//------------------------------// // Chapter 56: To Make a Friend or Foe // Story: The Bridge Between Worlds // by Artemis Orion //------------------------------// To Make a Friend or Foe The limitless sky was clear and still. There was nary a cloud in sight, leaving the space above to look like it had allowed the calmest lake in the world to take its place and spread on for miles on end. Occasionally, one plump mass of whiteness would drift by to break this illusion. However it was only one. Never a souffle of them. Not for a month now. And as I sat on my perch, I knew that later that day that that single cloud would be shared out to Ponyville like rations to a ship's restless crew. And one could only count the hours before the next round would come. "At this rate, it really won't be the Griffins we'd have to worry about." I muttered to myself, keeping one eye through the spyglass the guards had provided. It has been nearly a month since the Mane Six left for Avia, and there was no word from them since I bid them farewell, let alone Ambassador Areopagus. Things have only gotten worse since then; clouds were produced more sparsely than before, Ponyville is filled to the brim with temporary residents, and Big Mac has told me that the farm's crops are beginning to fail. The ponies grew wearier by the day, and those that sustained hope were beginning to request for aggressive action on the other party. The princesses were still at a standstill on the construction of Cloudsdale and the weather factory, in fear that it would be bombarded back to oblivion. And the resources to do so were dwindling. Things definitely weren't looking bright. I took pleasure in this quiet moment I had. One of the duties that was being handed out to officials was to watch over the area for any creature that wasn't a pony, or more specifically, Griffins. I stood somewhere between an official and a volunteer to the Royal Guard, and seeing that they were a little undermanned -or underponied- they did not mind having an extra hoof, or hand, in the roster. And there was no better place for me to do it than my home on the hill. Built on the outskirts of Ponyville, I had the mind to choose to have it built like a lighthouse. A shorter and wider lighthouse that had its light replaced with a swivel chair, refreshments and a spyglass stand. Additionally, I personally crafted a peg and pivot to attach to the very tip of the house. Were there sufficient cloud coverage, I could easily toss a line onto a passing cloud and sail it down into the town on a whim. But the skies were as barren as a desert lately. To break the tedium of the endless blue ceiling, I spun round to face the much more happening view. I watched in passive frustration at the hordes of ponies that crawled the village like ants. And above that, it seemed the pegasi built a hive above Canterlot; a connection of small cloud domes to suffice as shelter, clustered together at the peak of the mountain. Over there, the skies were far from empty. The distance between Ponyville and Canterlot was forever filled with Pegasi, zipping between the two settlements. I imagined it to be a different case in towns further out of central Equestria. The Pegasi that chose to return home already did so, but I knew they were getting less water than us. Soon, that hive may have to be divided to drink, not to be slept in. But not for long. I rocked back in my chair, not in relaxation, but in anxiety. For I had my decision. By this months end, no more than a few days from now, if no word is received from anypony in Avia, I would depart for it. Things can only be silent for so long before one side takes action, and we couldn't allow it to be the others' once more. However, although that decision was made, there was much to plan. Planning which I wasn't even close to accomplishing. I had little to no clue what awaited me in Avia. There were only two things I knew about Avia: It is cold, and it is inhabited by Griffins. What else, I had no clue. I asked around, but there was nopony around who could share from experience or knowledge. It appeared Avia wasn't exactly the place to go for a vacation. I then tried inquiring with the Royal Guard, but the few that had been to Avia had left with Steelheart. The only other thing I could go on was the legend that Zecora had so kindly shared, which could have been as reliable as a human politician; either all true, or all false. And I had yet to figure out its true meaning. Seeing as there hadn't been a sign of a threat for the past two hours, I took the liberty to spin a few circles in exasperation. I kicked at the floor like a child and pushed off. Only a child was not impatient for either a political solution or for the days to pass swiftly. I placed the spyglass back on the stand and let the world revolve in a blurry panorama. "... Ahem." I slammed my heels down to stop. A rather gruff and authoritative voice was paired with the flap of wings. It was only when the world began to stop spinning did I make out a guard, floating above me condescendingly. I took a mental note to make sure nopony was actually around before acting like a