Battle was a firm believer in gut feelings. Many decisions he made in his life, he made by what he felt. Sometimes his instincts led him astray, but more often than not, he was correct. He knew what he was doing. So when Battle sat up that evening as Carrot Top left the library, he knew something was off. His eyes flicked to the bookshelves as he slowly got up from his desk. Nothing was wrong with the books, nothing was out of place and nothing was missing that hadn't been checked out, barring the sneaky copy of Daring Doo he let Dash have on the slide. He scratched the back of his head, confused.
He felt a dull throb in back of his jaw. He frowned and held his hand out before his face. The hairs stood on end, bristling with something Battle knew not. The lights above Battle's head flickered and there was a crash from downstairs. Battle frowned. From downstairs? Downstairs... Downstairs.
Battle vaulted the desk and yanked the door to the kitchen open. The door to the basement was already open and a pulsing kaleidoscope of colour glowed from within. A wind blew past Battle as he took the stairs two at a time. He paused halfway down and looked into the room. The glass in the cabinet that held the Elements of Harmony lay on the floor, shattered. The Elements of Loyalty, Honesty and Laughter were glowing brilliantly with their respective colours. Magical winds whistled from where they lay, but there was a dark edge to the wind. There was a dull whine to it. Like a creature in pain.
Something was wrong. Very wrong.
The hammering on the library door did nothing to suggest otherwise, especially when someone burst through and began hollering for Battle. Taking a last look at the Elements, he ran back up the stairs and pulled the door shut. He stepped through into the kitchen to see a dishevelled and distressed Rarity spinning like a top and crying out as loud as she could. The fact that her mane was such a frazzled mess was enough to make Battle's concern turn to anxiety. Rarity never let her mane look like that if she was going out in public.
"There you are!" Rarity cried, racing to Battle and gripping his shoulders. "Quickly please you have to come now!"
"Why what's happening?" Battle asked. Rarity however shook her head gasping for breath and tugging at Battle's hands.
"No time!" she gasped. "We have to go!"
Battle nodded and Rarity turned and ran out of the library, Battle following swiftly behind. Rarity didn't waste anytime. She merely pelted down the streets of Ponyville, the yellow lights of the streetlamps not yet illuminating the streets, so Battle followed by the dwindling light of the sunset. His heart was hammering in his chest and his mind began to whirl through all the possible situations that could have caused Rarity such a panic.
She turned a corner and nearly fell over something- someone, curled up in a ball around the corner. When Battle reached where she fell, Fluttershy was already fussing over her. Her eyes were red and puffy, tear tracks marking her face as she sniffled.
"What's happening?" Battle asked, crouching by Fluttershy and Rarity. Rarity looked up the street and gestured. Battle looked up just as the lights turned on and his blood turned to ice.
Gryphons.
Had to be at least ten of them, all fairly young too, about Rarity's age, three female but seven definately male. They looked to be strong too, with powerful legs and even more dangerous looking claws. They were dressed similarly, black jackets - that Battle knew to be real leather and not some Equine facsimile - with metallic spikes on the shoulders, ripped black jeans with lots of zips and heavy looking black boots, most likely with steel toe-caps. In their midst Battle could see three ponies too and it was they that made Battle's blood run cold. Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash and Applejack.
One of the bulkier looking gryphon's had Dash in a full nelson, pinning her wings to her back with his bulk. From what Battle could see, Dash was bleeding from a serious of gash wounds on her torso and her head lay slumped against her chest. Pinkie lay on the ground, unconscious. Applejack was lying on the ground, hands tied behind her back and some sort of gag stuffed into her mouth to stop her from crying out.
"Gilda," Rarity panted. "She caught us off guard. She said she wanted to get even with Dash and Pinkie. Applejack tried to stop them but-"
Battle held up a hand to silence Rarity. He looked down at her and nodded before he began walking towards the group of gryphons. He rolled his neck once clockwise, once counter-clockwise. After satisfied with the 'click' he heard, he placed his left hand on his right shoulder and rolled it a few times, before swapping arms. By that time he was close enough to hear what was being said.
