd have him executed for his disrespect and insolence, but he is not. He stands here as an equal. It is entirely possible that he means to impress me. Such actions, from an equal, are equivalent to playful flirtation.

Now I understand. He's been probing me the entire time, trying to learn what to and not to do in a culture he knows nothing about. While to the equines, this behaviour could be seen as crass and hostile, among my people, contests of will are often considered romantic, although without an actual declaration of romantic intent, it's fruitless.

In other words, he's being cheeky and playing with me. It's the equivalent of a child kissing another one to try and make them blush and get a reaction. I found myself smiling.

"I look forward to thissss disssscusssion." With that, I let him be.





It wasn't long before an alicorn I had not met instructed us to enter the discussion room. That must be Luna. I followed the directions of the pony guards and entered the discussion room promptly.

The room itself has a very large, circular table, with numerous chairs designed for pony seating surrounding it. This was a room commonly used by the Canterlot council, and had been appropriated for this meeting. There were a number of cards with card stands on the table, each with a black pen beside it for us to write our name on it.

Princess Celestia of Equestria, Princess Luna of Equestria, Princess Twilight of Equestria & friends. Princess Cadence of the Crystal Empire. They grouped together and took their seats formally.

King Triton of Aquaria, instead of a chair, had a large basin filled with water, reminiscent of a half height fishbowl, pushed up to the table.

King Griffin North, of New Dominion, was written on the next card as he moved the low chair to the corner of the room, sat on the floor, and leaned his back against the griffoness. She seemed a bit irate at his informal attitude, until she placed her card, which had written on it,

Gilda of the New Dominion
<- I'm with Stupid.

The arrow pointing to the king. He laughed when he saw it, and she smiled.

The next were 'Etch' and 'Growl' New Dominion consul, Queen Chrysalis of the Changelings, Aoi Myoujiin (so that's his last name, Nanashi is his clan then?) Eol, Ubi, Fia, Red, Yellow, Blue, then myself.

"I take it we've all had our introductions?" Princess Celestia, the only one at this table I was truly familiar with, began. "Empress Narin, I do thank you for accepting our invitation." I do not care for her pleasantries. "I know you are all quite busy, so I will endeavor to not waste time, and begin immediately. Since there has never been a formal meeting to discuss the changes that have occurred over the past several years, I'd like to begin with a recap."






Several hours later, consisting mostly of Celestia going over all the little woes her people had faced, and several large ones, most of which had been solved by the newcomer alicorn 'Twilight Sparkle' and her friends, did she finally finish.

"Any questions?"

"Actually, yessssss." I began. Celestia seemed intrigued. At the few sessions like this I had been to in the past, I usually remained silent. "Let me sssssee if I have thissss correct. Knowing that an area rightfully belonged to a tribe of buffalo, poniessss sssssent a massssss ssssssupply of ressssourcessss, a town sssssprung up within two weekssssss, and then painted the buffalo assss the villainsssss when they tried to reclaim the land you unlawfully annexed?"

An orange pony, from the group of Twilight and friends, spoke up.

"Yeah, but we settled it nice an peaceful like. The town can stay, so long as they provide the buffalo with some of the harvest."

"That may be." Griffin responded, still sitting in his overly comfortable position, not even bothering to turn his head and look at the other representatives. "However it is worrying that Equestria can just go around taking land they feel they're entitled to. I'm glad it was settled peacefully, but this should never have been a problem in the first place. Couldn't the residents of Appleoosa have discussed the settlement with the buffalo before building it? It makes more sense than finding a spot and pouring resources and hours of labor into a settlement, only to risk having to tear it down because you don't even own the land, or... the alternative of declaring war."

"And the founding of the New Dominion is any different?" Celestia asked.

"Of course. We spent weeks traveling the islands of the ring sea, checking if they were inhabited or not, and before founding any settlements, we checked with the local Zebra tribes to see if any of them laid claim to them. A fairly large number of sites we passed over specifically because the zebras of a nearby island were using it as a resource node. That's part of why we have such good ties with them, and they're our closest trade partners. Several settlements have even joined the New Dominion, or were created under our flag, populated mostly by zebras. Speaking of ownership, it doesn't only cover land."

"The honorable King Griffin is correct. Unlike Equestria, the New Dominion has respected our borders." Princess Luna seemed confused by this. Griffin immediately picked up on it.

"The ocean, in it's entirety, belongs to the seaponies. It belonged to them long before I showed up and claimed a chunk of it as my own. When we first encountered them, Mayor Bluebeak, who governs the capitol, immediately stopped all fishing industry, despite that being our primary food source, until we had discussed it with the seaponies. In turn, they survey the ocean floor, and tell us where the best fishing spots are. A much better way than claiming the Manehatten bay as 'Equestrian property' then building and polluting it as you see fit. While Equestria does try to be eco-friendly, Manehatten is a big city, cities will always have some degree of pollution, which means a portion of it will always wind up in the ocean. The New Dominion recycles literally everything, and anything we can't gets tossed in a volcano on one of the uninhabited islands."

So, that explains why the seaponies chose to segregate themselves from Equestria. It's not that the pollution is overboard, it's the very principle of it. Same as when they founded a city on buffalo land and didn't even bother to ask. Until now, these lesser groups haven't been able to do anything about it, because they'd be going up against the might of Equestria. Griffin defeating Celestia in single combat has diminished the fear these groups have of the Equestrian military, and they may even align themselves with the New Dominion if they feel threatened, which would not only secure their own place, but give the New Dominion a foothold on the mainland that requires minimal maintenance, since, for Equestria, the very idea of threatening the King of the New Dominion is unthinkable. Any kind of aggressive expansion has been stopped in it's tracks.

"Ahem.... moving on, we are glad that Aquaria, Zebrica, and the New Dominion have such good relations. It will ensure an era of peace, stability, and prosperity in that portion of the world. Speaking of which, the New Dominion call for doctors and teachers..."

"Has already been handled, and is a non issue." Griffin interjected, waving his hand dismissively. Celestia seemed surprised that it was resolved so quickly, but quickly recovered.

"Equestria would also like the thank the New Dominion for lowering the export tax. In the wake of Tirek's destructive rampage, a lot of Equestrian infrastructure needed to be rebuilt. Specifically, we took a major hit to our farming sector. Being able to import food at reduced cost has prevented a possible shortage in many areas. Are you entirely certain you wish to stick with a barter system?"

"Yep. For now anyway."

Wait... a barter system, and government regulated taxes that can fluctuate at the kings whim? I see. Trade in the New Dominion consists of the exchange of goods. Certain goods are more valuable in certain areas, which means merchants can make a profit of raw goods just by carting it where it needs to go. Within the New Dominion there is no, or relatively low, tax, which guarantees that there's never a shortage of required goods. This is especially useful since the New Dominion is almost entirely self sustaining. If they have a shortage, they can bring materials in from one of the other islands, or buy it from Equestria if it's cheap, while not being reliant on them.

What's more, by having an import and export tax, it makes shipping goods into or out of the country more expensive, which in turn stimulates that same self sustaining system. They'll only buy from Equestria if Equestria has a massive excess, and the price drops low enough that it's cheaper to buy, ship, and pay the import tax. At the same time, it encourages keeping wealth in the country. Equestrian bits aren't guaranteed their value in the New Dominion, which leads to currency fluctuation.

Up until now, the value of a bit was guaranteed by the crown, since there were no other currencies to put it up against. The New Dominion currency of trade goods means that the value of a bit will fluctuate now, if goods are cheaper on the islands than they are on the mainland. Bread is bread, no matter where you get it, but if there's a shortage in Equestria, they'll have to get it from the New Dominion, and they'll buy it with bits. Anything exported to Equestria will bring in a sum of bits. By raising the price on everything in his country through tax, Griffin can effectively devalue the bit, while collecting a large sum of them. Then, he can lower the tax when he wants to make a purchase, raising the value of the money that's sitting in New Dominion coffers. In fact, by having export tax higher than import tax, he doesn't even have to alter it frequently. Buying from the New Dominion will naturally be more expensive than buying from Equestria, for Equestria, while, for the New Dominion, buying from Equestria can be around the same.

He's basically ensured that anytime Equestria has a shortage of anything he can provide, New Dominion coffers will get flooded with bits, and if not, then his people are stable on their own. Not by taxing his own people, but by taxing the merchants that bring goods to Equestria, and not the ones that bring goods to the Dominion. Instead of having their own currency, any economic instability is leveraged against the bit, since trade goods will always have an inherent value. If the price of fish drops, then you eat fish. The princesses don't know about currency fluctuations, since they haven't had proper trade with any other nation. We Quetzals isolate ourselves from the northern countries, the seaponies isolated themselves, the zebras don't take bits and only accept barter, the diamond dogs are the same, if they were even willing to deal with Equestria, and the griffins were so disorganized they didn't have an economy up till now. This is a brand new game for them.

Not only does Equestria not know about currency fluctuations, they don't even know that they're unaware. As long as he keeps it within reason so he doesn't crush the merchants, Griffin can continually leech the pony economy, and they'll never be the wiser. He's presented himself as a valuable trade partner, but if the Equestrian economy ever takes a significant dive, he won't hesitate to eat them alive.

His attempting to get a read on me back in the lounge, pouncing on Equestria the moment I provided even the slightest edge in these discussions, setting up to strike economically at the first sign of weakness...

Looking around the table, there's the New Dominion, Marble Pillars, Aquaria, the diamond dogs associated with the New Dominion, the changelings, and then the zebras who aren't represented here. Then there's me. Then the diamond dogs under Nanashi, and finally the ponies. There's a lot of representatives, evening the playing field, but the number of powers that those ponies represent is actually a lot smaller.

If we were to limit it to one representative per power, I have one, Equestria is one plus the Crystal Empire for two, Nanashi is one, and then the New Dominion, one, Marble Pillars, two, the Changelings, three, Aquaria, four, the zebras, (again, they didn't send a representative, but that doesn't mean they don't exist, considering I usually don't send a representative myself) five. He's sitting on an alliance of more than half, with endless options for expansion, like the buffalo should their relationship with Equestria go sour.

And this is precisely the kind of threat I came here to assess. Now, the question is, what to do about it?
> Royal Mockery Part 3 (82)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Royal Mockery Part 3



Griffin


The 'negotiations' began with Celestia recapping the history of forever, basically everything that happened since the last time Empress Narin or King Triton had been here, and neither had been here in a very long time. The Quetzal empress gave Equestria a bit of a chewing out about Appleloosa, which I then jumped on the bandwagon, followed by the seapony king. We discussed trade economics briefly, and Celestia thanked me for lowering taxes to help Equestria rebuild after the Tirek incident. I pretended to be disinterested, casually laying propped up against Gilda, but I noticed that both Fia and Empress Narin had their eyes locked on me. Fia's face was in an unpleasant scowl, while Narin had the trademark look of someone deep in thought. She specifically gained that look after we discussed the fact that the New Dominion operates on a barter system.

'She knows.'

"Actually, I was wondering something." I stated once Sun Butt was finished. "After Tirek was defeated, what happened to him?"

"He was put back in Tartarus, where he belongs." Twilight replied.

"What additional security measures are in place?" I asked, bringing a mass of confused looks from the pony princesses and mane six alike.

"You know... more guards? More locks? Please don't tell me all you did is stuff him back into the same cell he escaped from before without even figuring out how he got out to begin with?"

"Even if he does get out, he isn't likely to show his face again, and if he does, we'll send him right back into his cage." Luna proclaimed.

I stopped for a moment, in thought.

"True enough. Now that Discord has learned his lesson, I doubt Tirek will be able to become a threat to Equestria again. Still, I'd rather not take chances. Could you at least check on him once a week or something so if he does get out we can take care of it right away?"

"Of course. We've already been doing that." Luna replied. "You didn't think us completely irresponsible, did you?"

"You, no." I directly to Luna. "The others? More-so." Shooting a quick glare at Celestia. "Besides, even if he's not a threat to Equestria anymore, well, he wouldn't be a threat to the New Dominion since I can handle him, but what about the Quetzal Empire? Or Gem Fido?"

"You're quite confident Griffin, considering the moment you learned of him you fled to Signal." Luna glowered.

"I have a duty to protect my people first. To do that, I needed go to Signal. There, I assessed the threat Tirek posed, and made preparations to fight him. I took stock of his power and his abilities. Strategy. You know, having a better plan than taking my most talented magic users and throwing them at him blindly so he could drain them?"

"Which is precisely why I requested you to advise our defense department." Celestia chimed in.

"It's common sense. Do you even... Geez, I'll write you a freakin book when I get around to it. Satisfied? Twilight gets the first copy, seeing as how she wrote one for me. There's a spelling error on the first page, by the way." As for my own experience in becoming and alicorn. Man, for someone like her, that's embarrassing.

"Marble Pillars? Aoi? You've been silent this whole time, what's your take on this?" Fia was the first to speak up.

"Given what we know of Tirek, I'd be able to handle him by myself, for the same reason you could." She glared at me. She's talking about hell fire. Suck up all the magic you want Tirek, when we can just burn it all away, it won't do you any good. All the representatives from Equestria, The Crystal Empire, Marble Pillars, and Empress Narin looked between the two of us with confusion. The only people who know I can use hell fire are people I've used it against, the only survivors of which are Fia and Ember, my crew who watched me use it, and they haven't told anyone. Celestia, Luna, Cadence, Twilight, not even Dr. Exotic knows about it. It's not like I've exactly been trying to keep it a secret, but I haven't had any need to use it in front of them. I'm almost certain they don't know about it.

While we may be enemies, at least Fia had the sense to not give away our little secret. She values it enough that she wouldn't tell, even if it disadvantaged me.

"Hmm. In which case, the only ones vulnerable to him would be the Quetzal Empire or Aquaria, but they're far enough away, and under the ocean, so they're safe. Besides, I'm sure you have your own methods."