fool. "Um... hello, officer." I grinned sheepishly. "Times up, kid. Find yourself something else to do." That sounded rather harsh. "Well, as you can see, there is no threat in the skies." I waved my arm at the empty space beyond. "Can't say the same for the ground." The guard retorted. "What now?" I shot up, only to realize I was still unsteady and grabbed the ledge for support. "We've caught one Griffin trying to get into Ponyville. She's unarmed, but feisty." The guard almost sounded boastful about it. Granted, there hadn't been any action for days. It took me a second to take that in, and what actions it may cause. "She? Where is she now?" "We're taking her into town. Waiting on the Captain for further orders." without warning, he landed in the nest, taking up half of the space that was left, "Say, this isn't a bad place to keep watch." "Yeah. Alright." I dismissed his careless attitude, grabbing the spyglass up to look into town. If what this guard said was true, then I had a few questions for this griffin. Of course, I genuinely intended to ask nicely, unlike what I assumed she would receive upon entering Ponyville. I slowly scanned the town, searching for any public uproar. But through all the crowds and flying ponies, it was certainly hard to find. It took time, but I spotted it; a cluster of hovering pegasi converged on one location. There was something about them flailing their arms like that that didn't seem right. "Nopony's gonna mind if I have a look for myself, right?" I handed the spyglass to the guard who was taking my post. "'Course not. Just imagine the look on her face when she sees a human for the first time!" He chuckled, making himself comfortable. "Yeah," I opened the little trap door on the roof's side, heading back indoors, "I can imagine." I dropped my bike off in the bush behind the cottage that I always left it at when I came into town. I couldn't go any further with it anyway. The mass of ponies barred anything that wasn't on foot from going on. Nonetheless, I had to move fast. I could make out the distant cries of supposed justice from the town square. I came into Ponyville wearing the equipment that made me appear as high a status as I was given; The broadsword that Ingot crafted hung from my hip, sheathed at the belt where a couple of custom crossbow bolt boxes were attached. The crossbow itself was strapped over my shoulder. I only hoped that I came off as serious rather than menacing. The only thing that I felt differentiated me from the latter was the unique golden badge that the Prince himself handed me. Since he gave it to me, I found that nopony I came across had anything similar to it and it bore little resemblance to the emblem of the Royal Guard. It was simply a metallic silver disk with a pink six-pointed star that stretched across its surface. I kept it pinned to the front of my scabbard in plain sight. Celestia knows how useful it has been. I made my way through the packed little village. Squirming through the endless crowds and taking care not to accidentally step on somepony's temporary camp. Pegasi, Unicorns and Earth ponies alike were conversing in concern for the days ahead, producing a layer of noise that must have gone on for weeks. By now, most ponies were used to me. They weren't necessarily always comfortable with my presence, but they were used to it nevertheless. I grinned sheepishly as I gingerly stepped by pony after pony, slowly getting closer to my mark. At times like this, being a whole head taller than most ponies came in useful. Gently, I attempted to push another pastel pony aside, only to suddenly realize that it was no pony. The cold steel of an anvil was placed randomly on the street. This would have disorientated me, if I had not known the only pony who would do such a thing. I decided to pay him a little visit, and possibly find out what was going on. Just beyond the immovable piece of metal was the smith's cottage. Pushing a little further on, I reached the wooden counter where he first provided me arms. I had to call his name a couple of times before he finally emerged from his home. "Keith, my boy!" His face looked older than I remembered; he slouched as he trotted and frowned as he worked. It all brightened at the sight of a friend. "Ingot. It's been a while." I leaned over the counter to take his hoof, rough and ashen from years of metalwork. "Aye, and far too long at that. Look at the state of this town!" He raised a hoof angrily at the masses, "Last week, I let a family sleep by the forge for warmth. Celestia knows how long we can keep this up!" "Just a little longer, my friend." I assured him with a smile, "But I hear there's more of a ruckus today?" "Only just." He puffed through gritted teeth, handling a tool with his mouth. "The guards caught some Griffin coming into town. I've a little fancy to give her a piece of my mind." "There'll be no need for it. Which way did they take her?" "Town Hall. Quite the crowd it's gathering." "Thank you." I was just about to go when I remembered the letter, "Oh, and I suppose you've heard from your son?" "Working on it as we speak." He grinned, "It's something that'll get my mind of these