"... more from you Dash," said one of the gryphons. Battle noted the female gryphon in the centre was the only one to have blood on her claws. Gilda. She looked down at where Applejack lay. "The farm-pony put up more of a fight than you did." Gilda laughed a little. "But then it only makes sense. You always were fastest Dashie. Fastest to fly, fastest to run away from a fight."
Dash, to her credit, lifted her head to look Gilda in the eye. Her rosy eyes burned with defiance and she pulled her head back to spit at the ground in front of Gilda. "You make me sick," she managed to croak.
Gilda's eyes narrowed and she punched Dash in the face, making her slump a little in her capture's grasp before being yanked upright again. The pegasus grunted and let out a low moan of pain, blood dripping from her burst lip. Battle's eyes narrowed and his fist clenched, as he stepped into the circle of light around Gilda and her gang.
One of the leaner looking gryphon's noticed Battle's appearance and she straightened up at the sight of him. "Boss, company!"
Gilda turned around at the sound as did the others and watched as Battle approached. Dash too lifted her head up at the call and looked at Battle.
"Battle," she croaked, "Get help."
"Shut it bitch," Gilda growled, smacking her right hand across Dash's face in a smart backhand before looking back at Battle. "This doesn't concern you dweeb. Now beat it before my boys decide to introduce themselves."
Battle stopped. But he didn't walk away.
"Dweeb?" he asked.
"Yeah, dweeb," Gilda smirked. "Don't know what a dweeb is?"
"Of course I do," Battle replied slowly. "The last time I heard anyone use it was my grandmother though and here you are acting like it's the next hot thing, you must be ancient."
Gilda's eyes widened in shock and her cheeks flamed with anger. "You what?!" she snapped. "You wanna say that again punk?"
"Oh now we're onto 'punk' are we?" Battle asked folding his arms. "Are you just going through all the insults of the last thirty years or are you gonna use something current?"
One of the other gryphon's growled. "You gotta be pretty brave, or pretty stupid pal if you're gonna say shit like that to the Boss."
Battle didn't even look at him. "Seriously that's what you call yourself? The Boss? Damn how cliched could you be?"
Gilda's eyes narrowed. "Who the buck do you think you are!?"
"I'm Battle Ready," he replied evenly. "Ponyville's temporary replacement librarian."
Gilda blinked before she smiled, then she chuckled. Then she began to outright laugh. "A librarian?" she howled, wiping tears from her eyes. "Antonio, go show the librarian how the real world works."
The gryphon who had spoken to Battle smiled evilly, walking up to Battle. Battle turned to look at him, arms folded. Antonia stood before Battle, a full head taller than him.
"You wanna lay a few ground rules punk?" he smirked. Battle, still retaining his cool, smiled back at him.
"Three actually," he said. "One: no hair pulling, two: no biting and three: no tattling to mommy? You okay with that sweetheart?"
Antonio's nostril's flared and he pulled his right fist back and swung a punch for Battle's head. Battle, arms still folded, spun to his right, avoiding the punch and now with his back to the gryphon. Antonio staggered as Battle bent his knees and jumped up and backwards. Antonio's momentum carried him forwards whilst Battle's carried him back. The result was the back of Battle's head crunched into the base of Antonio's jaw.
Antonio cried out as the pain hit him, slipping over and past Battle's right shoulder and sprawling in the dirt. Battle for his part gave a wince of pain after his head struck the gryphon but managed to stay upright. He looked down at Antonio as he clutched his bottom jaw, rotating his beak to make sure everything still worked. Then he looked up at Battle, eyes narrowed in anger.
"Lucky shot punk," he growled getting to his feet. Battle rolled his eyes.
"So it was lucky that I managed to dodge you punch, fortunate that I positioned myself perfectly and chance that I managed to hit you in the chin?" Battle asked. Antonio looked at Battle with fire in his eyes.
"You got a lot of mouth on you," he said slowly. He spread his wings and dashed, hoping to use his speed to his advantage. Indeed, when Battle made no move to dodge he thought his surprise tactic had worked as he threw a left-handed punch with all the strength his could muster for Battle's kidney.