"Well then, I think this is a good time for a recess. I'll have fresh food brought out. Mingle, discuss among yourselves." Celestia dismissed us and we returned to the common room.

In a manner of speaking, it's a very effective measure. It allows for private discussion between groups, off the record, so that the conversation in the chamber can be more effective and waste less time. They call it a recess, but in truth, the majority of the actual political discussion would take place here, with only the finalized, and public, deals and announcements that concern everyone occurring in the negotiation chamber. This was where private deals and backstabbing would normally take place.

I was, almost immediately, approached again by Narin. The myriad colour of her scales cascading in the mage light that illuminated the room.

"I have to say, I'm impressed. You've only given me just enough information to let me know what you want, without actually saying it in front of everyone."

"You assss well. If you already know what it issss that I want, then let ussss disssscussss."

"Heh, your eyes were locked on me the entire time. Of everyone here, you see me as the greatest threat to your rule. The only reason you came here in the first place was to learn the danger all the newcomers pose. I caused a stir. You don't like that. Well, let me tell you what I don't like. The unknown. The unknown enemy can strike you where you're most vulnerable, before you even know they exist. I know that Fia is a threat, and have taken steps against that, but you? You're a mystery. I have clues but nothing solid. If you were to decide I'm a threat to your nation, you'd have me eliminated before I even knew your intent. You know I know this, so you're trying to figure out if I'll make the first move."

She hissed.

"Thankfully, it doesn't have to come to that. Creatures like us can always pick each other out of the room. And now that I know what you need, and you know what I need, we can deal with it easily. Lets say, after these so called 'negotiations' are over, you and your entourage come with us to Signal, our capitol. You'll relax, enjoy yourselves, and see anything you want to see. Once you're satisfied that we're no longer an unknown, we'll go with you back to your country, to your capitol. Then, we'll relax, enjoy ourselves, and we will see anything WE want to see. Once we're satisfied that you're no longer an unknown, we'll go home. Then, we can go from there."

She paused for a moment, hissing slightly to herself.

"Also, given that you know my little... game... that I'm playing, I'll give you the first piece, and inform you on everybody else at this gathering."

"Deal." She shook hands.

"Good. First off, Celestia. All brute force and sentiment. She has very little finesse and leaves herself open to being out maneuvered. Easy to manipulate by appealing to her better nature, or with confusion tactics. Luna, on the other hand, I'm sure you can tell just from the way she moves and her tone of voice has just as much power, but is infinitely more elusive. Cadence is a giant pushover, her strength lies in that she acts as a reservoir of magic for her partner, who is a talented shield caster, and is not at this meeting. The purple princess possesses an incredible level of magic, and skill in using it, but is still naive when it comes to strategy. Among her entourage there's two who are dangerous. The blue one can move at obscene speeds, it's as though the laws of physics don't apply to her. The pink one doesn't obey the laws of reality. She can hide in and appear from anything, contort her body more ways than you can imagine, bewilder and confuse her enemies, be in two places at once, and while she seems silly and frivolous, her mental state can take a surprising turn. Very unstable. Don't even bother trying to apply logic to this one. The white unicorn has precision but lacks power, the orange one has power and lacks precision, while the yellow one uses a strange form of mental magic to control animals, ineffective against higher life forms. That's it for the ponies."

"And the otherssssss?"

"Aoi is a sword wielder and former assassin. His mind is very straight forward and goal oriented, meaning it's easier to outsmart him. He mostly acts based on his instinct. The fox is dangerous. Wild, ferocious, talented, powerful, and won't let anything get in her way. Unscrupulous, like myself. She's almost as dangerous as I am. In fact, I haven't had any contact with her in about a year, I don't know how she may have changed. The other dogs with them are moderate, by my standards anyways. Don't know much about Triton. Chrysalis is my spymaster, and I owe her a great personal debt, while her people are highly dependent on mine. They're actually part of the New Dominion now. There is no division between us. Everything else is not a threat."

"I ssssssee. And thissss.... power.... you and the fox possssesssss? The one that would let you strike down a demon? Not here though, the poniesssss will have a lisssstening sssspell in place to gather information they can ussssse in the negotiation room." Narin stated.

"I expected as much. They'd be idiots to have this 'recess' where we can discuss privately and not listen in on us. We'll talk more on Signal."

"Agreed."





"Uuugh... Gilda?"

"Yeah Grif?"

"I want my amulet back."

"I know."

"I don't think she's just gonna give it to me. Shes probably keeping it out of spite. She KNOWS it pisses me off. It's not a matter of wanting to change on the fly, it's that without it, anyone can just swap me around however they want."

"If it's that important to you, you'll have to give her something she wants." Gilda pointed out.

"Yeah, but anything she wants is going to be something I'm not willing to give. At this point, everyone else here is lucky that we can be in the same room and not try to kill each other."

"Well, then maybe you need to figure out a way to mimic it's effect? Protect yourself from spells? You could probably do something to reject any foreign magic. Remember what the doctor said? You've got a lot more now. Throwing a bunch of it away on a costly spell you always keep on might be a good thing."

"Yeah, I'm still thinking like I used to, trying to do as much as I can with as little as possible. It's my nature. Ugh. Well, no point sitting here not talking to anyone. Lets go talk to Twilight."





"Hey everyone. So uh, rough time in there, am I right?" 

"Yeah, not a fan." Twilight cringed. Discord was just hanging out, having no desire to be a part of something as boring as politics, but since literally everyone he knew was going he was content to just sit around and stuff his face with food.

"Anyway, I know you've all seen him before, but that was a while ago and I don't think he'd remember you, so here's Seth." My son climbed walked up from beside Gilda and bowed his head slightly. "Seth, let me introduce you to some friends. This is Applejack."

"Applejuice?" Weird, he's talking in a tone less mature than I know him to be. Is he doing something funny?

"Close, shes the one that makes the apple juice. Applejack." I corrected him before gesturing to the next one. "This is Rarity."

"Rarity. Got it." He said with pride.

"This is Fluttershy."

"He's so cuuuute!" Squee noises and glomping. My son struggled to escape, and eventually succeeded.

"Butterfly." He pointed at her cutie mark. "Fluttershy. Got it. Bluster and Gale not for eating." He remembered the breezie pair who were content to stay home for this trip. I'd just gotten them a deluxe size bird house and they were renovating to make it more breezie friendly. Last I saw they were bringing in beds made out of match boxes.

"This is Rainbow Dash. Remember? I told you about her." I gestured to her.

"ZOOOOOM! Whoooosh! Boom!" He flung his arms around excitedly before stopping, and in a completely serious voice said, "Rainbow Dash."

"Hehehe, got that right kiddo." She replied with a laugh.

"This is Pinkie Pie."

"Pinkie Pie. Party time?"

"Yeah! Seth knows where it's at!" She bounced happily.

"And then this is Princess Twilight Sparkle."

"Princess Twilo Spar... twinlo Spar.... Tawlo...

"I know, W is a hard letter. Twi. Light." I tried to assist.

"Toilet!" The moment he said that, everyone in the room struggled to contain their laughter, except for Twilight, who looked very irate.

"No no no." She began. "Not toilet, Twilight."

"Toilet Sparkle!" Seth insisted.

Discord floated down from the ceiling, us having gained his attention. He conjured a plunger out of the air and handed it to Twilight. "Your scepter, your majesty?" Her face turned red, steam poured out of her ears. She took deep breaths to calm down, despite the fact that Seth's outburst now had everyone looking at a very embarrassed alicorn.

"It's fine, it's fine, he's just a kid, he doesn't know any better." She mumbled to herself. "What do you say we head back in?" She tilted her head slightly, showing she was a fair bit stressed out. If news of 'Toilet Sparkle' spread all over Canterlot, her reputation as a princess would be ruined.

Twilight and her friends left us, returning to the negotiation chamber, while Seth grabbed at my leg. I leaned down to listen to him. He whispered in my ear.

"Dad... I can say Twilight. No problem."


...

...

He is DEFINITELY my son.
> Royal Mockery Part 4 (83)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Royal Mockery Part 4


As we re-entered the discussion chamber and took our respective seats, Twilight still fuming and her friends still stifling their giggles, I noticed Fia had a very sour look on her face. What is she intending?

"Thank you all for returning so promptly. Now that we've finished discussing the matter of Tirek and national defense, are there any other topics anyone would like to discuss?"

"I'd like to bring up the matter of Ancientwell." Fia began. "It would be best to clear the air here and now." She turned to look at me. "If there is to be a proper, long standing peace between our people, we'll have to work out our own, personal grudges." This time, I stopped sitting so casually and sat cross-legged on the floor with my hands on my knees.

"Are you sure we can't have peace while you and I continue to glare at each other spitefully?"

"That is not acceptable." She replied.

"So, let me see if I understand this correctly." Luna cut in. "The two of you were at war with one another, there were heavy losses on both sides, and now you seek to make, and receive, reparations for the damages incurred?"

"That is correct."

"In which case, since we were at war, I'd like to open by proposing that any losses incurred directly due to the fact that we were at war, and any unintended collateral damages be discussed, but not used as leverage." Fia looked to Aoi and Ubi, who both nodded.

"Agreed."

"In which case, the first matter I'd like to bring up, are the deaths of Trixie Lulamoon and Geirmund Freud. They died in a cave in caused by the use of mining explosives you planted to try and clear the tunnel we were collapsing behind us. While I was extremely angry about this, I realize there was no way you could have planned, or would have known, that they would be caught in it, and since they had placed themselves as combatants, they were casualties of war." As mad as I was at the time, I know that they're happy where they are, and that there was nothing that could have been done to prevent their deaths.

Fia seemed surprised that I was so willing to concede on what was likely a large issue, though, not to be out done, she did keep pace.

"As far as you collapsing the roof of the cave, causing a flood, I understand that is was the most efficient way to deal with your assailants. They were combatants, and not part of my clan. As for the innumerable innocents caught in the cascade through the tunnels, I suppose there was no way for you to know which way the water would go. As devastating as it was, I have to concede that it was collateral damage, given that the purpose of the flood was to deal with soldiers." I nodded.

"On the other hand, the deaths of my own soldiers, who were asleep in their barracks and thus offered no resistance, and the display you made, defiling their corpses to leave a gruesome message, must be accounted for."

"Despite being asleep in their barracks, or eating their dinner, as they were at the time, they were still combatants." I replied. "Also, inspiring terror in your opponent is a valid tactic to try and force submission. They all died from suffocation. It was completely painless. They were dead before they knew what was happening. All the horrific bits occurred after the fact." I explained, then paused to wait for her to nod in agreement.

"On the other hand, you executing 14 unarmed prisoners, who had surrendered unconditionally, without a fight, must be taken into account. While your actions may have been at the whim of the pony nobility you were dealing with..." I shot a glare at Celestia. "...The decision to follow his cruel whims was yours, and you bear that responsibility."

"I am aware." She replied remorsefully. "I'm sure you're aware that I'm not happy you lied to me either."

"In what way?"

"Back when we were negotiating the Steelhorn's release, you said you'd try to come up with a way to help us both out of that mess. You never intended to from the beginning."

"On the contrary. I fully intended to stand by your side at the battlements and repel the invaders. When the wild hogs arrived, I'd inform them of the change in plans, and we'd have an army to stand against the aggressors. That's why I wanted a week. I wanted to wait for the pigs to get there, but I wasn't exactly sitting around either. I was checking to see what preparations you were making to defend the fort. Since you were making no extra provisions, it seemed pretty clear to me that you were lying about fighting the other clans when they arrived and were intended to go with your original plan of throwing me to the dogs." Fia let out a low growl, bearing her teeth. Her body tensed up. She knew I had her there, and wasn't happy about it.

"Fuckin try it." I narrowed my eyes, and she thought better of losing her temper in a room full of global superpowers. "You knew long before I arrived that I was a walking calamity, and you lured me in anyway. When you bring a BOMB into your house, you have no right to get pissed off when it blows up in your face. Everything that happened down there is a direct result of you kidnapping my family to bring me there. What, you didn't expect me to lay down and die, did you?" She growled again, but kept her cool.

"In which case, in terms of reparations, I owe you nothing. However, cousin," I said with all the spite I could muster "In the spirit of the thing I'll give you this and this alone. Ringo is fine. He is where he's meant to be. Grandpa assured me of this himself." Her breath caught in her throat, and tears threatened the corners of her eyes, a sudden reversal of her previous mood.

"As far as grudges are concerned, while I understand your position, I will always hate you for what you did, but I won't act on it. Firstly, because despite our own grievances, our people deserve better, and secondly, I don't think he would like it if I tried to kill you." I stood up, then looked around to everyone at the table.

"That being said, if you or anyone else has a problem with me, you take it up with me. If you go after my family, what happened in Ancientwell will look like a Sunday picnic by comparison." I reoriented myself then sat on the floor again, laying with my back against Gilda as I had previously.

"Oh, and I want my damn amulet back. Not having it is a massive pain." She wordlessly took it off and slid it across the table to my position. I calmly picked it up and put in around my neck. Gilda shifted her weight at bit to get my attention. I looked up to her and she nodded.

"Is that everything?" Celestia asked the group.

We all remained silent.

"Well then, this concludes the first annual multinational summit. I hope to see you all next year, and hopefully, we'll have much less stressful topics to discuss. It is late in the evening, and you've all come from so far away, you're welcome to stay the night in the castle."

I sat and waited for Aoi's group to leave, then Twilight's, and Marble Pillars, then everyone else until only my own group and Celestia remained.





"Griffin, a word if I may?"

"Hmm? Yeah, go ahead."

