The Last Medallion

by Thwaitesy

Work hard, play hard.

Long Path sat dumbfounded as Noah, Duskwing, and Dial Tone told him of what had transpired earlier that day. However, it wasn't what they were saying that dumbfounded him, but rather how they were saying it.

The three of them were trying to tell their own stories all at the same time. The House founders could only discern a few words out of the jumble, but not nearly enough to get a full picture. Path felt like he was getting a headache, while Roseclaw was more concerned with her chick, Lucida, who was, thankfully, still fast asleep. Twilight seemed to be trying to catch as much of what was being said as she could, while Free was just chuckling to himself about the whole thing.

Finally, Path slammed a hoof on the table. The resultant bang of hoof on wood was enough to silence the griffon and thestral, but Dial on the other hoof continued for a moment, “...and I said to her, Mom, it's my life. If I want to take things to the next level with him... then...that's... my....” She finally realized that Noah and Dusk were no longer speaking. “Sorry” she said apologetically.

Path first checked to see if his hoof slam had disturbed his young daughter, but she was still sound asleep. Then he returned his attention to the trio in front of him. “Please – one at a time, for all our sakes.”

Noah, Dusk and Dial all stood in silence, looking at each other nervously, each trying to decide who should go first.

“How about the thestral goes first. I'm sorry what did you say you name was?” Twilight said, finally bringing a bit of order into the meeting. “But first could I ask that your friends wait outside? I would like to hear each of your accounts without any outside influence.”

Noah and Dial nodded in agreement and stepped outside the room where the two House guards still stood.

“Now then,” Twilight said calmly as she prepared a scroll to write everything down, “Please start with your name and we'll go on from there.”

Duskwing cleared his throat before speaking. “My name is Duskwing, Your Highness,” he said with a curt bow.

Twilight responded to his bow with a nod of her head, though she still blushed a little at being called 'Your Highness'. “Well then, Duskwing,” she said politely, “Why don't you tell us all your side of what happened today.”

Dusk began telling the House Path founders what happened during his day, making sure he pointed out that he had to take the elderly group around, and putting particular emphasis on how he managed to keep himself from breaking down from their complaints to speak up, or slow down.

After Dusk told his story, Twilight asked Dial Tone to come in and tell hers. Her day was pretty standard really, and she loved it – nothing truly exceptional. She told them of how she got up in the morning and, after her breakfast, she opened the shutters on the agency and waited for her bosses to show up. And, of course everything else that happened during the day. Needless to say it was the least eventful report, until she got to the last part involving the strange unicorn.

Finally, Twilight called Noah to enter. “Last but certainly not least,” she said with a smile. “Please tell us what happened from your perspective. However, I would also like to know what happened yesterday as well as today. I ask because both your friends’ stories put you in the center of the action, so to speak.”

Noah swallowed a little. Should he really tell them everything that he had learned? That they are sitting, no doubt, in the very same room his mother and father sat to hold meetings? “Well… um...” Noah started. This really was a first for him. Not only was he in the castle that his ancestors built, but he was in front of the very group of ponies and griffons who made it possible for him and Dusk to start their business. “Well, I was looking into my family in the library and....” And so he began.

An hour passed and Noah told Path, Rose, Twilight and Free his story. However he chose to leave out the part about his family history. No need to let the current Lords and Ladies of the House find that out at this juncture. The tale ended, of course, when Free arrived at the burning agency.

“So,” Path said finally after a few minutes of reflection on what he had just heard. “This unknown pony attacked you and your friends because of that medallion you're wearing, which then turned you into a larger armored form of yourself, and you have no idea why.”

“To be perfectly honest with you, My Lord – no, I don't,” Noah said with a slight shake of his head. “I don't even really know how I knew how to use the medallion in the first place, or how to get that sword. I was just acting on instinct, I guess. I can't really think how else to describe it.”

Path slowly shook his head with a smile as he turned to his wife beside him. “I swear, if I had a crown for every time somebeing didn't know how to describe something they did by ‘acting on instinct’....”