troubles." With a nod, I took my leave. But this time, I didn't go the ground. I took to the roofs.The wooden beams that many of the cottages consisted of made for good climbing routes, and I'd prefer to sacrifice my energy rather than time. It was much more efficient for getting to my destination; the open area encircling Town Hall. And I soon heard the cries of the agitated crowds again. "She's a spy, alright!" "Bring her to Celestia!" "Burn her!!" Something had to be done before the situation could get out of hand. I hastily navigated through the memorized layout of Ponyville's rooftops, hoping that I could get there in time. Or better yet, before the guard captain could arrive. I knew that it was probably not the best idea to take advantage of the problem for personal gain, but from what I knew, the guards would do the same. Only they would do it in Canterlot, and I would miss my chance of gathering anymore information on the Kingdom of Avia. Clinging to chimney, I peered over the crowds to the group of armoured ponies standing defensively against the civilians. I was just a block away, and I could see the guards surrounding their prisoner. I took the opportunity to examine the beaked creature further, for this was the first time I would ever see a griffin with my own eyes. The creature wasn't short of what I expected; The body of a majestic lion matched with the regality of an eagle, paired for a deadly combination of survival in the air and on land. Their talons were big enough to grip any human by the neck, and their beaks were pointier than I imagined. It was no wonder why some species considered them a threat. And if they hadn't turned to civilization, I thought they would be treated as such. On close inspection, I couldn't help but notice the light purple shadings around her eyes. It looked slightly familiar... like I had seen that same tone before. Somewhere... "I got nothing for ya, you blockheads!" She screeched. Oh god, it's Gilda! There was no mistaking that tomboyish voice anywhere. I tried to recall the details that marked out her character from the wikipedia page; her golden eyes and the four dark teardrop spots on her neck. I was too far to make it any of these out. I had to get in closer. So it was time to make a scene. With a deep breath, I sent a quick little prayer to Celestia, hoping for the best. "GUARDS!" It surprised me how loud I could raise my voice. Most of the ponies fell silent, including the Guards. They turned their heads up to the voice above their heads. I maneuvered off the rooftop, succeeding in impressing the crowd as I took the large leap to the ground. I landed steadily, but that height was still a painful one. I ignored it for the sake of appearance. I moved briskly up to the guards, making sure to look as significant as my fluttering stomach and pounding heart could muster. In truth, I never confronted the Royal Guard in anything, at least not without the aid of my friends. Unbeknownst to me at the time, the crowd actually parted to let me by, although I could hear some of their utterances. "Oh no, it's the human!" "It's fine, he's on our side." "What makes you so sure?" "What have we here, gentlecolts?" I politely inquired, addressing the line of guards that held the civilians back. "Stay back human, this is military business-" "I'm sorry." I failed to heed their orders, and instead unpinned and flashed the badge that said prince gave to me. The soldiers looked surprised, and their expressions faded quickly. "Erm... right... please excuse us." And with that, the guards parted, and I walked on. Being friends with the sister of a Prince does have its benefits, I thought smugly to myself. "Criminy. The Prince sure has his choice of friends!" I heard on the guards utter. I approached the griffin, chained and grounded. The four other guards surrounding her made way and I got a clear view of the creature. I immediately searched for the details. Sure enough, there were four dark teardrops, flowing from her feathered neck. And her eyes were definitely golden, as they were wide and piercing as they stared into mine. I could tell she was frightened at first by this strange little creature, but that too left her quickly. "Well. I never knew hairless monkeys existed!" She said dryly. The parts of the crowd that could hear her laughed. The pegasi floating overhead were rolling in the air. It was fine. Insults barely ever hurt me. Moreover, I had to have her play into my hands. "Nice to meet you too... Gilda." I whispered her name with a sly little smile. That scared her a little bit more. She reeled back in aggression. "How do you know my name, you dweeb!" "Why is she chained?" I turned to one of the four guards. "She is wanted for questioning." one replied sternly. "Questioning? For what?" "She could be one of them." One of the guards spoke through a sneer. "Just looking for another place to bombard, they are!" A resident of Ponyville added. "OH, COME ON! I don't even know what's going on!" Inside, I knew that it was somewhat plausible. Whether she was playing for the other team wasn't something to be certain of. But it wasn't likely. I kept playing along, and