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// Preparations- Chapter 2 
// Story: Equestriana Invicta 
// by Tinyman11 
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The gryphon empires actual became more unified internally due to the terrible heat brought on by the constant sunshine. Their respective monarchs, of east, west, and south, did everything they could to, at first relieve and reassure citizens, then to relieve and rile up their citizens to give themselves a combined reasoning for war against the Equines and to get the renewed support of their subjects. While at first they acted independently of each other, they had their annual meeting on the third "day" of constant sun where they agreed upon a unified action. The purpose of this annual council is to resolve border disputes, keep the peace, take unified action, and create laws for the entire empire. The emperor of the west, Jorbrook, arrived first to this annual meeting. He is a tall gryphon, not lacking in strength at all, with light brown and white feathers and magenta eyes. He had a strong sense of justice and fairness, and was generally sympathetic to the average citizen, overall a nice fellow. He takes his seat at the square oaken table in one of the two side chairs and awaits his fellow emperors. The emperor of the east enters second, Karokin, who is good friends with Jorbrook. Karokin is just under what might be considered a normal height for gryphons, though this dwarfed size, especially next to Jorbrook, did not come with any less strength than his friend had. He has black feathers all the way up to his head, which is dark blue. He angers easily, and though usually kind, he doesn't let either stop him from using or knowing the best of military strategy. In addition he is a fantastic public speaker and speech writer, almost always knowing just want to say. He groans in anger and annoyance as he enters the room and goes to take his seat at the table "Damn those Equines, I swear I get warmer than anyone else! Sun shining all the time, agh.."

Jorbrook chuckles a little and nods his agreement "We're all hot, Karokin. I've sent an envoy yesterday to them to request they start moving the sun again."

Karokin rolls his eyes "They've left it here this long, and the one I sent two sleeps ago still hasn't returned."

"Really? I sent mine just a few hours ago... I hope he's ok."

As he says that with a suddenly concerned voice, the emperor of the south comes in and takes his seat, sweating lightly like the other two monarchs in the room. Also like the other monarchs, he is wearing only his gold and purple crown, though even this he takes off as he takes his seat at the curved head of the table, sort of. They were all equals, and none really sure why the southern emperor got the head spot on the table, but they went with it as it was tradition to be seated in this arrangement. Neilant, emperor of the southern koman empire, is about the same height as Karokin is, but with considerably less natural strength. He has a feather colour pattern of dark brown with big spots of a calming blue, his wings and face being completely blue. He was a reader, an administrator, an organizer, and somewhat self obsessed. Not terrible at military or speaking with others, but not anywhere near Karokin's abilities in those fields, even though creatures in the area thought of him on the same level as Karokin is militarily. The other two emperors follow his example and take their crowns off, something they would usually do anyways once they had all sat down at the table, though usually this would involve folding their robes as well but the heat would not allow them to wear robes of any sort. As they are setting their crowns down, Neilant clears his throat and says "I don't think the Equestrians wish to talk."

Jorbrook blinks "Uh, what makes you say that?"

"My envoy was disappeared somehow, probably by their magic." He answers with contempt in his voice "I propose we go over there and enforce our desires."

Jorbrook sighs, the thought of war was unpleasant to him. He didn't know much about military tactics and when thinking on the matter of fighting and war he thought mostly of the cost in lives "Surely Equestria is having some sort of problem, yes?"

Neilant snorts unhappily but Karokin speaks before he can "I agree with Neilant, after all it would be quite worth it to get the sun moving and figure out what they did with our envoys."

The council required unanimous agreement from the monarchs to begin offensives as a combined empire, and Jorbrook was hesitant to agree to such a large scale war as them against Equestria "It's.. Let's give them one more day, if they haven't moved the sun by then they aren't going to, and then I agree."

"It's been 70 hours already, they've had plenty of time to move it again and it's clear they aren't going to." Neilant argues "If anything give them ten more hours while we ready our armies."

Jorbrook frowns a little, concerned, but gives a nod as he says after a sigh "Very well.. Ten hours, twenty. Long enough for them either way."

Neilant huffs out a breathe quietly while Karokin clears his throat, then says "I wanted to bring up the village of Damsh, too, Neilant. You know you aren't allowed to tax them, they are a part of my lands."

The two argued about their border village for the next few minutes, with Jorbrook mediating the argument.