"I'll say it again. You defeating me in a duel some time ago was very much an eye opener for me. I'd been so engrossed in politics that I had neglected to hone my mind to a different kind of tactics. That being said, you need to give me more credit. Both in regards to Tirek, and economics. I'll admit, that little game of yours caught me off guard, it is rather clever."

"What? How?" I replied, aghast.

"Did you forget that I can read minds, if I'm allowed the time and concentration to do so? That's the whole purpose of the recess. So I can take a moment to relax, and attention is off me. Some minds are more protected than others. Unlike years ago, yours is much more defended. It's like a maze. I could get in if I wanted by breaking through the walls, but you'd know and alter your thoughts. Empress Narin, on the other hand, doesn't have near the magical potential to keep me out, or detect the intrusion. She was correct to believe I'd use a listening spell, but it's not your words I'm listening for. I am curious as to what power both you and Fia have that would let you deal with a threat of that magnitude, specifically considering you referred to her as cousin during the discussion."

"Ahhh shit. Lets just say we share a common ancestor, and that he wasn't exactly a pushover."

"Be that as it may, I'll let you keep playing your little game for now, as long as you don't let it get out of hand."

"What? Why?"

"Because without the ability to purchase goods from Equestria, the New Dominion would survive just fine, sure, but it's growth would be stunted. It still is a relatively new nation and if you want it to grow quickly, it needs Equestria's support. That being said, you're people are much too prideful to accept a handout. So, I'll let you siphon a bit, if it makes you feel like you're earning it. If you go too far out of bounds, I'll just adjust Equestria's own tax rate to compensate."

"Why would you do that?"

"Because, for the same reason I'm trusting you enough not to pry into the nature of this ability you're hiding from me, neither you or I are the villains you believe we are. Besides, the tropical fruit export from the New Dominion has everypony going nuts. The thing I'm more worried about is your culture displacing our own."

"Why would that be a problem?" I asked. In response, she passed me a magazine with a photo of myself wearing a villainous looking outfit, clutching a globe. I recognized it from the photo shoot I did for Fancypants. As I leafed through the magazine, which was quite clearly a fashion magazine, there were several pictures of me in various outfits, taking a number of poses, like relaxing at a beach, or at work on a farm, as well as several of Aoi in different variations of oriental garb. He even managed to get the centerfold with a particularly stunning image.

"I understand that where you're from, clothing, pants in particular, are common fare, but for ponies and griffins, clothing the lower half, outside of full body suits like the wonderbolts wear, is considered bedroom attire."

"Like pajamas?"

"No. Not like pajamas." She trotted away laughing to herself, while it took me a moment for it to sink in.

"Gilda, I'm in a naughty magazine, aren't I?"

"Yep." She replied.

"And you knew about the clothing thing, from the moment we first met, and didn't bother to tell me?"

"Yep." She replied.

"Almost six years Gilda. This has to be a record for the longest standing practical joke in history."

"Uh huh." She smiled that devil grin. I leafed through the magazine again.

"I'd do me."

"Luckily, that's what I'm here for. Seth, do you wanna play with uncle Discord for a while?"

"Yaaaaaaay!" My son cheered as the draconnequuis swooped down and scooped him up.

"Now remember Discord, have him back before dinner at 8 pm. Other than no eating sweets before dinner, you can cause as much havoc as you want together."

"8 Pm? That's four hours from now."

"Discord, I've been gone for almost a year, and we've been busy taking care of Seth for over six months after that. Four hours from now is exactly the point."

"Oh?..... OH. Right! See you at 8!" Knowing that Discord, with all his power, would let no harm come to Seth, Gilda and I could finally get some alone time.
> Lasting Impressions (84)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Lasting Impressions


Gilda and I were thoroughly exhausted by the time Discord returned with Seth. Since we were about to have dinner anyway, we decided we should let Discord stay for it. I'm not entirely sure he has to eat, and if he does, he can just conjure what he wants, but it's the idea of unity at a meal that was more important. There was more than enough room at the table in our suite at Canterlot Castle. The fact that said suite was filled with fluffy red magic clouds that were billowing out into the hallway, the source of which being yours truly, was enough of an indication that with the bullshit of the meeting over, I could finally relax and let myself feel good. Nothing is better than good friends and good food.

"Heyo!" Came the two-toned voice of Queen Chrysalis as she poked her head into our room, just as we were getting seated. "Mind if I join in?"

"I thought changelings couldn't eat real food?" I asked, cocking my head to the side.

"Eh, it's fine by me." She swirled her hoof around in the clouds like a stick in a cotton candy bowl, then crammed it into her mouth. "Love, satisfaction, comfort, desire..." She said as she chewed on the magical mist. "Tension? Very distinct aftertaste."

"Well, you're welcome to have a seat anyway." Chrysalis plonked herself down on my left side, opposite of Gilda and Seth, and began cramming her face full of clouds. Discord pulled out a comically large, twisty straw and started drinking his chair, while he reclined on a grape soda. The rest of us dug in to our respective meals. Seth had his bugs, while Gilda and I had roast rabbit, courtesy of the kitchens. One benefit is that the capital has so many outside visitors, it keeps a stock of... multicultural food, rather than the standard vegetarian fare found in the rest of Equestria.





"So in any case, after this, we'll be heading back to Signal to show the Empress around, then heading south, past the jungle, into Quetzal lands."

"I'm afraid I won't be able to keep watch on you while you're there Griffin." Chrysalis informed. "It's too far away for the changeling mental link, too far away from reinforcements. These Quetzals could be as harmless garter as snakes, but I'm willing to bet it's a nest of vipers. Be on your guard. Their customs are vastly different than ours. Don't think you'll be able to muddle your way through."

"I fully intend to get that information out of Narin while we're on Signal, so I don't make any missteps once we arrive. Stopping in the New Dominion first made sense, since then we wouldn't be doubling back later, but it also gives me an opportunity to gather information. Openly, if possible, but I expect the changelings to keep vigilant while we're in the capital, up until we leave. See if you can learn anything from when she talks to her pair of guards."

"Agreed."

"So, if that's everything, we should probably get some sleep. We leave in the morning."





Dawn came, as it usually does, by means of a magical pony raising the sun. The same magical pony stopped by my room after doing so and noticed a thick red mist coming from under my door. I'm not normally one to wake up early, but when Celestia knocked on my door, I wasn't really... startled into consciousness.

"Ya. Come in."

"I trust you slept well?"

"Yes. I did. Something you need?"

"It seems your magic is seeping out, binding to the ambient humidity, and forming it into clouds. Care to explain?"

"Eh, hell if I know."

"You mean you're not doing this intentionally?"

"Nope."

"Uh... I see." She seemed rather confused. "Is this the first time this has happened?"

"Nah, it's started a while ago. Few weeks."

"And you are not concerned about it?"

"Gilda was more than me. I already saw a doctor about it. It has something to do with me bottling up all my negative emotions, but... lets be honest, for quite a long time I was not a very happy person. I'm not really used to feeling this good. So while I have practice keeping my nasties inside, the happy just flows out. It does make controlling my magic easier, since there's not as much pressure backed up, and it has the side effect of making everyone around me feel good too. Chrysalis was eating some of it last night."

"I'm sure Twilight would love to     "

"Nope, as happy as I'm sure it would make her, I'm on a time table. Don't much feel like waiting around while she runs tests and experiments. Besides, it's not hurting anyone."

"So, you're willing to forgo acquiring knowledge, about something mysterious happening to yourself? Would you do the same if it were happening to your family?"

It felt like a slap in the face to wake me up.

"Crap. Wow. Okay, I'll let Twilight run her tests after I get back from the Quetzal Empire."

"Good." She replied, relieved.

Twilight won't need to run any tests. I already know what's happening.

"Huh? Did you say something?"

"Nothing!" And she hurried away.

"Weird."

With that, she left, and I went to go wake up Gilda so we could begin our trip.


Before we met with the Quetzal Empress, I made a conscious effort to dissipate the clouds. I didn't want to alarm her, or anyone else. I also didn't want Twilight to see them and go on a science bender. I laid on the floor, rested my head on my claws and concentrated on stemming the flow.

"Okay, it comes out when I'm relaxed. So, become un-relaxed. I'm bringing a foreign dignitary to my country. If anything goes wrong this could have severe.... nah, they live like halfway across the world. FOCUS. Focus. There we go. Okay Gilda, I'm ready to head out. You and Seth prepared?"

"Yeah, lets go meet everyone."

Gathering on the upper platform, Gilda, Seth, Chrysalis, Narin, her two guards, and myself grouped together. I had already said my goodbyes to the other representatives, with the exception of Aoi and his group. I wasn't in the mood to look at Fia's face again, and I doubt she wanted to see mine.

"We'll be flying there instead of taking the boat. Saves time and grants a measure of privacy. We'll head straight east from here and fly directly over the ring sea. If you need a break just say so. I'll try and fill you in on some of our cultural nuances on the way so you're not surprised when we get there."





"First thing you'll expect is a warm greeting. Besides our self contained economy, we have a lot of tourism and trade with the mainland. We get visitors all the time and we've made a point of making them feel welcome. Our primary food sources are fish and fruit. We try to make sure the smell from the fisheries doesn't waft into town, so we've set up a persistent westerly wind to blow the smell out over the ocean."

"You make your own weather?" Narin asked.

"No, nothing so far as the ponies and their Cloudsdale where they actually make clouds. We just push naturally occurring ones around to suit our needs. Since we're in the ocean, there's always a fresh supply. We're right over Baltimare, where we would have taken the ship out to Signal. There, you can see the shore now."

I looked to my side to see the empress smiling. She seemed to notice my gaze, and explained.

"It amazesssss me every time I sssssee it. Ssssoo much water. The poniessss and griffinssss are truly blesssssssed, to control the rainsssss. At home, we pray to Tlaloc. We sssssing for his favor, such that he quenchessssss the desert's thirst, thus our own, and we dansssssse in celebration when the rainsssss fall. Sssssuch kindnessssss to give the gift of life, and for payment, assssk only for a ssssong."

"It seems to me then that you're the ones who are blessed. Our gods are far more callous and cruel. In my old home, the legend of Tlaloc claims that he demanded hearts, torn from sacrifices captured in war."

"What became of thesssse people who prayed to him?"

"Legend says they angered him, and they drowned in a river of blood."

At this Narin could no longer contain herself and burst out laughing.

"Ssssuch foolssss they musssst have been, to try and honour the giver of life by the ending of it! Though, I mussst asssk, if your godsss are ssso... heartlessssss then why do you worsssship them?"

"I do not, save the god of the dead, who is far more kind than he is given credit for." She found that a lot less amusing.

"Then it sssseemssss we quetzalssss are indeed the more fortunate, for you struggle all your life, in doubt of the divine, only finding peace in death."

"In any case, back on topic. The people of the New Dominion consist of either former captives, or those looking to start a new life. Most of them have some miserable backgrounds. The fact that they're free now, able to live life safely and without worry, at first they weren't really sure how to handle it. For most of them, they're the best off that they've ever been, and they're looking to live life to the fullest, never wasting a day. We've had a bit of a... call it a 'free love' movement. Given the abundance, security, and zero lack of willing partners, many of the people are eager to start a family. Even if that means with someone who isn't the same species and adopting instead. And, there's also some who aren't necessarily looking to start a family, and mostly just want to 'celebrate' if you know what I mean. While you're on the island, you'll likely be approached and asked if you'd like to find a more private place to enjoy yourself with your new 'friend'. Feel free to accept or decline. Nobody's feelings are going to get hurt if they're turned down."

"Ah... I'll.... take that into conssssideration." I don't think she was expecting that. "Matterssss of romance in the Quetzal Empire are vasssstly different. It'ssss... hmm... I ssssuppossse I sssshould  ssstart at the beginning. In our culture, we ressspect sssstrength and sssskill. Dissssagreementsssss are ssssettled by challenge. There are two challengesssss. The firsssst issss open combat, which isss obvioussss. The ssssecond is asssasssination."


"... Your people... assassinate each other?"

"Not truly. You proclaim your intent to your opponent. After which, they leave a knife, engraved with their name and their own sssscale pattern on their bedssside table. The challenger attempts to ssssneak into their room to ssssteal it. If they sssucceed, they target'ssss life belongssss to the victor. If they fail, then the target can choosssse to claim them, or releassse them. While both are acceptable, the sssecond is more romantic."

"I'm not sure I follow."

Narin then went into a long, drawn out history lesson. Originally, quetzals who had disagreements would challenge each other to combat, with the victor having their claim verified, and the loser's refuted. It came to be, however, that those who knew they would be defeated in direct combat began killing their opponent in the dead of night. This, obviously, was a bad thing. So, a law was passed that once a challenge of assassination was declared, you'd leave the knife on your night stand. If someone could steal it, then it would be the same as saying they could kill you, in which case, if you persisted in the disagreement, then they could actually go ahead and do it. After all, if they could do it once, they could do it again. If you didn't want to die, you'd recognize that they beat you and submit.

Of course, as things go, boy loves girl, but father doesn't want them to be together. The boy challenges the father for his daughter, and stalks him for months to learn his patterns before he strikes, and he succeeds. But then the daughter states she is her own person, and challenges the boy for her freedom. Little does he know, she has been stalking HIM ever since he made the challenge to her father. She succeeds as well, proving to her father that she can handle herself. Not only that, but she did love the boy, however she refused to be treated like a trophy or object, so they did wind up getting married, but SHE became the head of the household, which completely changed the gender role dynamic in the entire country.

"So, if you lose, your life belongs to the other person, but they're also responsible for taking care you you?"

"Yessss, in thissss way, nobody is left with nothing after a loss. All that they own belongssss to the victor, but they mussst care for the one they defeated, elssse they are sssseen unfavorably. Any who hassss lost may not be challenged again. So, if they are challenged, they sssimply ssssay 'I cannot.' Alssso, many who are sssskilled can make multiple challengessss. The bond formed by the challenge isssss not limited to hussssband and wife, but can form the bond of father to ssson, or brother and sssister. There are many large familiessss, all under the head. Ssssshould the head die, then the members are free once again, though many will rush to assassinate each other and claim the lead for themsssselvesss."