Roseclaw simply laughed a little, knowing the amount of odd things that had happened to them already. She turned her attention to Noah to address him fully. “Thank you. I think that will be all for now,” she said with a smile as Lucida started to stir a little. The infant hippogriff was starting to wake from her nap.

Noah smiled, and after a short bow, he left the room. Once the doors had closed behind him, Free Agent spoke up. “He's hiding something,” he said, his gaze not leaving the door, yet addressing all present.

“I got that impression myself. Do you have any clue as to what it is, Free?” Path asked.

The griffon just shook his head. “No, but it definitely has something to do with this place. We could launch an investigation.”

Twilight interrupted her husband at that point. “I don't think that's a wise idea. No offence, Free, but I think at the moment, Noah really needs to trust us. Investigating him behind his back is the least helpful thing we can do at the moment. He needs to make sense of everything that's happening to him.” She paused for a moment and her face lit up as an idea formed. “I want to help him understand his new abilities; study them with him. Then the more we talk, the more he'll open up to us. Then I'm sure he'll tell us what's bothering him, in his own time.”

Path nodded. “That sounds like a good idea. Okay then, Twilight – tomorrow get Techbird and pose this idea to Noah. I'll invite the three of them to stay here for now. We'll see how things go.”

The four founders stood and left the room using various methods and exits. Twilight teleported herself and Free to another part of the building while Roseclaw left the room through a door to her left carrying a giggling Lucida. Path however headed straight out the two main doors to the room, where he saw Noah and his friends still standing there, swapping their experience with the House founders.

“Ahem!” Path cleared his throat and the three turned to face him. Path smiled at the group before saying, “I understand that the three of you have had, to say the least, a trying time lately. So I would like to offer you all the opportunity to stay here for a little while until things have calmed down.”

Dusk and Dial looked to Noah, wondering whether they should accept or not. After a series of unspoken signals they had developed over the years they had known each other, Noah turned to face the grey-furred earth pony.

“Lord Path,” he said in as formal a voice as he could muster, “My colleagues and I graciously accept your offer.” Dusk and Dial nodded in agreement.

“Excellent!” Path exclaimed with a smile. “Then as your host, I will show you to where you three will be staying.” Path led them to the guest wing and to a room that was usually reserved for visiting dignitaries. The lavish decoration was beyond anything the griff, pony or thestral had ever seen outside of magazine articles on the rich and shameless. The room had three beds – one in the main room, and the other two in the adjoining bedrooms off to either side.

Once Path had left the room, Noah and his friends remained glued in place as they took in the room they now found themselves in. Not even the best hotel in the city had rooms like this. Finally Noah noticed one of the key elements of the room. With a sudden flap of his wings, he jumped onto the large bed and proudly call out, “DIBS!”

Dusk, stirred out of his awe, turned to his friend “Why do you get the big bed? That's not fair.”

The Griffon chuckled. “'Cause I'm bigger then you. Plus I need the extra room,” he said, spreading out his wings to make himself look bigger as he lay on his back.

Dusk tried to pull Noah off the bed but, while strong in his own right, he just couldn't move his obstinate friend. Dial simply watched the griffon and thestral go back and forth on the bed issue, like a mother watching her foals. With a shake of her head and a smile, she made her way to one of the adjoining rooms and settled into the bed there which was plenty big enough for two. She knew eventually Dusk would quit, and find his own bed that was just as good as the one Noah now occupied.

# # #

The next morning, Noah awoke to a hard, aching, and painfully loud growl in his stomach. It felt like he hadn't eaten for a week. That was however, when the smell of something delicious hit him. He wasn't quite sure what it was, but he knew without a shadow of a doubt that he wanted some. Before leaving the room, he checked on Dial and Dusk, to find them both fast asleep. Dial was sleeping quite peacefully all tucked in. Dusk on the other hand was sprawled on the bed in a position you'd normally find a cat sleeping in. Either way Noah decided not to disturb them, and that he would bring them something later.