In Equestria, about a day after this meeting, Blueblood is taken away from the castle by a very promising offer from a mysterious messenger pegasus. He goes to meet with this vampire leader, Shallow Waters. After nearly an hour of walking, his mane now looking rather scruffy along with most of his coat. He had fallen down small hills multiple times on his way there that the messenger had failed to mention, so that by the time he came to the entrance of the cave, which was guarded by two rather tough looking stallions who presumably were also vampires, his fur and mane were somewhat dirtied and appeared ungroomed, despite the hour he spent that morning making his mane and coat. The vampires didn't seem to mind, or have fur in any better of a shape, as he went into the cave.

The shallow cave is neat, clean and organized to have four sleeping mats near a central table upon which lays a map of equestria with blue, red, black, and green flag markers on it. The black ones are concentrated above the Crystal Empire, likely to represent suspected Sombra forces, the green are all marked in random places in the gryphon lands, but the other two colours are simply scattered across the map seemingly at random. Notably however, the red flags are almost all on towns or Equestrian training grounds, even hidden ones and ones Blueblood knew nothing of are marked. The blue flags are almost all on various geographic locations, with the exception being blue flags directly next to a training ground of the Equestrian Guards. At the table, facing the entrance, sits a white furred unicorn with a very light almost white long mane. Her fur and mane are oddly tidy, groomed almost, without a hint of dirt on her excepting the hooves. As she hears Prince Blueblood's hooves approaching the table, mostly identified from their hesitation, her ears perk up and her horn glows. Blueblood freezes as the grey magic begins, but the unicorn only moves a blue flag from a mountain peak to be next to a red flag that is seemingly in the midst of nowhere, to the prince, but in reality was one of the more secret and elite training grounds for Equestria. 

After moving the flag, the unicorn looks up and smiles gently at the prince "I'm glad you accepted my invitation. I am Shallow Waters, I sent that messenger to go get you. Please, take a seat dear prince."

He gives her a polite nod then sits down, beginning to apologize about his appearance before Shallow Waters stops him by raising a hoof "It's no matter deary, I understand the trip on hoof from here to Canterlot very well. I'd frankly be shocked if you weren't like this." She laughs, as if to break tension. Blueblood laughs a little bit with her but stops much more quickly "Ahem, well, yes. I.. was interested in what you had to offer."

She nods "Business, of course. I am sure you know your aunt's policies regarding vampires quite well, yes?"

"Er.. No, actually. We never really spoke about vampires... I had thought they didn't exist."

She rolls her eyes "Well as you can tell, we exist. And her policy is that we aren't allowed to mingle or feed on the normal ponies. My offer is simple to you, me and you take over Equestria with my army of vampires and undead ponies, and any normies that wish to join, and in exchange we install you to the throne, you lift all restrictions on any given pony afflicted with vamparism, wolf changeling syndrome, or any other given mutation she was against."

The prince seems rather surprised by what she says, though once she finishes he quickly composes himself and speaks "Do you not think that Twilight and Cadence would lift these restrictions?"

"No, Twilight was Celestia's student and simply looked up to her too much. Besides, I doubt I could get close enough to ask her to change before the guards arrest or kill me."

He nods a few times before replying thoughtfully "Right.. And Cadence probably sees no reason to change such things. I accept, however I would like to return to Canterlot and have deniability of this. I'll ask Cadence and Twilight to lift those restrictions, whatever they are, while I am there."

Shallow Waters narrows her eyes at Blueblood for a few silent moments before she sighs softly and relaxes "Go ahead. A peaceful resolution would work best." With that, Prince Blueblood rose from his seat and is about to leave but stops when he notices the map again "So, what is this map?"

"Military, the blue flags are my forces and the red are Equestrian. The green are the gryphon empires, I don't quite know what they're doing yet but reports say they're agitated by the sun not moving."

"And the black?"

"Sombra, for completeness's sake. I don't think he will or can do anything, but it is good to have a marker for him just in case."

He nods in understanding, and didn't ask more questions. The mare sounded competent as a commander and he wouldn't want his inexperience in such matters to ruin things. So he leaves and makes his way back to Canterlot

Nopony knew why, and they won't discuss it, but the gloom felt from the passing of their beloved rulers shifts into unease, discomfort, and a general climate of dread across the pony world as these two powerful groups get ready to pounce on the new and only slightly experienced Equestrian Diarchs. Twilight and Cadenza will have a hard road ahead to keep Equestria together