"The only thing is, if you're challenged and you win, you're not required to claim your opponent, in order to prevent people from intentionally binding themselves to someone who doesn't want them?"

"Correct."

"Okay, so let me see if I have all this down. Disputes are settled by challenges. Strength and skill are key, and being a stalker is seen as romantic because you have to care an awful lot about a person if you're willing to go off the deep end of obsession, which is necessary if you want to assassinate them successfully?"

"... yessss?"

"Good. I'm glad I've got it figured out."

"You're not at all concerned that someone may challenge you in an attempt to claim the throne of the New Dominion for themselves?"

"You may not believe this, but if someone challenges me to assassination, I have the right to say 'I cannot'. It may not have been an official challenge, and it was combat rather than assassination, but sometime around the midpoint in my campaign, I was completely defeated in single combat. I'm stronger now than I was then, but the fact remains that I lost. So, I can reject challenges of assassination. On the other hand, since I made that declaration at the summit, if someone has an issue with me and they challenge me to combat, I'm obliged to accept. If I don't, I'm basically giving them the go ahead to go after my family instead."

"That isss not how it workssss."

"Then I'll just say I was instructed by my clan head that I must accept challenges of open combat, and refer anyone who beats me to them."

"That is acceptable, though what if someone does defeat you?"

"Narin, I mean no disrespect to you or your people, but there's not a chance in hell. I've only been beaten twice. Once, by Fia, though it was more of a draw, AND she had an entire country at her command. The only other time was by her, which was one on one. I'm not a superstitious person, but when it comes to her I'd rather not say her name, just to be on the safe side. She's the only person I've ever met who was, at the time, more insane that I was."





At a forest campsite in the ring sea archipelago, on one of the unsettled islands, the black dragoness Ember sneezed, accidentally setting everything on fire. She cursed to herself as she tried to stamp out the blaze, before deciding it wasn't worth it, grabbed what belongings she had that hadn't been consumed by the blaze, rushed to the shore and got in her sailboat. Pulling out a map, she flipped it around to try and catch her bearings.

"Five more islands, then I reach Signal."
> Intentional Dissonance (85)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Intentional Dissonance


When we arrived at Signal, our landing had us greeted by the welcoming party. All in the party were given flower crowns, something that the snakes among us couldn't comprehend.

"Why are sssstrangers adorning usssss with flora?" Narin inquired.

"Flowers are colourful and cause contrast. Easy to see, smell pleasant, and scientifically proven to improve mood. It's to help you relax and make you feel welcome." I explained.

"I ssssee... a gift of ssssomething pleassssant to make the target lower their defenssssessss, gain trusssst. Clever..." She replied. I merely sighed and shook my head. 

"In any case, Signal is known for it's white sand beaches where you can sunbathe, it's varied cuisine, and it's.... um... large groups of diamond dogs filling the town square? That's abnormal. There's even a dragon or two among them." Including one I recognize.

From across the plaza, on the direct opposite side of the crowd, Mayor Bluebeak waved to us, motioning us to come inside his office. Thankfully, since everyone in our group could fly except Seth, who would be starting lessons soon, we simply went over the crowd.

"I'm glad you arrived." He began. "Around a month ago, there was only one or two, but since the summit, they began pouring in."

"Wha, how'd they get here so fast? I only said that about a day ago. It would take time for word to spread, and then for them to travel here..."

"Apparently, a fair number of them were already coming for that very reason, before you made the announcement."

"That's... oddly coincidental. I was certain I'd be back from the Quetzal Empire before it happened."

"Well, they started showing up as soon as the arena was finished being built. They heard about how anyone in the New Dominion who has a problem with someone else can challenge them in the arena and immediately began making their way here.

"Dad, what are you talking about?" Seth piped up from his position atop his mother's back.

"Bunch of people want to fight me."

"You gonna kill em?" That question has no place coming from the mouth of a bright eyed child.

"Hope not."

"K."

"My apologies Empress. It seems I'll have to take care of a bit of business while we're here."

"Not at all. It will grant me an opportunity to obssserve how you conduct yourssself."






"Attention everyone. I know you've all come a long way, and have been waiting a while, but I just came back from a really boring meeting and I'd like to get some rest. By the way, this is Empress Narin and her bodyguards. I know we try to make everyone feel welcome, but I'd like you to give her some space. She's not accustomed to this sort of thing. So, relax for tonight, eat some good food, get some sleep, throw a party, whatever, I'll start sorting this out tomorrow. I'm letting you know ahead of time that we're under constant watch. If anybody gets any stupid ideas, make sure you shout 'Shoop-be-doo' before you land in the ocean so the sea ponies will rescue you. You came all this way for a reason, don't go wasting your opportunity."

Nods and murmurs of agreement filled the plaza as the group began to disperse. They set up tents outside of town where they camped out for the night, unless they were fortunate enough to have gotten a place in one of the hotels.

"We'll can stay at the beach house tonight." Chrysalis suggested. "Rest easy."





We gathered at the table and sat down for dinner, and a more in depth discussion of politics and social norms.

"Tell me more about your relationshipssss." Narin asked.

"Hmm.... well, traditionally, among griffins, usually there's a single male to a number of females. Among ponies, they used to have multiple males and females in a large familial group, kind of similar to how you quetzals operate, but that has mostly been phased out in favor of single pairings nowadays. Humans are mostly single pairings as well. Changelings, on the other hand... uh. wanna handle this one?" I motioned to the love bug on my left who was currently under my wing.

"Since our... reproduction... occurs differently than other species, we are free to 'pair' with any partners we so choose. Almost the entire hive is technically female, though sterile, though most prefer to select one gender identity or the other and stick with it. Only the queens are strictly female, and only the few males which provide genetic material are strictly male. Then another select few which act as batteries for stored energy which are physically larger and stronger than other changelings don't have any gender identity."

"Wait, are you talking about those behemoth things at the Canterlot wedding? You were really ticked off that I killed them." I asked.

"Hold a moment." Narin interjected. "What happened at thissss wedding?"

"Oh, I tried to conquer Equestria. Almost did it too, but I failed."

"Why would a sssspeciesssss adept as camouflage rissssk open conflict?"

"It was an act of desperation. We had run out of stored love energy for food. The batteries were drained."

"I sssseeee."

"In any case, since we're shape shifters, in terms of... physical relationships, anyone can be with anyone. It just wouldn't make any offspring. So, for changelings, that sort of thing is at the same level as say, having dinner. We still get the physical pleasure of the act, but we're a lot less stringent about it since for us, it's basically a really good meal. Of course, because of this, other species see us as overly promiscuous and lewd, but since in the New Dominion that sort of this is more accepted it's not really a problem. In terms of both friendliness, familial and physical relationships, It's the best feeding ground we've ever had. To think if it had started a few years prior we'd likely have tried invading here instead, except we probably wouldn't have had to. Still, I'm glad things turned out the way they did."

"What of dragon relationssshipssss?" Narin asked.

"I have no idea. Usually, whenever I meet with a dragon, it's either because I want to kill them, or they want to kill me, and I don't let them. Sitting down and discussing social standards isn't a priority when compared with stopping 'Trogdor the Burninator'."

Gilda, Seth, Chrysalis, Narin, and her two bodyguards all looked at me confused.

"Never mind. In any case, I don't know too much about diamond dog relationships either, other than that the stronger you are, the higher you are in terms of potential partners."

"Yet none have approached you regarding that?" The empress asked.

"I'm fairly certain that I'm considered an enemy by the entire species, other than those that live here. Thus the reason for the crowd earlier today. If anyone has an issue with anyone else, they settle it in the arena. Since quite a lot of diamond dogs have a problem with me, and I can't refuse any challenge, they all came here to try and get a piece of me."

"Ssssurely you cannot defeat them all."

"Hopefully it doesn't come to that, but if it does, then I will."







"Alright everyone. So, here's the deal. If I fight all of you one on one, this is going to take forever. So, I'm going to interview each of you. There are a lot of different reasons for wanting to fight me, so I'm going to split you up based on that in order to decide who gets to go first. Form a line."


"First, come on in." Looks like a soldier, wearing armor, carrying a sword and a shield. "Alright, why'd you come here?"

"To kill you." He replied.

"Why?"

"Glory, fame, recognition, power."

"Well, you must be confident. Now, I'm not going to try and convince you not to fight me. If you want to, I will, but I want you to know what you're getting into. You heard about Ancientwell, right? Several alphas, each with a small army, and the castle's garrison. It was a tie. Do you really think you're a better fighter than all of those combined?"

He seemed to grumble to himself.

"Didn't think so. Don't you have someone who loves you? Who will miss you when you're gone? Someone who would be miserable if you died?"

"My brother..."

"And yet you came here to throw your life away on a fight you know you can't win?"

He was still for a moment before grumbling to himself again.

"Okay. Group D. Next!"





"Why do you want to fight me?" I asked a dagger user in leather armor. Their form was hidden under their garb, but the figure and stride seemed distinctly female.

"Not fight, kill."

"Okay, why do you want to kill me."

"I know what you are. You may act calm and righteous now, but deep down you're an animal. How long until you break free of your chains again?"

"As long as you people stop coming after my family, I'll never become that again. They are my reason for living."

"And if they are lost, your rage and grief would turn the world to ash." She finished for me. "My family is dead because of you. Do you think I care less for them than you care for your own?"

"If you care for your family, as I care for mine, then you know I'd do anything to protect them. For me, ALL actions are justified if it means they're safe. Can you honestly say that were you in my position, you wouldn't have done the same?"

"And can you say that, we're our positions swapped, and it was I that killed your family, and was sitting calmly in that chair while you sat here, seething with rage as you explained yourself to me, that you could simply walk away?"

"I guess not."

"Then you have my reason."

"You know you'll probably die, right?"

"Then I'll join my family in death."

"Alright, group A. NEXT!"





The next one was a remarkable looking white knight kind of hound. Silver armor, carrying a long, bladed spear.

"Griffin North, I am here to bring you to justice for your crimes!" He proclaimed boisterously.

"Tell me, what is your name?"

"I am Phalanx, son of the great Chief Greywall, who you slew at Ancientwell. I will defeat you, avenge my father, and reclaim the pride of my people!"

"Oh! I remember him!"

"I thought you might. He was unmistakable. His death was mourned with a thousand howls, and Fia's treachery will never be forgotten, but now we are all one with the Nanashi. Aoi is a good leader, perhaps even as great as my father."

"He was an honorable person, and I regret having to kill him, but it was war, and he was a warrior. I will fight you if I must, but, before that, I have a question to ask."

"Ask, and I will answer." Phalanx replied.

"I never had a father, and you know the pain of losing one. What would happen to my son if he lost me? Would you have him grow up hating you, and years later, you'd be having this same conversation from the other side of this table?"

"I only wish to defeat you. If I do that, your power and influence will be broken. You will no longer be a threat to the people of this world, and you would serve the new king of this dominion as a loyal knight. A lifetime of service to atone for your sins."

I could not help but laugh.

"Phalanx, I like you. To even think that I could ever wash away the blood on my claws. You really are something special. I can't even put you in a group. You may be part of Aoi's clan now, but your people still look to you as a leader. If you lose, your people would be miserable. Hows about this. Once I'm done dealing with the others, I'll fight you any time you want, but in private. A few witnesses, no crowds. That way nobody has to see you lose. I'll enjoy keeping my claws sharp. How does that sound?"

"HA! That would be agreeable, but what makes you so certain I won't win?" He smiled as a haze of green magic coursed through his spear.

"Hehe, interesting. I think you're going to be a lot of fun. Next!"






This entry was one of the two dragons I had seen. This one was the familiar one. Their face was unmistakable.

"Hello, Garble."

"Uh... we haven't met."

"Yeah, but I've heard about you from Spike." That's a lie, he never told me about Garble, I just watched the show.

"Oh, well, I'm not here for the fight. Well, I am, but I just wanna watch. Wanted to get front row seats. Lots of rumors about you at the volcano. Wanted to check it out, you know? Amethyst is the other dragon out there. Don't know why she came along."

"Other dragons roped you into going, huh?"

"Pfft, whatever."





"So Thuwag was like, 'Garble's too scared to go see the griffin king. He's a big chicken!' And he got all ticked off, smoke started coming out of his ears and he was like 'I told you it's probably lame like the pony land but FINE, I'll go. You're all losers and I could use some time away to make sure I don't become lame like you guys.' I just came along cuz I was curious, and Garble's an idiot so he'd probably do something stupid if I don't keep an eye on him."

"Well Amethyst, it was nice to meet you. Feel free to stick around, just try and make sure Garble doesn't burn anything or eat anyone. Those are my jobs. Next!"




The next entry was not a single person, but a duo. They had no weapons, no armor. Just basic clothing. A husband and wife, it seemed. They didn't have the confidence or rage the others had. Instead, they seemed completely miserable.

"What have you two come here for?"

They stood there in silence, tears threatening the corners of their eyes.

"Our son, Lert, just a pup, died in the flood at Ancientwell. We were just miners. We had not part of that fight, and still... and still..." She shut her eyes tight, while he clenched his teeth. "I know I can't beat you, that I don't stand a chance, but I can't get it out of my head! I still see him, my poor boy, cold and limp in my arms, clutching his toy, wrapped in this blanket." He held out a tattered blue cloth that was covered in tear stains, and a small streak of blood across it. "I... I can't.... GAH! How can you just sit there! How can you live with yourself and not even offer an apology?!?"