Battle moved his right hand slightly from where it lay as Antonio got within striking range. There was a brief flash of light and a horrible cracking sound, and Antonio fell to the ground for a second time in as many minutes. Instead of a cry of anger, he was screaming, clutching his hand to his chest, the fingers twitching spasmodically. Battle raised an eyebrow and bent over Antonio, looking at his hand, watching as tiny rivulets of blood began sneaking their way through the skin.
"Every one," he muttered, surprised with himself.
"The hell did you do to him!?" Gilda snapped. Battle straightened up to look at her.
"I just broke every bone in his damn hand that's what," Battle replied. His eyes were cold now. He was done playing. "You're friend needs urgent medical attention as do my friends you have there. If you go right now, this can stop."
Gilda snorted. "Now who's cliche? You think just because you floored Antonio I'm intimidated?"
"No, but the slight waver in your voice the fact the feathers on your neck are raised and your claws are no longer sheathed suggest you now consider me a legitimate threat and that I've rattled you some."
Gilda's eyes narrowed. "You don't scare me."
Battle shrugged. "Let's fix that."
Gilda looked to the six remaining males of her gang. "Teach him some manners boys. 'Chesca, watch the farm pony. Lou, you can put the trash down."
The bulky pegasus that held Dash, Lou, dropped her to the ground and stepped over her crumpled and bleeding form as the other five began walking towards Battle. One of the younger looking gryphon girls stepped over to sit on Applejack's bound hands. Battle looked at each of the gryphons in turn.
"Same rules apply to you pansies," Battle said. "No biting-"
He was cut off by a punch in the stomach from Lou.
"We get it cupcake," he snarled.
Battle looked into his face, smiled through a grimace of pain then spat right in his eye. Lou grunted and stepped back and Battle stepped in, a right hook cutting against lou's jaw, a low kick slamming against his shin. Lou instinctively reached down to grab at his injured leg and Battle gripped his head before slamming a knee into his jaw. Lou fell back against the dirt, unconscious.
Battle heard something move behind him and he flattened himself to the ground as another gryphon shot past over head, tripping over his prone form. Whoever they were curse as they hit the dirt. Before they could get back up however, Battle was there. He grabbed the unfortunate attacked by the wrist, twisted his arm back so that his face was pressed to the ground and his arm was vertical in the air and twisted hard. The snap of bones breaking told Battle all he needed to know.
He looked around. The other gryphons were wary now. They hung back, eyeing Battle with caution. Which was fine with Battle. Adapt.
He closed his eyes and suddenly his horn flashed, emitting a blinding white light. The grunts of surprise from around him told him all he needed to know. Four stunned gryphons were easier to take down, and they were more likely to hurt themselves and each other in their confusion.
He opened his eyes again and danced swiftly and stealthily to the nearest one, a skinny one to be sure. Battle felt a little sorry for him. It didn't feel right taking down someone like this while they were disorientated. A few thumbs jabs to the appropriate nerve clusters were all he needed and the gryphon hit the ground in a dead faint. He would be sore but not in pain. More than he could say for his comrades.
Something sharp raked across his back and he gasped, flipping forwards on his hands to put some distance from the one who'd attacked him. he looked up to see the gryphon who'd sat on Applejack, 'Chesca. She smiled, licking Battle's blood from her claws.
"Not so tough now are you dog?" she mocked, and lunged, claws outstretched. Battle threw his hand out and the dirt he'd picked up from the ground flew into 'Chesca's eyes. She cried out and Battle stepped into her, punching into her sternum, only stopping when he heard it crack before he whacked his elbow against he cheek, sending her to the ground cold.
The gryphons were down to half their numbers and Battle hadn't even broken a sweat yet. The five that remained were looking concerned, borderline scared. All except Gilda, who now looked more furious than ever.
"I ask you to do one thing!" she thundered. "Can't you take one stupid librarian? You're gryphons aren't you? Fly already!"