Leaving the room, Noah let his nose guide him to the wondrous smell. Eventually Noah's nose led him to the main hall where the dinners were held. His eyes widened to saucer size as he beheld the breakfast that was arrayed on the large table. His eyes drifted over the assorted foods: there was bacon, bagels, chocolate sandwiches, Prench toast, pancakes with syrup, waffles, sausages, and so much more. And the things to drink were also just as multiple, including huge pitchers of orange juice.

Noah had never in all his life seen such a spread, especially not for breakfast. He took note that members of the House staff were putting the food they wanted for breakfast on a tray that they collected from the far end of the table. So he did the same. However whereas some took only a few items for example, one griff took a plate of pancakes, a small serving of bacon and a glass of juice, Noah took as much as he could fit on his tray. By the time he sat down, he had three plates of pancakes all topped off with syrup, four large servings of bacon and sausages, two plates of waffles also covered with syrup and a whole pitcher of orange juice.

Everyone in the Hall, including Path, Free, Rose and Twilight, watched in amazement as Noah ate every single bite of everything he had gathered, before finally downing the whole pitcher in one long go. Once he finished, Noah leaned back in his seat with the satisfied look of someone who had just gotten exactly what he needed. Just as everyone went back to eating their own meager by comparison breakfast, Noah lurched forward and let out a loud belch that echoed throughout the hall. Clamping his beak shut afterwards, Noah looked around and saw that once again everyone was looking at him. Some in disbelief, some in amazement and some were just plain perturbed.

“Sorry.” he said with a sheepish grin. Noah then stood up and, again moved to collect some breakfast foods. But he assured the staff that this wasn't for him, but rather for his friends who were still asleep and might miss breakfast. As he left the hall, a tray in each claw as he walked on his hind legs. He saw the House founders sitting and eating together. He found it strange that Lord Free Agent hadn't actually told the other founders about what he, no doubt, overheard between himself and Erebus. Maybe he intended to tell them later. Or maybe he wanted Noah to tell them himself. Or it could have been possible that he didn't actually listen in. At the moment, Noah didn't know, but he was sure he would eventually find out.

# # #

Noah soon arrived at the room he had slept in last night, fluttering down the hall way carrying the two trays with Dusk and Dial's breakfasts on them. Entering the room, he set the trays down on a nearby table and went to check on and wake up both of his friends. Dial was still sleeping peacefully, her soft gentle snoring was almost a faint whisper. With a gentle claw, he gently shook her.

“Dial? It's time to get up. I've got breakfast for you,” he said softly as she stirred and sat up. It really was amazing. Her mane was still perfect; not one strand out of place. It made Noah wonder if she ever had to work on it at all.

With a gentle yawn, she looked up at Noah and smiled. “Thank you. It smells delicious.” With that, she climbed out of the bed and made her way to the next room to enjoy her breakfast.

Next the griffon made his way to Dusk’s side room. Before he opened the door, he could tell the thestral was still fast asleep. The griffon could hear his friend’s loud snoring through the door. Once the door was open, it was lots louder, not that Noah expected it to be quieter. Dusk was the complete opposite of Dial when he slept. The thestrals mane and tail were totally disheveled. He walked up to Dusk and, again with one claw, flicked the tip of Dusk's nose.

“BAAAAAAAAAAH! WHAAAAAAAAT?” Dusk bolted upright to see Noah sitting next to his bed, grinning. “What was that for?” he asked, his words still a little slurred from sleep.

“Breakfast,” Noah said simply while still grinning, knowing that was all he needed to say to get his friend’s attention.

Of course, it worked. As soon as the words left Noah's beak, Dusk's nose picked up the smell of the particular items of food that had been brought for him. Quickly getting out of the bed, Dusk almost stumbled into the main room as his legs were still somewhat tangled in the bed sheets. Noah did not envy the griff, or pony, whose job it was to make the beds every day.

Entering the main room, he saw his two friends eating as differently as they slept. Dial was eating slowly, savoring each bite. Dusk, on the other claw, was wolfing down a piece of pancake bigger than his mouth, the end of it hanging limply, syrup dripping off of it back onto his plate.