"I see. I knew, when I caused that flood, that innocents might be caught in it. I did it for my family. To protect them, and to ensure that I'd make it out, to continue to protect them. I never wanted this to happen, but I won't apologize. Apologizing means that I'm asking for forgiveness, and asking for forgiveness means I think I deserve it. If you're able to forgive the death of your son, for nothing more than mere words of regret, then you are nothing less than angels and just standing in your presence is torment."

The pair looked at me, seemingly shocked by my explanation, before the husband gently placed the tattered blanket and a scratched yoyo on the table in front of me. He locked his eyes, full of pain and hate, with mine. "Live with your guilt." He spat. Then he wrapped his arms around his wife and they left.

I picked up the artifacts and let out a long sigh. I carefully wrapped the yoyo in the blanket, then folded it all up and put in in my storage box. I sat back down, and clutched the sides of my head, gently scratching and massaging my scalp with my claws.

"Next."

> Ashes to Ashes (86)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Ashes to Ashes
Garble
The next day, at dusk.


I took my seat on the benches, glaring menacingly at the various creatures around me. After all, I'm a dragon, and I have to uphold certain expectations, being dominant and imposing, and making sure other things give me my space. The ponies gave me adequate room, but the griffins and diamond dogs living here did not give a single care to the fact that I was here. It was strange, having not-dragons be not-scared. I didn't like it. Just as I was about to put them in their place, Amethyst sat down next to me.

"It's about to begin." She said. "You don't wanna miss it cuz you're not paying attention." She was right. She was much too happy a person for a dragon, but when she said things, they often made sense. Amethyst was not a dragon who said or did stupid things. She definitely didn't boss me around. Nobody bosses me around. She just had good ideas is all. Suggestions.

The griffin king walked out into the center of the arena, leaving claw and paw marks on the sand floor. He didn't seem happy, like he didn't want to be there. I don't know why. He was about to have a good fight, like king of the horde.

"Group A!" He shouted. A large number of diamond dogs, seventy or so, walked out through the doorway in the high wall separating the arena from the audience. They had all different types of weapons and armor. Some metal, some hide, some cloth, some bone.

"Alright, so, if anyone has second thoughts, now is the time to back out." Those in the group looked to each other, then stared at the king with determined looks on their faces as they spread around the arena, surrounding him with their weapons drawn.

"So, let me just make absolutely sure. You lot, each and every one of you, will not rest till I'm dead, and have nothing to live for other than seeing me as a corpse?"

"Yes! For barking out loud! Stop delaying!" One of them replied. "Hurry up and get this started so I can kill you!"

"Alright! Alright! *sigh* Mages, set up the shields to protect the audience. Don't want anyone to get hit by a stray spear or spell." A unicorn walked up beside me and tapped me on the arm.

"Excuse me. I need to be in that spot to cast the spell, otherwise there will be a hole in the shield. Can you move please?"

"And lose my front row seat? No way."

"Garble." Amethyst started. "These losers don't have scales like we do. The fight can't start till the shield is up."

Amethyst was right. Nobody tells me what to do, but if I wanted to see the fight, they wouldn't start till the shield was up.

"Fine, whatever." I moved a bit to the right, making the griffin there move over.

"Shield is up sir!" A bubble of magic surrounded the circle of the arena, shielding those outside it from anything happening inside it.

"Right." Griffin continued. "When they hit the gong, the fight starts, so just go at it."

A pair of dogs holding large iron sticks began pounding on a drum. Boomboomboomboom. They picked up the pace, faster and faster they pounded it, until one of them turned and slammed his metal rod against the large bronze disk, making a resounding  claaaang.

As soon as the sound rang out, all the combatants in the arena charged. Weapons drawn, they ran at the king, standing in the middle of the ring who calmly.... almost bored looking, pressed two claws together.

*snap*

Fire. Nothing but fire. We couldn't see any of what was happening in the arena. A great pillar of fire filled the entire arena. The shields being made by the casters lit up as they tried to contain the inferno. The top of the bubble dome twisted and warped, before breaking apart and letting the fire escape, while the portion protecting the audience struggled, but succeeded to hold. The great inferno rose miles into the sky, a gout of flame that would be visible all the way from the mainland. It became as bright as mid day. How long the fire raged, I have no idea, but it finally began to calm and snuff itself out.

Once the flames were gone, and the arena could be seen again, I noticed three things. First, the sandy floor of the arena, with the only exception being the spot where Griffin stood, had been turned to molten glass. The second, is that there were only four people in the arena. Griffin himself, a smouldering corpse, an unconscious dog, and one who was struggling to stand as the thick, liquid glass stuck to her paws.

"Garble." Amethyst turned to me. "They didn't scream Garble. Look." There was ash falling from the sky, as it often does at the volcano, but there was no volcano here. The ash flakes were what was left of the people. Their weapons and armor nothing more than blobs of molten slag, slowly mixing with the glass floor. "They were dead before they even felt it."

The smoking corpse slowly sank into the floor, as did the other one, while only the female still struggled. She growled. Her fur was burnt and singed, and her body was covered in black, charred flesh.

Griffin walked over to the sole survivor, the liquid floor moving away from him with each step he took. He looked to be examining her.

"Third degree burns all over your body, anything not burnt has been boiled. I'm surprised you're still alive. You and the other two had shield magic, but it couldn't hold up. Even if you got medical attention right now you wouldn't make it, though." He put one claw under her head and lifted it up, to look in her eyes, before drawing it across her throat. Blood spilled out onto the ground as she went limp.

"Group B, C, and D! Listen up. If you're having any second thoughts, feel free to leave. Lets face it, these ones..." He lifted the limp body of the one he just killed. "Were among some of the stronger ones. I'll tell you this right now, if you wanna train and come back later, you CAN. The fact that I'm doing this right now doesn't meant you need to fight me right now. You can come back later if you don't think you're ready. I might not be around, so you'll have to wait a bit, but I'll always come back here at some point.That being said, anyone who wants to fight me right now come on out."

The other challengers, who were also in the audience, looked around, but sat silently.

"Nobody? Alright. In that case, head on home everyone, show's over."

"Amethyst."

"Yeah Garble?"

"Lets go home."

"Akay."







Griffin


"You did that intentionally." Empress Narin stated.

"Yeah. They were determined to see me dead. No amount of diplomacy was going to talk them out of it. So, figured if I had to kill them, might as well make it a show for the rest. Sure, they might come back later, or they might not. I was going to have to kill those ones regardless. Might as well use that as a way to spare the rest. Still, I wish I could have talked them all out of it, but I guess that would have been hoping for too much."

"And you are not worried that they will return asssss a knife in the night?"

"That is why I keep her around." I turned and kissed Chrysalis on the cheek. She blushed as she ate up the love. "As much as I want to see your home Narin, not having someone keep watch over us while we sleep is going to be awful. Still, I think we can handle it. What do you think Gilda?" Gilda herself had a wing draped across the changeling queen's back.

"We'll probably be all right. There isn't anyone in their land who wants us dead, and anyone who follows us there is going to stand out. Besides, we'll be staying at Narin's palace. If someone wants to assassinate us, they'd have to sneak in to a place full of guards specifically on the lookout for assassins, who have much more experience with it given that their culture is based around it. We're probably safer there than we are here, even with the changelings watching us."

Chrysalis blew a raspberry at Gilda, before she went back to petting Seth.

"In any case." I continued. "The rest of the challengers will probably head home now, or, maybe they;ll stick around and get jobs here. Who knows. Whatever. Lets get some shuteye. We'll pack in the morning, and start flying in the afternoon, after lunch. The town is going to have quite the mess to clean up in the arena. It's going to take a while before it's usable again."
> The Three Shells (87)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


The Three Shells


Early in the morning, we packed our things, ate breakfast, and slummed around the island a bit more. Narin had gotten to see how I handle things, but she hadn't really gotten a taste of the island life. One of the things we did before lunch was watch the New Dominion flying team... who I had never met before now. I didn't even know we had one. Apparently they got third place in the Equestria games, which is kind of like the Olympics or something. For a good couple hours we just laid on the beach and watched them fly their cloud obstacle course. They were good. Really good. I could see how they got third place, given that the Wonderbolts would have gotten second, and whatever team Rainbow Dash was on would have come in first. Wouldn't it be something to have our team beat the equestrians next time around...

In any case, the clock chimed 12, waking us from our beach naps. I walked over and poked one of Narin's guards, who seemed to be enjoying himself immensely.

"Hmm?" He cracked open an eye.

"It's noon, time to get going."

The guard, who's name I hadn't learned due to them being rather unapproachable in terms of small talk, awoke his empress. The whole lot of us gathered our bags, and began flying south, with Empress Narin taking the lead. We flew silently. As we reached the jungle the greenery from below pretty much killed any thermals so we actually had to work for our altitude.

"Nadene is somewhere in there. We might get lucky and run into her on our way back." Gilda pointed out.

"Not likely." I replied. "She is one cat in an entire jungle. Besides, if she went in there, it's probably because she doesn't want to be found. As much as I'd like to talk to her, well... she'll come out when she's ready. I don't want to trample on her feelings."

"Yeah." She replied.





After a couple days of uneventful travel, setting up camp whenever we needed to rest, the jungle gave way to some sandy plains, with clusters of tall grass poking through here and there, and rocky crags interspersed throughout. Ancient sandstone, uncovered by the shifting of dunes, their surfaces weathered and worn into round lumps of smooth stone, dotted the area. The heat coming off of it made flying nearly effortless, and the brilliant blue sky wasn't marred by a single cloud.

We camped that night, choosing to travel during the day to take advantage of the updrafts. The heat was bearable, for Gilda and Seth, that far up in the sky. I felt totally unaffected, and the snakes seemed to enjoy basking in the sun.

"The temperature issss going to drop ssssignificantly after ssssundown. We sssshould make camp."

Everyone sat around a roaring campfire, except for me, as I had dropped all of my equipment at the side so I could BE the campfire. There wasn't enough twigs and such to make a proper fire anyway. The warm glow coming off of me could likely be seen for miles, given the dark night sky as a backdrop. Eventually, everyone crawled inside their tents and went to sleep, myself included.


At dawn, we packed up and continued our journey. At one point, I could see a fairly large city on the horizon. We approached it quickly.

"There are ssseveral townssss that lay further out. We bypasssssed them and went sssstraight for the capital." Narin explained. Of course, she'd want me to see as little of the country itself, such as the locations of smaller towns, in order to deny me tactical information in case I wanted to launch a raiding party. I didn't care much for the outlying towns anyway. On reaching the city, Narin had us land in front of one of the gates. A quartet of guards eyed us warily, but seeing their Empress, didn't raise any concerns. That's when I remembered that I was about to enter a city full of borderline-xenophobes. Gilda, Seth and I moved up closer to the Empress.

When we entered the city proper, I took note that most of the buildings were made of sandstone. They were bleached by the sun, but they didn't have the same worn appearance of the rocks I had seen outside of the city. Almost as though they had never weathered a sandstorm. Indeed, within the city itself, there was very little sand at all. It had been cleared away and replaced with proper dirt and earth.

"The city'ssss farming dissstrict is on the far sssside, next to the temple disssstrict. We have 'earth minessss' where we did not for gold or jewelssss, but ssssoil that issss good for planting, and the priestessssesss ssssing for rain to water the cropsss."

"What kind of crops do you grow?" I asked.

"Mosssstly wheat, barley, and other grainssss. We don't eat it though, it'ssss all ussssed for animal feed." Right, they're snakes, makes sense that they'd be mostly, if not entirely, carnivorous.

Within the city, being flanked by a large number of guards, the townsfolk, all quetzals, slithered and flew here and there, going about their business. On noticing us, they looked somewhat confused, before letting out calls of excitement and joy. Hearing the ruckus, people began poking their heads out of their windows and cheering.

We made our way to the palace. Once inside, the doors were closed, and Narin declared that she would explain the situation the next day, because she was taking today to catch up on what she missed while she was gone, and didn't want any disruptions.

"That was not the welcome I was expecting." I declared.

"My people were worried about your potential threat, the very reassson I went to the meeting. The fact that I have returned here with you... many of my people believe I have defeated you, and you now belong to me. They were celebrating my victory, jussst asss much asss my return."

"Hmm, that might not be a bad thing. We haven't told them that, they've assumed it. Let's just let them keep assuming it. At the very least, it should give us all some peace and quiet."

"Indeed. Tomorrow I'll introduce you asss the king of the New Dominion, explain that you are not a threat to usss, and leave it at that. Let the people run their rumorsss. Alssso, tomorrow I would like you to witness the rain ceremony. My daughter, Karin, is a priestess, and will be asking Tlaloc to bring rain to the farms. Remain at my ssside when we move through the city to avoid any difficultiesssss."

"Agreed."

For most of the day, we stayed in the palace, becoming accustomed to its layout and where things were so we wouldn't get lost, while the Empress dealt with the things that had piled up while she had been away. While this was going on, we were introduced to the rest of the royal family. Srinja, or, Sssssrija, not really sure how much emphasis to put on the S, was Narins 'first' along with his son, Naji. These two were the ones that stood out the most to me, mostly because they were the first ones we met, and there was a very large number of people to meet. It was impossible to remember them all, or even half.  Something like sixty or so who were part of the Empress's 'family by assassination'. Many of them were part of the family before she took over as Empress, and, along with the country, she inherited them as well. Naji was a bright eyed lad who tended to flit this way or that, moving in very practiced motions that created no sound at all. Seth looked at him intently, as though trying to figure out his movements, before we moved on to the next group, and the next, and the next, and the next.



