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// I Know Those Eyes 
// Story: Emperor Despair 
// by Comrade Bagel Muffin 
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	Comet Dust sat on a stool. Both books floated in his magic, in front of him. "Why can't I break this stupid code?" he asked himself. He shook his head to stay awake instantly regretting the action as pain flared in his head. He gasped for air fighting the urge to scream. The echo dampening spell had not quite been figured out, and any thing above a normal tone of voice carried though the halls.There was a knock at his door. "Great another distraction, exactly what I need." He sighed in frustration as he looked at the door. "Go away." This only prompted the person on the other end to knock harder. "I said go away!" The person on the other and was now banging on the door. He sighed as he got up and went to the door.
The second of the wooden barrier was no longer in her way, Gabriella rushed into the room, and snatched the two floating books out of Comet Dusts aura."And I'll take these," she said as she whizzed back out into the hall and landed in front of him.
"What is your problem!" He demanded of her. Gabriella held the books closer to her chest as he tried to pull them back with his magic. "Give them back right now!" He screamed not caring if it would echo in the cave.
"No." The little Griffin locked eyes with him neither one flinching or backing down. She tightened her grip on the books, and help them closer to her as his horn glowed brighter. "I was told to come down here and get you, and since you go where the books go I'm taking the books with me." Comet sighed and bowed his head in defeat, too tired to argue with the her.
The two of them walk through the cavernous corridors. They made their way through all the winding passages that make their way through the mountain. "I like to think this mountain once belonged to Griffon Stone's greatest king. As an awesome Goldmine or something." Comet Dust didn't bother to point out that Griffin territory was on the other side of the map. Nor, did he bother to remind her that Griffin Stone had only one king in its history, and a very short-lived one at that.
He wouldn't have been listening to her at all all if she didn't have the two books gripped tightly in one of her talons. They finally ended the upward track, as they came out of a small side tunnel and into the gigantic main hall of the cave; where the dragon lived.
The dragon named Storm was there of course. The ones that caught his attention though were the three ponies and one zebra that were with him, Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Zecora. Even Trove watched from the far wall. Gabriella who over to the others and handed the books over Scootaloo.
"What's the big idea?" Comet Dust demanded of the little Pegasus. "Sending this Griffin to take the books from me, and dragged me up here?" His eyes darted between those gathered. "Don't you know I need those books!?"
"What you need is to get some sleep," Scootaloo said flatly.
"Sleep," Comet Dust spit the word out as if it were the worst of vulgarities. "I don't need sleep. I need to those books. I need to see her again the only way to see her again is to have those books. I get them back!" He glared back at her.
"Wow, do those books drive ponies insane?" Sweetie Belle asked looking at the books like she would a snake.
"I was beginning to wonder the same thing after all, we went through this same ordeal with Screw Ball." Zecora agreed with a nod of her head.
"Tell ya what Comet if ya go an' take a rest fer an hour or sos we'll give these books back."
"No I need them." He began to advance on them. "Give them back right now!"
"Comet!" Sweetie Belle's voice boomed through the cave as her horn glowed a gentle blue. Her friends jumped. Trove stopped slouching on the wall and stood straight up at attention. Even the dragon sat a bit straighter at the little filly's booming voice. Comet Dust fell to his haunches, as Sweetie Belle glared at him. Then he lost all control.
"I-I-I need it please. I ne-neeeed her an-and and the only way is wi-with with those booooks." He sobbed and shock violently in front of them rubbing his eyes, hoping to stop or slow the stream of tears that poured out of his eyes. "Please," he begged. "Pleeease I-I need to tell her. I her to know. I. I need her to forgive me." He couldn't say another word he just looked at them begging them to give him back the books. He didn't bother to rub the tears that raced down his cheeks. Apple Bloom came up to him and put her hoof on his shoulder, her eyes full of understanding.
"I get it, Comet. But ya need yer rest first. Take as long or as short of a break as ya need. So long as ya get one hour of sleepen done I'll personally give them books back to ya, okay?" Comet closed his eyes. No, no it wasn't okay. Still though he nodded his head in defeat and went with her back down the corridors.

Comet walked down the endless grey stair case. He must have been walking for hours. The staircase seemed to go on into infinity in both directions and though he had started at what seemed to be the middle something had compelled him to go down, so down he went. It was impossible to tell how many miles he had already walked. He looked down all that was there was blackness, nothingness. No that wasn't right. Every now and then he would see something down in the darkness moving. and would hear a stifled giggling. It was a bit unnerving. Still it meant that some one was down there and so he'd catch them eventually and get his answers as to what this place was. He stepped on the next step. The remaining steps vanished as he stepped down landing appeared out of nothingness soon it became an entire floor with a door at on the other end of the newly existing wall. There was light that came from the door light like from a candle. Shadows also came from the door. He got closer. His ears perked up as the familiar giggling continued.
"Hello," he said opening the door. The second he opened it his eyes met with the most beautiful eyes in all the world. He smiled as he lost himself in those spinning eyes.