As Noah watched, Dial noticed he wasn't eating, nor was there any plate for him. “You're not having any?” she asked after swallowing a bite. The tone of her voice made Dusk turn his head to face Noah too, the remaining pancake swinging about as he did.

“No, I'm fine,” Noah reassured them both. “I had some earlier when I woke up. It was the strangest thing. I woke up feeling like I hadn't eaten for days. Then I smelled something and I followed my nose and it led me to the biggest breakfast spread I've ever seen. So I had a little something for breakfast, then got some for the two of you.”

“A little something is a bit of an understatement don't you think?”

All three turned to the voice that had startled them, to see Twilight standing in the doorway, smiling. “I hope I'm not disturbing any of you,” she said, a light frown forming as the notion crossed her mind.

“No, of course not, My Lady,” Noah said with a slight bow which was elegantly copied by Dial. Dusk however simply gave a curt nod and resumed eating.

“Glad to hear it,” she said, her smile returning. “Um… Noah, do you mind if we talk for a moment?”

Noah shook his head. “Not at all,” he said, but didn't leave the spot he stood on. After all, she didn't say it needed to be a private conversation.

The purple alicorn quickly caught on. “Well, I was just thinking – that medallion of yours is a very powerful magic artifact, and so far the three of you are the only ones to see what it can do. But you, Noah,” she said pointing a hoof at the griffon, “you're the only one who has actually experienced its abilities.”

“That's certainly true,” Noah said, bringing a claw to the item in question where it hung securely around his neck. “Tell you the truth, I'd love to study it and find out what else it can do. Maybe also find some answers.”

The quick clop of hooves hitting each other suddenly turned all eyes to Twilight once again. “That's great!” she said, beaming. “I was wondering how to broach the subject with you when you just did it yourself!” She moved closer to the Noah. “I want to help you study it and its properties. That way we can learn about it together. I might catch something you might miss and vice versa.”

Noah thought about it for a moment before smiling at the purple alicorn. “That sounds like a great Idea. I'm looking forward to it.”

Again Twilight clapped her hooves together. “Great!” she said, still smiling. “I'll come by and wake you tomorrow morning so we can have all day to study that magnificent medallion of yours.”

“Tomorrow morning?” Noah asked, curious about the apparent delay. “Wouldn't it be best to start today?”

“Well, we're not really set up to study such a unique artifact yet. It'll take most of today to set up all the equipment we'll need to run every kind of test we can think of, without damaging the medallion of course.”

That made some sense to the griffon. After all, this was a unique situation with a unique item, and he doubted that a simple microscope would be appropriate for the kind of tests Twilight was planning. “So, do you need any help setting up?” he asked looking for something to do.

“Oh no, you don't worry about that. I'll have some members of the R&D staff to help me.”

“So what do we do?” Dusk asked, deciding to join in the conversation, his muzzle covered in pancake syrup.

Twilight paused for a moment to think of an answer to the thestral’s question. “Well I'm sure the three of you would appreciate a full tour of the place. You didn't really get one when you arrived, did you? I'm sure one of the staff will gladly help out with that. But for now, I've got to go. I'll see you bright and early tomorrow, Noah,” she said happily before trotting off.

# # #

The dark stone walls of the cave were dryer in this area, but the torches were not present. Instead there was a series of brightly glowing crystals that illuminated the medical section of the dark lair. On one of the operating tables sat the Hunter, watching as a fuchsia unicorn began to stitch up the wound he had received from the accursed Medallion Master. The Hunter watched her work, wincing every time the needle pierced his flesh.

“So,” a voice spoke up, the mocking tone evident, ”Looks like you weren't able to get the job done after all. I should have placed a bet on it.”

The Hunter looked at the source of the voice; it was one of the Shrouded Ones. As he approached the Shrouded One pulled back his hood revealing a dark grey pony with a white mane. “Maybe I should have gone instead? Then our master might finally have that last medallion for his collection.”