 When night came, Gilda, Seth and I all settled down into our private room, with guards posted outside our door. They seemed to rest easily enough. I did not. I knew that here, we were miles of rough terrain away from any who wished us harm, surrounded by the highly trained guards of a nation where assassination was the standard, and yet, knowing that I lacked the presence of Chrysalis and her constant vigil, I simply could not put my mind at ease. I gazed out our window at the moon, which seemed overly large. As I stared at it I felt a pounding in my chest and a tingle in my mind. I began to breathe heavily as I reached my claw out towards it, as though to grasp it and pluck it from the sky. Suddenly, I snapped out of my trance as the effect faded, feeling... refreshed. My anxiety had faded and I felt a remarkable sense of peace.

"Heh... that's right. To think I forgot about that. I've been so focused on keeping everyone out..." I knocked my knuckles against my head. "Alright, I'll put my faith in you tonight, Luna."






That morning, when I awoke, all was normal. Well, with the exception that Seth's shadow was not a Seth-shaped shadow, but a large oval on the ground, quite some distance away from him, which seemed to bulge out of the floor.

"Guards!" In an instant, the pair assigned to our door came rushing through, and on noticing the lump of shadow, lowered their spears at it, rather confused. Seth woke up as the intrusion, and noticing everyone looking at him, decided to explain.

"Caught someone last night. Wanted to go back to bed, deal with it in the morning." His shadow receded, revealing Naji, who was quite awake, and covered his eyes to shield them from the sudden brightness. The guards sighed, shook their heads, and ceased their aggressive posture.

"What are you doing in our room?" I asked. The guards looked to each other, and I overheard whispers of 'Are you going to tell her?' and 'You do it, I had to lassst time.' before one slithered off, the other remaining to keep an eye on things.

"Practicing." Naji replied. "I need more practice." He said curtly, in a rather refined tone

"I agree." I responded. "However, I would advise not practicing on us."

"If I could bend shadows, I would not have been caught." He said to Seth, mostly ignoring me. "How do you do it?"

"I unno. Just can." Seth answered in a very unrefined tone, in a drastic contrast to Naji's own speech pattern. "Sumthin about chaos and mice, a cat in a box and butterfly wings."

Naji just looked confused.

"Yeah, I don't understand how the absence of light can take physical form either. Don't think too much about it, you'll hurt yourself."

At this, Narin entered the room to scold the boy, with the guard who left previously following behind. She spewed the standard of motherly beratement before asking a more important question. "And how did you get in the room anyway?"

"Went in the vent." Naji's formerly regal vocalizations became just as plain as Seth's under his mother's scrutiny. I stayed quiet the entire time. He looked to me for help, perhaps thinking I'd say 'It's fine, it's no big deal' or something like that. Noticing his glance, I gave him a wolfish smile to let him know he was on his own for this one.

"Mom, how was I sssupposssed to know they were sssorcerersss?"

"You're sssupposed to ssstalk your target firssst to learn more about them, not jussst dive in head firssst! I thought I taught you better than that." In actually listening to Narin's chiding, I realized she wasn't scolding him for breaking in to our room to practice assassinating us with his wooden knife, she was scolding him for getting caught. I could only laugh internally, not wanting to interrupt.

"In any case, since we didn't notice an assassin in our room and immediately splatter them before they could explain themselves, I think it's safe to say you got lucky." I directed this statement towards the snake child. "Though now you know better. Relying on luck is not good either, because one day it runs out."

"Will you teach me magic?" Narin shook her head no. She's right, that would require a much longer stay here than we had planned, and, given the country's method of balancing power, it would be interfering in external affairs. If he were to grow up, using the magic I taught him to gain power here and become the leader, who knows what kind of person he would become. I could not teach him magic unless I personally stayed to ensure he didn't misuse it. My secrets getting out allowed Fia to build power in that way, and I do not need another Ancientwell incident. Disrupting the balance of power in the world is not a good idea..... knowing that, why the heck do I REALLY want to teach him magic for some reason? In this instance, I will strangle my eccentric desire and go with the logical course of action.

"No, it's not something to take lightly. Besides, you haven't even mastered stealth yet. Finish that first. Turning invisible won't do you any good if you plod around like an elephant." You need a silence spell for that, but it wouldn't stop the floor from shaking, you'd need something to negate the vibrations... and I'm literally considering making an elephant ninja now. I need to stop.

"Well, since we're all awake now, should be prepare to head out into the city?"

And so we did. The empress went up front, with a guard flanking me and my family on either side, and one behind. It felt almost like we were prisoners being escorted to our execution. Instead of a gallows, we were lead through the city. There was still some excitement at seeing us, trailing behind the empress, but most of the curiosity was gone at this point. Likely, the rumor mill had been grinding away since we arrived yesterday morning, and the whole city knew about it by now. Still, there were some who looked at us quizzically, some measure of doubt in their minds, though none dared raise the question to the empress. If she had something to say to her people, she would say it in her own time.

Indeed, yesterday, among her paperwork, she had already sent out the notice regarding who we were, and that we were not a threat to her people. I suppose some just hadn't heard the news yet. Something about that didn't sit well with me. Just giving a written notice feels so, impersonal. Then again, I suppose the whole purpose was to have as few questions as possible.

We were very much left alone as we made our way past the temple district, into the farming district on the south side of the city. There I saw several of the winged snakes wearing wide brimmed hats of straw, and loose clothing, designed to breathe. All were dyed brilliantly. It seemed that vibrancy was central to the quetzal culture. Several of these farmers were working in what looked like rabbit pens. Others were digging up burrows.

"We eat mossstly rabbit and rodentssss. Possum, vole, and rat. They are what we grow the grain for."

"You eat rats?" Gilda asked in an almost accusatory manner.

"Indeed. You ate some last night, it was delivered to your room." Gilda seemed put off by that.

"Wait, that was rat?" I asked.

"Indeed." Narin replied.

"That was some damn good rat." Gilda looked at me with the same off-putting glare. "What? When I was in the Black-Marsh I ate uncooked, diseased rat in order to survive. These are farm raised and well prepared. You could probably make a rat burger that tastes fantastic." Here I was in a totally different culture, some things were so alien, and yet others were shockingly similar.

We eventually passed out of the rodent farm into large wheat fields. These fields were of raised dirt, held in place by large, interlocking borders made of cut stone. In a shocking contrast to usual attire, a group of quetzals were standing out in one of the fields, wearing white robes with slight blue accents.

"This is my daughter Karin, priestess of Tlaloc. Karin, this is the King North, of the New Dominion, his 'first' Gilda, and their son, Seth."

"Blessings of the sky upon you." She turned to look at Gilda. "I see you are of the sky as well." This, I found odd, considering that we're all griffins. She then addressed all of us. "The ceremony is about to begin. I ask that you be silent throughout. This is something not often witnessed by outsiders. We would not want Tlaloc to take offense, though, you..." She specifically directed this to Gilda again. "... you may join us."

"Do you have any idea why..." I began asking Narin.

"I do not. Very strange. Unorthodox. Never before hasss thisss occurred."

Gilda took her place among the priestesses, who began instructing her. They formed a circle, and, each in turn, raised their heads to the sky, each letting out a different tone, held as a steady exhale for minutes on end. When it seemed they would run out of breath, they merely continued, almost as though they had an endless reserve of air in their lungs, as though breathing was something entirely optional. The clouds began to gather overhead, forming out of nothingness. That is when I saw Gilda begin to glow a vibrant blue. Someone less learned would be in awe, or shock. I knew precisely what it was.

A few hundred years ago, during storms, sailors would notice the masts of their ships alight with a blue glow. They also noticed that, if this occurred, the ship would not be struck by lightning. They called this 'Saint Eremo's fire', Eremo being the patron saint of sailors. They believed that this blue fire was his divine protection against the storm, since, lightning striking the mast could split it, or set the sails on fire. Either way, even if the ship survived the storm, with no mast or sails, they'd be stuck rowing to the next harbour. Given food supply on board was limited, it could be a death sentence. Eventually the pronunciation got screwed up, and the protective glow became known as 'St. Elmo's fire'.

Of course, the real phenomena was that the build up of electrons on the ship caused the air around the highest points of the ship to become ionized, giving it the blue glow. Since something with a vast negative charge will repel another negative charge, lightning couldn't strike the ship. You can imitate the effect by putting your hand on a Van-De-Graaff ball and putting your finger near something, the tip will turn blue.

As the singing reached its crescendo and Gilda added her own voice to the chorus, a great bolt of lightning surged from her, up into the clouds. It looked as if she had cracked open the sky, and the rain came pouring forth. As the life giving waters came down, all the priestesses, and Gilda, began to dance in the rain as celebration.

Do you seek redemption?

"What?" I looked around.

Do you seek redemption?

"I... don't deserve it."

And that is precisely why you do. Do you seek it?"

"Yes?" I answered, unsure. I realized that I was being spoken to the same way Hades had spoken to me before. This voice, however, was definitely NOT Hades.

Then it shall be yours, child of misery. When she sang, she sang for you, and now, when I weep, I weep for you. Be cleansed, so that I weep no more.

As the rain fell on me, I noticed it evaporating as it touched me, turning to steam. It did not do this with anyone else. As the steam stopped and I began to get drenched like everyone else there, I noticed a heaviness in my heart, one that had been there so long I had not noticed it for a long time, slowly fading away. I felt, light. Jovial. Calm. Pure. My whole body tingled with the sensation. I laughed. Not in sadism, or contempt, or any kind of negativity. I laughed in sheer joy. It was... indescribable. My heart began to pound in my chest again, but not in the same way as it had the night before. This was entirely different, entirely good.

Gilda came over to me, laughing as well. I could tell she felt the same way. Even Seth, who was an abnormally reserved child, was totally joyous.

"Gilda.... I think we've seen enough. Everything we needed to see."

"That was incredible. I think you're right. I'm glad we came here. This was something we needed to experience. I had used my natural weather magic before, to force the clouds to do my bidding, but this was totally different, something by a completely different nature. It's like I knew precisely what to do, and everything else flowed. As the singing began. I never felt more tranquil. When I added my own voice the release was pure joy. Lets stay and relax for a few days, then head home."

The next few days passed uneventfully. The red mists of my magic filled the palace, such that any who drew near to it would see the billowing clouds spilling from it, and have a taste of my inner peace for themselves.

Chrysalis is going to get fat.
> Cultural Exchange (88)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Cultural Exchange


When the time finally came to leave the Quetzal Empire behind, it seemed as though the people were sad to see us go. That and somewhat confused. Empress Narin explained to her people that I would be returning to the New Dominion in order to continue to govern it, which was a reasonable explanation of why I wouldn't be staying with her, implying that she had beaten me but not actually saying it, in order to continue the ruse that really just simplified our entire stay. Priestess Karin gave us a small prayer before we left, and we began our journey home.

Oh, and I still had fluffy, dark pink clouds billowing around me. I idly wondered if it looked like I was leaving a trail, like airplanes do.  We stopped a few times on the return journey. Each time we did, I took out some blank scrolls I had kept with me and began to write in them. After all, I did promise Celestia and Luna a book.

Ruminations On The Art of War
By Griffin North
(Information sourced from "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu)

Dear Princess Celestia, you wanted a book on how to not be an idiot, so I'm writing you one. I'm letting Twilight have it first so she can make it a proper book.

Sun Tzu was a general of the nation of China over 2500 years ago, (Yes yes, I know, we humans and our war, we've had a rather long time to get good at it haven't we?) and still remains the most influential text regarding warfare, since the premises contained within are effective regardless of time or technology. Since the original work is rather long and I cannot possibly remember all of it, I will be abridging it and providing an explanation of the more useful quotes, as well as my own interpretations and applications to not just warfare, but to everyday life.

Warfare is important to a nation. It is a matter of life and death, so study it. (Basically, you cannot always avoid conflict so it is better to know how to deal with it and prepare yourself. All things in life, no matter how mundane, can be thought of as a 'battle' or competition. Rainbow Dash exemplifies this particularly well.) Have a strong bond with your people. They will serve wholeheartedly if you are known to be a capable leader, and they don't have to fear betrayal. Know 'heaven' and 'ground' which is to say the weather, the seasons, the terrain, basically, the battlefield. Know your 'general' your commanders, and know your 'law' the chain of command. This applies to real life, using the example of a restaurant. You own a restaurant. You need to know it's placement in the city, if it is likely to get customers, if it is downwind from a garbage dump, nobody will want to eat there. Know your head chef and restaurant manager. If they're good, keep them, if they're incompetent or corrupt, the restaurant will fail. Know who is in charge and what each person's responsibility is.

When doing battle, seek quick victory. Prolonged combat is wasteful, inefficient, and tiring. If you must fight, crush your enemy. If you're playing sports, try to score early and get a significant lead, this will demoralize the opponent while forcing them to be on the offensive. It's always harder to catch up than it is to gain an early advantage. And always, ALWAYS make sure your 'warriors' are properly supplied. If they're soldiers, give them the best weapons and armor you can. If they're cooks, give them kitchen knives, cutting boards, ovens, and proper ingredients. If it's a sports team, give them the best sporting equipment you can afford. (Always keep proper budgeting and resource management in mind.) A soldier without any weapons or armor is not a soldier, they are dead and their life was wasted. The best chef cannot prepare a proper meal if their ingredients are rotten, and a team cannot play well if their equipment is worn out.





I continued writing another dozen such pieces of advice. If you know yourself and your enemy, you win, if you know yourself but not your enemy, each win is also a loss, (partly because your victory was inefficient, but also  because your enemy may not have necessarily been your enemy, and could have been made an ally) if you know neither yourself nor the enemy, you will lose, and other such things, which explains why the first thing I did when Tirek showed up was fall back to a defensible position for preparations and reconnaissance.Again, I couldn't possibly remember all of it but I took the pieces I found most useful or most interesting, including many that were based on common sense, provided explanations for them, and applications to regular life.

The remainder of the journey was uneventful. As we crossed over the jungle, I found myself somewhat hopeful that a net would shoot up from below, snag the lot of us, and when we reached the ground we'd be greeted by Nadenes smiling face but sadly fate just didn't have that in mind.