lightly chuckled at his statement. "You really have no idea who she is, do you?" I kept on smiling. "No." Another voice spoke up, loud and commanding. A voice that was suitable for any lead officer, "But perhaps you may enlighten us?" I whirled round to greet the Guard Captain. A pony the size of a regular horse was sent to temporarily watch over Ponyville. He was clad in full golden armour down to the hooves, and was flanked by his soldiers of his own unit, and suddenly I felt a lot smaller than I expected. It wasn't often that Ponyville needed this much security, and I had hoped he wouldn't have appeared to soon. "Why," I collected myself, "this, Sir, is Lady Gilda!" I gestured at the now greatly bewildered griffin, "Personal acquiantance and friend of the Elements of Harmony!" "So what?" A pegasi the hovered above hollered, "I meet Twilight Sparkle everyday. I'm a blooming personal acquaintance!" This caused the crowd to roar injustice once more. The guards had to settle down the droves of discontent ponies. "But not as important as her, I can assure you. Am I right, Gilda?" I shot her a glance that signaled to her that I was the only thing standing between her and total imprisonment. "Uh... yeah!" She asserted, inching a grin from her beak, "I am very important." "She was raised with Rainbow Dash in her foalhood! She was one of the creatures that taught the Mane Six one of the most important lessons of friendship! And quite frankly, Sir, we wouldn't have an Element of Loyalty today without this griffin!" This discomforted the crowds. Some believed, some didn't. "Is that so?" The Captain looked genuinely confounded, "Then what do you think we should do with her?" "It is not what you should do, but what you shouldn't." I replied coolly, "For a start, taking her to Canterlot for interrogation might not make some of the Elements too happy. Especially a certain rainbow-maned one." I watched in satisfaction as this statement put some soldiers at unease. Gilda herself looked proud. Even Rainbow Dash's brazen attitude was a bane to some of the guards, and that wasn't even when she was mad. "If you would be so kind, allow me to take her off your soldiers' hooves. She'll be of better use to the Princ" I walked up within face length of the captain, keeping up my composure so as to not appear afraid. "I understand that your men- sorry, guards are already spread thin. It would be inconvenient for you to stretch it further still. If it's no trouble, I'll take her to Canterlot myself." The civilians muttered among themselves. The captain had to make a decision shortly and handle the crowds. "Hmm..." He thought to himself, acknowledging his unit's agreement that they were already understaffed, "And suppose you're wrong?" "Then I carry out what you originally intended. You have my word." I bowed respectfully, although it partially confused Gilda once again. "And should you fail?" My mind raced for a response. It honestly did not matter, as I would be gone by the time they would notice anything. And if I failed in Avia, I would face punishment all the same, if not death. "Then the Prince shall be informed and I shall bear the responsibility and punishment for it." This spoke for not only this short task, but the consequences of my own secret mission. This seemed to satisfied a majority of the townsfolk, the troops included. Their approval greatly influenced the decision of the captain, "Very well. You want her, you can have her. Escorts!" One of the four troops tossed the chain with his teeth into my hands, I held it thoughtfully, wondering if my next sentence would be worth the risk. "No. Not chained. Release her." Muttered disapproval. "You better be right about her, human." The captain nodded his approval before the shackles clattered to the ground. I bit the inside of my cheek, hoping, praying that she would not attempt to escape. It would have been futile, with the swarm of pegasi that constantly occupied the air. And the Royal Guard would have no problem tracking down the only beaked creature in town. I stared into her eyes, as if they were able to convey this message. Sure enough, she didn't try to fly away. She instead trudged, slightly unnerved, towards her unexpected saviour. I only hoped she would continue to follow. "C'mon, Gilda. Let's get out of here." I ushered her past the guards, casually saluting the captain and his troops. Once done, I pulled her close, as if she were actually my friend. I then whispered into her ear... "Once we're out of town, don't even think about flying again. It's not safe. You must continue to follow me." I shut the double doors of my home behind us. Peering one last time to make sure nopony had followed us. It took some convincing for the single guard pony on the top of my house that she was not actually a terrorist, but it worked. Locking the door, I spun round to the bewildered beast in my living room. She was staring me down, and I could tell that the only thing stopping her from pouncing on me was her gratitude. "Alright," I gave a great sigh of relief, having actually pulled all that off on the public eye, "We both have our share of explaining to