//------------------------------// // Ch. 10: Two old friends // Story: An Island built in the sky // by Brotato //------------------------------// Chapter 10 Two old friends "You know this gryphon?" Kid whispered to Rainbow Dash. "Old friend, long story," Rainbow replied quickly. "Oh." Kid looked at the group of gryphons ahead of him. Several seemed to be expecting a fight as they flexed their wings. It must've been a taunt of some sort as Rainbow Dash flexed her wings in response, earning glares from the gryphons. "Yeah, we stole it." Gilda began, answering Twilight's question. "Two ponies with a big floating island to themselves? That didn't sit right with some of my friends here." She pointed a thumb back at the other gryphons. "So we decided to take it." "But why?" Twilight asked with an eyebrow raise. "I was getting to that," Gilda retorted with a glare. "I agreed because I currently don't have a home to call my own. Whatever reasons these guys have behind me, I have no clue. Maybe because of the booze located in the shack over there. I swear, whoever made this island sure had a strange taste in drinks." Oh you are just asking for a buck to the face aren't you? Kid furrowed his brow in anger. Twilight seemed to notice the tension building and planned to promptly finish this before things got ugly. "Look, I'm sure there's somewhere else you can find housing and... alcohol." Twilight's face scrunched at the word. "Is there a trade we can make? I would prefer to not have anypony hurt." "No deal, we're staying right here." A somewhat buff gryphon spoke up. He was a head taller than Gilda and had feathers with an orange-brown color. His eyes were a light-green, and they were focused on Twilight in a glare. "Go back wherever you came from. We're happy here." "I'm sorry, mister..." Twilight trailed off. "Talon." "Mister, Talon. I'm sorry, but you stole from somepony and that's a crime here in Equestria. I'll gladly let you leave without charges if you truly don't know our laws." "I can't take it anymore! No more talking!" Another gryphon with red feathers broke from the pack and took an aggressive stance. "Let's just get this over with and beat them to a pulp. They'll think twice before messing with us again." Fear flashed on Twilight's face and she took a step back every time the red one took a step forward. "N-now, let's not get hasty..." She trailed off as she watched Hammer and Rainbow stand protectively in front of Twilight, momentarily stopping their advance. "If it's a fight you want, we'll gladly oblige," Kid spat. "I don't need wings to kick your flanks." The red-feathered gryphon finally decided to using actions instead of words and lunged at Kid. He swiped downward, the same move someone would do to squash a bug. Kid was ready for it and dodged to the right of the gryphon, landing beside him and facing away. Using his current position, he lifted his hind legs and gave a firm buck to the ribs. He was rewarded with a pained screech and the sound of snapping ribs. The gryphon struggled to stand for a moment before slumped on his good side and stayed there, taking in staggered breaths. Occasionally wincing when he breathed too deeply. "Anypony else want to end up like him?" Kid yelled, pacing in front of his defeated enemy. The other gryphons looked at each other as if to acknowledge something and started to advance upon him all at once. Drat, and i was hoping they would come at me one at a time. Kid took several steps backwards, his eyes looking to his left and right. He waited until they were several arm-length away before he made his move. Feinting a run to the left, he quickly switched directions when they pounced the ground where he would've been. The one's who didn't fall for his trick, chased after him around the island like they were playing a game of tag. Only being caught was hundreds of times worse. Kid was about to make a full lap around the island when one of the buildings brought a sharp gleam to his eye. Running toward it, he fumbled with the knob a bit before finally getting it open. Running inside, he quickly shut it behind him and slammed down the twin locks located near the door. He was glad Rucks ahd decided to install every building with them, in the event they needed a safe house. Heavy thudding hit the thick wood door as the gryphons tried to bust it down, but to no avail. Feeling safe that they couldn't get inside, he slid down the back wall with a sigh of relief. The room he was stuck in had several smells that he was very fond of. The most prominent two was the gunpowder and gasoline. Having not smelled it for some long, his stomach felt the urge to show its displeasure soon. Grabbing a nearby piece of cloth, he held it over his face to somewhat mask the smells. Examining the room, he took in the array of weaponry hanging around the room and stored in several shelves nearby. He frowned at not seeing his hammer where its hook was. Though he wasn't surprised since it was already attached to his hooves. To further disappoint him, all of his ranged weaponry was out of the question since he didn't have hands anymore. He could try firing one of the Slinger pistols in his mouth, but that would make aiming mighty difficult. "Although... " Kid spoke to himself, an idea coming to mind. He saw some leftover supplies used for upgrading his weaponry on the wall opposite of the weapons. Grabbing a bundle of rope, two planks of wood, several length of leather, and a container of grease, he set to work. A gryphons attempted, for the fifth time, to bust down the door Hammer had decided to hide behind. Almost an hour had passed when Hammer did so and the gryphons had decided to take their restlessness on the other ponies. Rainbow Dash had managed to knock out two gryphons and deal a swift blow to Talon before they pinned her down. Twilight had been thrown into the balloon along with Rarity, Pinkie, and Fluttershy, and were being closely watched. "Sorry everypony for getting you all in this mess." Twilight apologized. "Its alright, dear. I'm sure we'll think of something." Rarity gave a small smile, but felt it wasn't helping reassure Twilight. "These gryphons are a bunch of meanie pants. None of you are getting a party if you come to Ponyville! You hear me! None of you!" Pinkie exclaimed while holding a trembling Fluttershy. "Quiet you!" A gryphon yelled back at Pinkie Pie. "No, you be quiet!" "Hey, I said it first!" They argued like that several times before Talon finally had hi fill of annoyance. "Knock it off both of you before I toss you both off this island! Don't worry Silverbeak, I'm sure I can find some rope to tie your wings together." Seeing that effectively shut them up, he rubbed his sore beak after the swift kick sent to him earlier. "Damn pegasus. That buck hurt," he mumbled. "Really? You already forgot about the one hiding that broke Rake's ribs?" Another gryphon responded with a deadpanned look. "He deserved it," Talon snapped. "Idiot always running ahead and getting himself hurt." His head snapped to look at the gryphon still ramming into the door. "For the love of... Will you knock it off! He's not going to come out. You'll just dislocate your shoulder." "Just letting him know we're still here." The creme feathered gryphon replied with a sheepish smile. The dull sound of a lock coming undone came from the door. If anyone was standing close by, they could hear Hammer muttering curses at some god neither pony or gryphon had ever heard of. After a grueling minute, the other lock came undone and the door slid open. "Took you long enough to come out. What were you doing in there? Saying your prayers?" The other gryphons laughed at Talon's joke, but was cut short as a loud bang was heard from the pony. Soon after it, something flew past him so fast all everyone heard was a sharp whizzing sound. Talon, who was acting as leader for now, felt a trickle down the side of his cheek and touched it with a talon. He saw it was covered with his blood. He raised his eyes towards the building again and saw the pony who caused it. It was the same one, but he was now wearing several strips of leather and lengths of rope. In his mouth was a piece of wood that he had pulled on connected to the rope. Another piece of wood stuck out to his right for him to easily pull on if need be. On his sides, near where his forelegs connected with his body, were two metal devices. The two pulleys he had next to his head were connected to them below the barrel. One of the metal objects was smoking as Kid took several steps out of the building. He spat out the piece of wood in his mouth with a grim look in his eyes. Looking at the group of gryphons ahead of him for a moment, he finally broke the uneasy silence. "Draw."