On arriving home on Signal there was, miraculously, nothing waiting to be done. No crowd of eager combatants, no political strife that needed to be solved so that precedent could be set, no issue that needed my input. I could just stay home and write my book, live my life. About a week of this passed before Phalanx approached me again.

"Aha! Prepare yourself devil! Today, I challenge you!" He twirled his spear in a flourish.

"Ah, good. I was getting a little bored. Let's go."

"Right now?" He asked.

"Yeah, sure, right now. Arena should be empty. I checked the notice board and nothing was scheduled for today." I replied.

"Alright then." I changed to my human form.





We both stood in the arena, face to face, about halfway across the floor from each other.

"Whenever you're ready."

"Why do you choose to fight as a human, and not as a griffin?" Phalanx asked.

"As far as I know, you can't fly. Also, your weapon is a spear. Hard to block, easy to dodge. Agility will suit me better for this fight." I nodded to him and he took up a combat stance, turning his one side towards me, holding his spear over his head. He leaped and in a flash he was next to me, striking out with his weapon.

'Fast, but I can keep up.'

I let myself fall backwards, bending at the knees but keeping my feet planted on the ground, matrix style, as he passed over top of me and landed behind. I threw my hands towards the ground and, with a bit of magic, pushed away from the floor. I misjudged the force needed and went soaring into the air myself.

Phalanx changed up his style, pulling his spear in close to his body and then, without a word, leaped off the ground again, this time up to meet me, 20 feet in the air.

"Heh, you can cast without speaking. You do it mentally. That's good." I took note of the faint green glow surrounding his body as I started to fall. As I landed, I gave another burst of force out through my feet to kill my momentum, then a second burst to propel me forward as Phalanx came crashing down on the spot I was just in, kicking up loads of dust. He seemed to take a moment to recover as he began looking around, trying to see through the dust, a move I punished with a pulse of energy that slammed him into the far wall of the arena.

"Rule one, if you lose sight of your enemy, move. Doesn't matter where, but standing still thinking about it only makes you an easy target. If you don't see them, move anywhere you don't see them, and then change your direction in case a shot is coming at you from behind until you catch sight of them again. Your opponent can't run around you faster than you can rotate yourself." Phalanx growled and wiped his mouth, a small bit of blood dripping from biting his lip.

"Grr.... I will have to remember that." To his credit, he took the hit rather well and was back on his feet, rushing at me again. He kicked up dust behind him as he moved towards me. I stepped to the side, but he was prepared for that, changing his direction at the last moment. I was prepared for his preparation and used that moment to jump over him, to which he grabbed my leg and slammed me into the ground. I laid on the ground, with his spear pointed at my neck.

"Rule two." He said. "Never try the same trick twice."

I used my magic to knock his spear to the side, then flung myself to a standing position, headbutting him right on the nose. One of his teeth fell out onto the arena floor as he was knocked flat on his ass. I wiped a bit of blood from a cut above my left eye.

"Who said it was the same trick?" I held my hand up horizontally, in front of my face.

"Heh." As he moved to stand up, I thrust my hand downwards and a wave of force likewise struck Phalanx, pressing him flat against the ground as though he were being crushed by a pane of glass.

"Do you yield?" He barely managed to nod. I released him and helped him to stand. He took a few minutes to regain his breath.

"Perhaps you'll do better next time."





The next day, Phalanx stopped me again, this time in the market square.

"There you are, fiend! I, Phalanx, challenge you!"

"Sure, let me just drop off these groceries."

This time around, a few people showed up to watch. Not many, since it was on really short notice, but some. This match ended much the same way as the last one. The next few weeks passed as such. I'd wake up, eat breakfast, head out to town to busy myself with something or other, get challenge by Phalanx, beat him to the point of exhaustion, have lunch, help with some minor managerial duties, spend time with Gilda and Seth, then write my book before going to bed. The thing about Phalanx is that bit by bit, little by little, he started lasting longer and longer in his bouts against me. To be totally honest, I think he was having fun. I can't lie, I was having fun too. More and more people started coming out to see us fight as well. It started to become a popular event. Citizens started gambling on if he would win, how long he would last, how many hits he would manage to land on me, etc.


It had been some time before Queen Chrysalis flew over from the hive island for a visit. She welcomed me home, even though I had already been home for a while, but she just hadn't had the time to come and see me. Not entirely sure what she was busy with, I didn't pry. Also, I had begun to keep my aura in. Sure, the flowing joy fog was nice but it was starting to distract people. People who were at work would start slacking off, staring at the sky, going for a fly, dancing in the streets. Sure, it sounds nice, but when you have work to do it can become a real problem, so I had been building it up for a few days before Chryssie arrived. When she showed up, I let her have the full load.

She was absolutely euphoric.

She grabbed hold of my aura and started cramming it into her face. She swallowed hard, then her head lolled about on her shoulders, her eyes rolled back in their sockets before squeezing them shut, then let out a sigh.

"Uuuugh... so goooood." Her legs gave out under her, so she started using her wings instead. We sat and chit chat for a while, she asked me how my trip to the Quetzal Empire was, and then she went on her way again.





Time passed and as autumn rolled around, I finished my book. Well, it wasn't really a 'book' yet, more like a collection of papers that you'd print a book from, which was someone elses job.

"Well Gilda, I'm going to go bring this to Twilight so she can make a few copies. I'll be back in two or three days."

"Oh no, we're going with. Besides, we should probably stop by Manehatten and visit Maria at her restaurant."

"Yeah... we should. Alright, lets pack up." Given how much we travel, we'd all become rather accustomed to packing, so it didn't take us long before we set out again. More time spent in uneventful travel. It was slow going. Partially because we weren't actually in any particular rush, partially because the air was starting to get colder, and partially because we were intentionally going slow so Seth could keep up. Seeing my little boy flying just made me so proud. Eventually, we did reach the giant crystal tree that was Twilight's home now.

"Knock knock!" I rapped on the door.

"Spiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiike. Can you get the door?" The sounds of little scurrying feet scraping across glass as he ran towards the door. It seemed to be taking him a while to get there. Can't blame him, castle is big.

"Oh, her voice sounded like it was coming from the third floor. Let's just use the window." We flew up and settled ourselves down on one of the big crystal branches. I looked in the window to see Twilight stuck in a book, then knocked on the window. She turned to look at me, saw me waving a tied bundle of papers, then dropped it.

Twilight gasped, teleported outside, directly beneath the spot where I had dropped the book. Spike opened the door to see her laying on the ground, on her belly, clutching my manuscript to stop it from falling into the dirt. 

"Real funny Twilight. Real funny." Spike groaned. She let out a nervous laugh at having made her assistant go down all those flights of stairs to open the door, only to have it be her on the other side. Spike just rolled his eyes and went back to his own business.

"Seriously Griffin. Who just drops a book in the dirt?!?"

"Seriously Twilight, who makes their assistant run down three flights of stairs when they can teleport themselves and be there instantly and for massively less effort?"

"Hi Toilet Sparkle!" Seth chimed in, acting completely innocent. Gilda said nothing, keeping a perfectly straight face. I swear I could hear Twilights gears grinding. Or maybe it was her teeth.

"Anyway, I promised you a book. So, here's a book. Its a book based on another book. The first book is a much better book, but I was going from memory so this will have to do."





Twilight spent a long time reading it, when she should have been copying it so no accidents could happen to it and she could make a proper book of it, but she just couldn't bare to put it down.

"This Sun Tzu had a.... unique... way of looking at the world." Twilight remarked at one point while reading it.

"Not really." I replied. "To be honest it's very logical. The whole point is to know what you have, what the task requires, and to complete the task in the most efficient way, all while knowing the cost and benefit of each method. If you think of everything like it's a battle, then you can apply these strategies to everything. In fact, this would be a very good book for Rainbow Dash to read. She likely already knows a lot of this. The only reason you think Sun Tzu's point of view is unique is because to most ponies, it's completely foreign. That's just a cultural difference between your people and mine."

Griffin, I've been meaning to ask... what is human television like?

"Huh? Why do you ask?" I replied.

"Well, we have photography and reel players, but those machines are normally only used to give instructional video. The idea of using that kind of thing for entertainment hasn't really come up. Of course, a long time ago you had told me that you watched our world on television, so I became interested in what other kinds of entertainment there are."

"I dunno about that, I mean, considering the production values... it'd leave a lot up to the imagination, most of Equestria already thinks I'm nuts, I don't really want to go acting like a crazy person." I cringed at the thought.

"Oh it'll be fine. We'll just do a private showing, besides, it can't be all that bad, can it?"

"... you have no idea. Alright, fine, I'll go along with it, but you asked for it. We'll do it like a play, and I'll get the others involved. Gimme some time to come up with a script, costumes and the like. We'll do it at the old castle in the Everfree."





After the play was finished, and Aoi had crawled away to mope in a corner, I thought I'd grant a further explanation.

"Well, that's the 'Anime' style, which is a unique invention of Aoi's culture. It's somewhat similar to the comic books Spike reads. Power Ponies would probably be an anime. There's more genres in anime of course, since 'Anime' is short for 'Japanese animation', so it can contain anything from romance to horror to giant robots that fight aliens, but anime is the only media style that has THIS kind of story in it, which is what it's most commonly known for, so that's why I did that kind of story for the play. Some are good, some are bad, some are just downright strange, and most are incredibly cheesy."

In any case, since we've been kind of slumming it at Twilight's for the past three weeks..." Twilight shot me a glare. "Hey, you were the one who INSISTED we do this, only makes sense that you provide our accommodations." I turned back to the other princesses. "We're kind of eager to get on with our lives. Still, this was nice... kind of reminds me of when we used to do shows."

"Yeah, same." Gilda added. "Just more proof that you're a weirdo Griff."

"Yeah, but I'm your weirdo." I replied. Seth stuck out his tongue and made vomiting noises. "In any case, we're headed to Manehatten next. There's an old friend we need to reconnect with."
> Mundane (89)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Mundane


Gilda and I arrived in Manehatten after only a short time. The fact that Seth kept getting better at flying meant our travel time was reduced significantly. We searched around for a bit until we found the restaurant Maria was working at, a fairly bit place called the Carnivorous Claw. We sat, a waiter took our order (and autograph) and told Maria that we were there. I'm glad to see we didn't get any special treatment. Our meals arrived in a reasonable time just like every other patron, only Maria herself brought us our meal. 

"Hey... uh... long time no see." I opened the conversation.

"Yes... it has been a while."

"Just stopping in to see how you're doing.

"I'm doing very well for myself actually. I'm head chef during the dinner rush at the largest 'meat-serving' restaurant in Equestria. Listen, I know you may want to chat and catch up, but I have customers waiting. That, and... while my time aboard the Possibility was certainly a learning experience for me, it's in the past and I'd rather not dwell on it. When we were down in that hole, I watched my friends die. It's not something I want to think about. Please, enjoy your meal."


"That was rather cold." Gilda stated, after Maria went back to the kitchen.

"Honestly, I can't blame her. We kind of roped her in to that whole adventure. It's not something she dreamed about. Not everybody is built for that kind of life, and even if you are, eventually you get tired of it. For her, it's wasn't something she wanted to do in the first place, and she'd rather just put it behind her. I'm glad she's got her own life and is doing something she enjoys. Really, that's all I came here to do, make sure she was okay. I know we still think of her as one of us, but she has her own life now. We should let her live it."

"Yeah. I agree."





After our meal, we headed to the edge of town to Steelhorn Forge, where the minotaur himself was pounding some iron on an anvil. Occasionally, he'd pop off his horn, take a swig of whatever booze he kept in there, wipe his brow, then go back to hammering. Every once in a while, he'd hold up the metal, and Shimmer, now about the same size as me, would blow on it, heating it up so he could hammer it again.

"Well, look at what we 'ave 'ere. I was wonderin when I'd see yoo again. Ah, and look at tha li'l one. What's yoor name?"

"Seth. Yours?"

"What? Did your pap not tell yoo aboot grandpa Steelhorn? Shame on ya. Tell me, is yoor pap still a crybaby?"

"What? Nooooo." Seth replied.

"Well, that's good ta here. So tell me, what brings ya around these parts eh?"

"Oh, just catching up with old friends. How have the two of you been?"

"Oh, cannit complain."

"Me neither." Shimmer piped in. "Lots of work, fancy ponies wanting new shoes, new bearings for cart wheels, fittings, that sort of thing."

"So, I heard you sold the Possibility."

"Yeh, to a bunch ah Canterloters. More like Canter-lot-of-money."

"And then I heard you donated almost all of it."

"Ah, ya heard that, didja?"

"Yeah."

"Ah never did tell ya the story of my wife, did ah?"

"No Steelhorn, you didn't."

"Well, it all started back when ah was a wee bull. Brooke, she was the ugliest girl in Minos I tell ya, but the lass knew how to work. Ah was a bit of a stallion ya see, and the lads and I made a bet. I wagered I could get any lass I saw. Then looked at me and said 'Any?' And I replied, any. So, they pointed me at Brooke. I didn't know what I was in fer. Of course, I'm not the sort of taur to give up on anythin. So, I asked her to let me prove myself, and that lass worked me down to the bone. I stopped being some young punk, and became a respectable bull. Now, still, I won my wager, but I used the prize to buy Brooke a ring and married that lass. I had spent so much time with her, I hadda fell fer her fer real. She had a dream of travelin the world, not just sittin around in ol Minos, gettin old. So.... we started workin on a boat. "But the water can only take ya so far" She said, so we decided to make an airship. Wasn't long after, she caught ill. The doctors in Minos had no idea what it was. I woulda sold everything, our dream, if it meant she could live, but they said no matter the denars i spent, they couuldn't help her. So Brooke told me our only chance was ta finish the ship and travel to a far off land, somewhere else, that had better doctors, better medicine. So there I found myself workin to the bone again, this time to save her life. No matter how hard I worked, she kept gettin sicker faster than the boat was gettin done. We set off early, with the ship not ready yet, so of course we crashed in the damned volcano land, and Brooke died of the sick. I spent years fixin that boat, gettin it off the ground, and I traveled the world with ya, but I did it fer her. I feel she could finally be at ease, so I sold the thing and donated the bits to medical research."