do." "You're not really going to turn me in, are you?" "Of course not! I don't actually have power to do any of that." I chuckled. Gilda's face was blank for a moment. In the next instant, it had burst into laughter. "Oh gosh! You tricked everypony in Ponyville! HA! That was awesome!" She began to writhe in her laughter, her wings flapping against the furniture and sending feathers into the air. "Yeah, no prank you've ever pulled could top that. Now I've got a few questions for you-" "Wait! How do you know that?" She returned to her hostile state, "And on top of that, what the heck are you?!" "Well, I guess I'll start explaining first." And so I told her. I didn't divulge everything. Only what she needed to know. How I came to this world, how I knew the Mane Six from a screen and how I came to know them in reality. I then had to assure her that I was not a stalker who knew more about Gilda than she liked. I did not tell her why I was still here, or my purpose in Equestria, because she'd then add 'crazy' to the list of insults she spontaneously created for me. "And now it's your turn." I ended, "I'm not asking for your life story. My questions are nothing personal, but I've got a little promise to fulfill to our friends in Avia-" "WHAT?! Dash is in Avia?!" Gilda cut me off for the umpteenth time. "Yes. Now answer my questions!" "Alright, alright. Relax, monkey-boy. Whatya got?" I already had all my questions planned. Leaning forward in my leather recliner I had so painfully transported from Earth, I asked away. "Do you know what's going on? Between Equestria and Avia?" "I heard." She said plainly, "But I didn't think it'd be this bad." "Had the guards not have caught you, what were you intending to do?" "I was just trying to head back home!" She expressed her frustration, holding a claw to her face, "Look, I'm as clueless as you about what's going on over there. The few griffins in this country are scratching their heads over what's going on back home, including me! And I want some answers too!" This was interesting. If Gilda was genuine, then this was an action that was unexpected and uncalled for. If the griffins in Equestria had not heard of it, then what exactly happened over there that triggered the assaults? I was obviously not going to get answers in that area, but this was an opportunity to find out more. "Gilda, what is Avia like?" "... What?" "Hey, I saved your hide! I think I'm obliged to these questions!" "Fair enough." She stretched on the couch, "But I gotta tell ya, I haven't been home in a while myself." "That's still better than my situation. Now if you will...?" "Avia is like a bowl." "... go on..." "Everypony generalizes that the land Avia is built on is Avia itself. Actually, it's not. Avia is built within the confines of mountains all round. This way, flight is the easiest way in or out. Any creature that attempts to crawl in will be risking their hides freezing to death. And even then, the folk ain't exactly the nicest where I'm from. The settlements within Avia are spread everywhere inside the mountain range, and our little capital is somewhere in the center. Aaaand that's all I got for ya." I kept silent, memorizing everything she said. "Anyway, if that's all you got, then I should get going." "Wait." I got up and glimpsed at the outside world. It was almost sundown, "I'll make it easier for you." Signalling her to stay indoors, I sneaked up to the perch to check for the guard. Sure enough, his duty was over. And with the sun going down, it was perfect for Gilda to take her leave. I descended the spiral staircase two steps at a time, grabbing an unused bed cloth from the closet and tossing it at her. Her wings caught it in a mess. "Alright, listen to me." I looked her dead in the eye, "Once the sun is down, slip away in the night. Circle the town, go straight to the train station and hitch a ride to the harbour. Don't stop and don't let anypony see you. Once your there, you're on your own. But I'm sure you'll get back home somehow. This cover won't keep you warm, but it's a hell of a lot better than showing everypony your beak and claws-" "I know how to take care of myself, skin-face." She dismissed me with a wave of her claw made for the door. "Catch'a later!" "That's it?" I teased, "No thank you? Nothing?" "Don't worry, I'll pay ya back somehow." She disappeared out the door. Suddenly her head poked back in, grinning cheekily through her yellow muzzle, "And, dude? You're really good at spouting crud. I'll give ya that." And she left. I slumped back on the feather-ridden couch, thinking about the events of that day. Not only that, but the days ahead. I delved on the information given to me by Gilda, and whether she told the truth. If she was, then I think I knew enough to head out prepared. If not... well, there wasn't much of a choice. I looked at my watch, counting down the time I had left. Seventy-two hours to go-time., I thought to myself, it's time to start planning. It was the scent of another adventure. One that I hoped would not have the same result as my first one, or worse. The thought alone brought adrenaline. Frightened adrenaline that excited yet scared me.