She took the lead in that sense, spreading her wings and taking flight, soaring high into the sky, beyond Battle's dome of visibility under the streetlights. The other four gryphons followed her example, disappearing into the dark. Battle stood in the middle of the street, looking up into the sky. Mentally he began going through everything he knew about gryphons as an enemy. They were hunters, powerful, with the tools for ripping and tearing in their claws and strong beaks. Their eyesight's were also second to none and wouldn't be hindered by the darkness like Battle. They were also wicked fast flyers. Battle couldn't rely on sight to track them and wouldn't be able to hear them coming until it was a second too late to dodge.
Battle was at a disadvantage he knew. And if there was one thing he loathed more than anything else, was having to admit he was at a disadvantage.
A gryphon burst from the shadows and lunged for him, slashing her claws into his shoulders and picking him up into the air: "You're a big one ain'tcha?"
She lifted him beyond the light and then dropped him, where a second gryphon grabbed him and pecked at his already wounded shoulder. Battle groaned in agony and the gryphon laughed. When he tried to drop him however Battle looped his arm around the gryphon's waist, lifting himself up with a Herculean effort to land on the gryphon's shoulders, where the surprised flyer gave a shriek of disapproval. Battle however smile, before slugging the gryphon between the eyes. He dropped like a stone but to his credit, remained conscious, flying wonkily to the ground where Battle jumped off. The gryphon turned and staggered towards him. Battle walked smartly up to him and punched him once again. He hit the ground snoring.
Battle looked into the dark sky again and scowled. There were four gryphon's left in the sky. They may have lost one to when Battle dragged him down to the ground again but he knew that gryphon's never gave up on a prey. They would try again soon he-
The gryphon from before lunged at Battle once again and he threw up his hand on instinct and a wave of silver light came into being between them. The gryphon's eyes widened in shock before she crumpled against the wall and dropped to the ground.
Battle dropped his hands as a cry came from above him.
"Pussies! Get your asses back here before I decide to come after you!"
Battle looked up as he heard the cry as something dropped down in front of him. Gilda, angrier than ever, and alone.
"If you want something done," she growled.
"Hypocrite," Battle muttered.
"What!"
"You heard. If that was truly your ideology then you would've challenged Dash on equal terms. You would've challenged her one on one in a situation where she could refuse. But no. You decided to fight three unarmed mares in the dark of dusk without warning. What did you think would happen?"
"I thought I'd kick her pale blue flank and get out of here," she growled.
"Well then guess what Gilda?" Battle said. "The only way your ass is leaving here is in a full-body cast."
She shrieked and threw herself at him, clawing downwards. Battle sidestepped and chopped her in the throat causing her to stumble and choke as Battle swung his leg at hers, sweeping her legs out from under her, causing her to land beak-first into the ground. Battle didn't leave her a chance to get up, deciding to instead kick her in the stomach, causing her to let out a horrible reaching sound and flipping onto her back. She shrieked a moment later however when Battle's boot crunched onto her face, twisting her beak violently. The same boot press against her shoulder and Battle gripped at Gilda's arm and wrenched, snapping her collar-bone.
Battle's eyes were cold as he leant over Gilda and gripped her by the collar. He backhand slapped her, causing her to groan and he snapped his fingers in her face. "You still in there?" She nodded. "Good. You don't come back here ever you understand? You don't come near my friends, you don't come near this town, and you pray you never meet me again. Got that?" Another nod. "Good." Battle's fist clocked her in the eye, sending her into oblivion. He quickly patted her down, finding what he was looking for in a small silver key.
Battle stood up and raced over to where Applejack lay, slipping the key into the handcuffs and releasing her. Instantly her hands whipped around to her face to remove the gag.
"Thanks there partner," she gasped, getting to her feet. "Am I glad you took care of that. Where'd you learn those moves?"
"Long story," Battle replied, racing to where Pinkie lay. There was a large swelling on the side over her head and there was a little blood, but her breathing was normal. "We need to get these two to hospital now."
"What about them?" Applejack asked, jerking a thumb at the gryphons, though the look of disgust on her face showed she was not happy she had to ask.
"What about them?" Battle asked, bending down to scoop Dash into his arms, gently given her condition. "Can you take Pinkie?"
The farm pony nodded, picking Pinkie into her strong grip and looked at Battle. "Ready?"
Battle didn't answer, jogging off into the dark, an unconscious Dash in his arms.