"That's sad." Seth replied.

"Indeed it is. Though, that trip did gain me somethin. I never had a child with Brooke, and now Shimmer is the daughter I always wanted, and that, I have you to thank for, ya crazy bird."

I closed my claw and put my fist over my heart. He mimicked the gesture, his fist pounding his chest with a single, resounding *Thud*.

"I think, at this point, we've all had enough of adventure."

"Oh, by the way." Shimmer added in. "About two months ago, I got incredibly itchy. We had no idea what was going on, and nobody in Manehatten knew either. After about a week, it went away. Do you have any Idea what it might have been about?"

"Huh, not a clue. Nothing happened to me, but I've been clean for years now."

"Dang, I thought you might. It was nice seeing you again, and nice meeting you Seth. Oh well, back to work!"

We left Steelhorn forge with the ringing of the anvil in our ears, seeming a bit more upbeat now.





More time spent in transit before we returned home to Signal once again.

"Hopefully, that's the last of our traveling for a while. Usually I'm one for wanderlust but this has gotten a little ridiculous. I'm looking forward to staying in the same place for a while."

And we did.






Dragon Lord Ember


I arrived on the island of Signal, following Twilight's instruction. I was having difficulty understanding the friendship lessons she was sending me by letter, so she directed me to someone else she knew who struggled with friendship. She also stated that, since he's the king of the New Dominion, as the new dragon lord, it would be good for me to meet him. So, I donned my golden armor, brought my bloodstone staff to prove my position, and an entourage. Thuwag, Amethyst, and Garble.

I approached the door to a rather modest house, a single level with several windows to allow a breeze. I knocked on the door, then took a few steps back to allow it to open.

"Coming." A figure appears at the door, not a griffin, but something else. This must be the 'human' Twilight told me about.

"Hmm? A dragon has appeared at my doorstep." His strange, metallic eyes looked to my staff. "Armed." His gaze then returned to me. "Armored." Finally, he focused on the dragons behind me. "And with reinforcements. This wouldn't happen to be an act of... hostility would it?" His voice dripped with venom. Thuwag stepped forward, while Amethyst and Garble stepped back.

"You should be more respectful, you are addressing Dragon Lord Ember." There was a moment after he said 'Ember' that the man's eyes opened wide, revealing a bright blue ring in each. His hair stood on end, the cloudless sky filled with a raging storm, the earth shook, and his entire form erupted in black flames, obscuring his body. Only a pair of shining blue rings were visible in the cloud of black. He appeared to be a living shadow, but one which burned. It was.... hot. As a dragon, I do not say that lightly. The heat was enough to make even me sweat. I have never before felt fear. Okay, that's not true, I've been scared, but this, this was terror, pure, undiluted. I felt my heart pounding in my chest. I tried to fly but my wings clenched shut and refused to open. I took a step back, tripped on a step, and fell backwards. My helmet clanged against the ground and popped off my head, revealing my face.

In a voice like a hiss, he said, "You are not Ember, daughter of Coalheart..." Putrid black smoke, with the smell of sulfur, billowed from his mouth, a terrible maw, glowing a deep red.

"Uh... no... I am Dragonlord Ember, daughter of Torch." The sky calmed, the clouds drifted away, the earth stopped shaking, and his flames were doused, revealing the one who stood there before. He let out a short cough, ridding himself of a little plume of smoke that had settled in his lungs.

"Ah... my apologies. I believed you were someone else. As you might imagine, we have a history." He reached down and offered me his hand, to help me to stand. I took it hesitantly. Once I was on my feet he looked to the two dragons behind me. "Oh, Amethyst, Garble, I didn't see you. In any case, everyone, do come in."





Griffin


"Rrrrg... I can't believe I did that! If I keep embarrassing myself, nobody is going to respect me as dragonlord!" She grumbled as I offered her a coffee. She scrunched her face up at the bitter taste, but seemed to like it none the less.

"Eh, don't worry too much. If you're too bothered with what other people think of you, it just makes you seem weak willed.  To be fair, anyone else who's seen that has run away screaming. In any case, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

"Well, I recently became dragonlord a few months ago, with the help of Spike. Since then, Princess Twilight has been sending me letters with friendship lessons, but I've been having trouble understanding them. She said you also struggled with friendship and figured you could offer me some insights."

"Eh... okay."

"For example, in this letter she talks about how her friends were willing to help her, before they were even friends, risking themselves in the process. If they weren't friends, then why would they risk themselves for someone they've only known for a day? I get what makes the friends help one another, but I don't understand how you get to that point in the first place." Ember stated. "It's like when Spike helped me to get the bloodstone staff and become dragonlord. He helped me, even though he was hindering himself in the process. He had nothing to gain from it. I helped him after, because he helped me first, and my honor wouldn't just let that go, but then he kept helping me, and I kept helping him. What I don't get is why he helped in the first place."

"Hmm, well, think objectively. If you have something someone else needs, and they have something you need, it makes sense to trade. If you want someone to help you, you may have to help them first, even though it's costly to you, and there's no guarantee they'll even return the favor. In order to make friends, somebody has to make the first move. So, think of it like a bit of a gamble. If they don't help you in turn, well, then you lost whatever effort you spent to help them, but if they do help you, then you continue to help each other and you make a friend. Spike wasn't thinking of that though. He wasn't thinking 'If I help her, she'll help me'. You have to remember he was raised by ponies. That kind of thing is instinctual for him. That's how it works, but if you do it with that in mind, then it's just manipulating people. It has to be from an honest willingness to help, expecting nothing in return. A better way to do it is with a trade, and mutual gain. Make a deal, a small deal. And if it goes well, make another one, a little bigger this time. Keep it up, and eventually you know the person to be someone you can make deals with. You start to trust them."

"And what happens if they betray you?" The dragoness asked in turn.

"Then you cut ties with them. To be totally honest, I'm not sure why Twilight and Fluttershy took Discord back after he betrayed them to Tirek. I know I wouldn't have. I'm friends with him because he's never betrayed ME. Trust is hard to get, and even harder to regain after it's lost."

"I think I understand."

"Well, Gilda and I had a misunderstanding a few years ago. We both thought we had betrayed each other, but we talked it out, explained ourselves, and came to an agreement. Neither of us had meant to hurt each other, and it took a little while for us to get back to where we were. In any case, I think I'm going to go for a fly." I used my amulet to change forms, back to a griffin. "You're welcome to stay as long as you like. *Knock knock knock* Hmm? Now, who could that be?"

I walked up to the door and opened it. Standing on the other side was Ember. The OTHER Ember. I closed the door just how I had opened it.

"Griffin, please open the door."

In reply, I spoke in a mechanical, female voice. "I'm sorry, we're not home right now, if you leave your name, number, and a short message, we'll be sure to return your call." Then, in a deeper voice, I continued. "After the tone, please record your message, then hang up, or press # for more options....... *Booooooooop*" I turned to Gilda and whispered. "Grab Seth and go out the back door. It's other Ember."

"Oh, what, you didn't catch fire this time?" Dragonlord (DL) Ember scoffed.

I heard a sigh. "Griffin, please, I need to talk to you. I... just can't let things go the way they are. Please, just, let me talk to you. Uh... *click*"

"Yeah well, I kinda wasted the moment on you." I whispered back to DLEmber as I slowly opened the door.

"Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeyyyyyyyyyy." I said as awkwardly as possible. The black dragoness was a bit taller than I remembered, she had also grown a pair of wings, though it seems she had lost one after that point.

"Uh... hi." She replied.

"This was a great talk. So long!" I began to close the door again.

"Wait! Please, I just... this isn't easy you know? I know you never wanted to see me again." She said as she found my floor mat incredibly interesting. All her body language screamed 'Nervous'.

"Alright, you're here, so, talk."

"It's just... I needed to apologize for what I did. I took your wing... that was unforgivable... though... I can see you got it back. Uh... So, yeah, I wanted to say sorry, and, to thank you, for helping me."

"Wait. What? Helping you? What are you talking about?"

"You don't remember?" Ember asked quizzically.

"No, I remember pretty well. I was a fucking psychopath, you beat the stupid out of me, I cleaned up my life. I mean, I was a drunk on power and being a proper tyrant, then you sobered me up. Yeah, I was mad at the time because I had a power trip hangover, still mad about losing my wing and eyes, but I'm doing alright for myself. What do you mean 'I helped you'?"

"Is? Is that really how you saw it? That I helped YOU?" She began to cry a little. "Back in that cave, I suppose I should start by explaining. I.... have multiple personality disorder. I'm Ember, and then, there's Gemina. My psychologist says Gemina was born from my unfulfilled desires, due to my overly strict parents. Kind of like in 'Me, Myself, and Irene.' Well, I know it doesn't  excuse what I did, but, you try having multiple personalities and have them fight against each other. When you used your amulet, you split us up, which let us get some space and figure things out. I mean, we may not have known Coalheart for very long, but he was the first person in a long time to show us any kindness, and you killed him. Then you defiled his corpse, and we were both really mad about that, and I started arguing with myself, and that's how we ended up that way."

"Defiled?"

"Yes, Defiled! You cut off pieces of him and made a weapon! I was left to bury him by myself!"

"I made a weapon of his scales and bones, named it after the god of the dead, and used it to save lives. I may not have known him, but that blade was his epitaph. So long as I had it, I would never forget him, and his death would continually ensure my own life. That way, his death wouldn't have been in vain."

"I... had no idea you saw it that way. I didn't know that was your way of respecting him. Do you still have it? The shards I mean?"

"I do, though they're useless to me now. You can have them, if you want. Just let me go get them."

I turned around and walked back into the house. "Oh, I suppose you can come in, though I do have company." She slowly, carefully entered the house, as though the floor was made of eggshell, and let the door close behind her. Unwrapped the shards from the blanket they were in and showed them to her, then wrapped them back up.

"You have no idea how much this means, I feel like I'll finally be able to get some closure. Oh, Gemina too."

"So, basically, she's your id?"

"Pretty much.... no. No I'm not saying that. No. I won't. Shut up. I'm not saying that!"

"Saying what?"

For a brief moment, her face changed slightly, showing a completely different personality, before snapping back to normal.

"Whew, that was close."

"Thank you, I'll go bury these." She stood there awkwardly for a moment, before rushing towards me and giving me a hug.

"What the fuuuuuuu."

He entire body tensed up, then she whispered in my ear. "I want your babies."

"WHAT THE FUUUUUU"

"Damnit Gemina." She immediately backed off, then looked me in the eyes and pointed a claw at me. "You heard NOTHING."

"Lady, you need some help." I said.

"I've been getting help, but it's slow going." She replied.

"Okay, bye now. Like, now. Goodbye! Bye bye!" I said as she walked out the door with the remnants of my old sword to bury them. I closed the door behind her, then turned back to my guests as Gilda reentered from the back of the house.

I simply stood there and stared at everyone awkwardly.

"That did not happen. I refused to acknowledge it. When I went to answer the door, nobody was there." I held out the kettle to my guests. "More coffee?"

DLEmber Looked at me and giggled. "Now I don't feel nearly so embarrassed about my first impression, and I think I learned a lot about friendship."





After this event, I didn't hear from Ember again, though the dragon lord and I became pen pals. My book, Ruminations on the Art of War, became a best seller. I occasionally would fill a bag with new books and enter Sombra's diary to bring them to him, as he eventually did read every book on his shelf and was looking for new material. He began getting more curious about events in the outside world, and I didn't mind obliging him. Phalanx and I continued having matches every week. He became strong, very strong. So strong that I was confident leaving the New Dominion in his hands. One day, in front of all of Signal, I lost. It was intentional, but that doesn't mean I didn't make him earn it. I thought I had finally found my replacement, and I could relax, but it wasn't meant to be. Phalanx became king, but I didn't stop being king. He refused to let me, so we became known as the Twin Kings, one representing griffins, the other, diamond dogs. Our canine citizens were much happier having a representative of their own race not just in the council, but at the highest level of authority. Still, the council was effective most of the time without us, so we both had a great deal of free time to ourselves.

At the next international summit, Nadene returned, now leading the cats, who had learned their ancestral name, the Bast. She had unified the tribes and they were ready to join the world as a nation. They served as intermediaries between the Quetzals and the rest of the world. At one point, Fia and Ubi were married, and Nadene had 3 children of her own with some strapping young cat called Jack. I got a job as a teacher, teaching advanced battle magic and strategy at the Dominion Warmage Academy, strategically placed right next door to the 'Exotic Hospital', named for my doctor. I always kept improving my skills, but they weren't needed. It became more of a hobby. I never did become immortal. Celestia eventually explained that the magic leak was a 'failed ascension.' Eventually, as I got better control over it, it stopped. I could move mountains, and also forks without crushing them. 

Also, as it turns out, Changeling queens, when they get overfed, don't get fat. They get pregnant. That's why she was so mad when I killed her batteries at the Canterlot wedding. They were the only things able to store enough power to let her continue the species. Well, I ended up taking that role. Of course, she still needed the 'organic component' which she got elsewhere, but she liked to tease me about demanding child support for 386 children. Speaking of children, Seth went to school and lived a normal life. Eventually, he forgot about his early years, about how we used to travel, about how his dad used to fight. Like every normal parent-child relationship I loved him to death, and he thought I was the most uncool person in the world. My life changed. I became... mundane. No more excitement, no more adventure, 


I couldn't be happier.



END