“If you had gone, I doubt you would have survived to be sitting here while I mock you, Storm Wind,” the Hunter retorted, earning a smile from the grey Pony. Soon enough they were both laughing, causing the unicorn to scowl as the Hunter's laughter made it harder for her to finish her job.

Eventually the laughter stopped and she finished. “Now stay off that leg to let it heal. I'll check up on you in a week.” With that, the Hunter and Storm Wind left.

After they arrived at the Hunter’s quarters, Storm Wind again turned to him. “So really – what happened? You never fail to take a target once you find them. How did this griffon give you so much trouble?”

With a sigh, the Hunter passed into the main living area of his quarters, making sure to keep his injured leg up. “He used that damn medallion of his!”

Storm Wind was taken aback by the Hunter’s statement. “What do you mean? He couldn't have used it! One has to go through intense thorough training to even begin to make use of the medallion’s powers.”

“Exactly, but this birdbrain didn't. He just used it! It was like he knew all along how to use it.” Hobbling over to a weapon rack, the Hunter replaced all but one of the daggers he usually carried with him. “It was impossible. But it happened. He ruined my favorite dagger too,” he added with a pout as, with his magic, he held up the dagger with the mostly missing blade.

Storm Wind examined the mirror smooth slice that cut the dagger in half. “Yep,” he said with finality. “A Knight’s weapon did this alright. Dark-forged blades like this should be easy to re-forge even after a Light weapon cut it. Told you to stop using these older weapons – they just don't stand up to what the Knights use. You're lucky it was just a gash you got. If he had been a few inches closer... let's just say you wouldn't have survived to be stitched up.”

The Hunter looked at his shoulder; it still hurt. The Dark Master didn't believe in pain killers. “I'm eternally thankful that it could be stitched up. I'm not very keen on the idea of bleeding out before I can have a re-match with that Tartarus-damned griffon. I'll need some newer daggers to fight him though.”

Storm Wind nodded and turned to leave. “Just make sure you get some rest. You're no good to the master dead. I'll get those new daggers for you too.”

With that the grey Pony left, leaving the Hunter alone with his thoughts. Despite his hatred for the griffon, the Hunter’s thoughts were focused more on the Medallion Master’s companions or, to be more precise, that earth pony mare. Her face kept popping into his mind unbidden. Those blue eyes, her cute freckles... “NO!” he shouted out loud as he shook his head, trying to force the image out. “Just forget about her. She's of no consequence. Cute... but of no consequence... totally....” Sitting on his bed, he hung his head and sighed. “Yep... I wanna see her again. Crap.”

# # #

It had been several days since Twilight and Noah began studying the medallion, trying to figure out its magic and how it all worked. The biggest revelation came when Twilight and Noah were studying the Knight form itself. One thing they learned that was the Knight form used the user’s own energy to power its manifestation, which finally explained Noah's huge appetite the following morning: he needed to replace all that he had lost. Today, they were once again studying the Knight form.

“So you said when you got hit by that strange unicorn’s dagger, you didn't see yourself under the armor, right?” Twilight asked as she, with her magic, was running a scan on Noah as he stood in the center of the room in Knight form. “Yeah,” he said, his voice once again that strange deeper double version of his own. “It really freaked me out, but I didn't really have time to think about it back then.”

“Well, I think I've figured out why,” she said as she finished her scan. “You can... um... power down now if you like.” The silver light filled the room and once again Noah was his regular blue, black and white self. He then proceeded to feast on the food prepped for him beforehand. “Sho,” he said with a beak full of two kinds of food at once, “you fink *gulp* you've figured out what was going on?” Once his question was asked he took another hungry bite.

Twilight couldn't help but smile at the griffon’s behavior. She had gotten very used to it over the past few days. “I think so. Take a look,” she said as she projected, with her magic, a profile image of Noah, and then she projected another image over it. I think what you saw under the armor was... well… I think the best way to describe it is a layer of semi solid light between you and the armor, forming a secondary level of protection, I guess.”

A loud belch signaled that Noah had finished his meal, and he moved to stand beside her as he looked over her projections. “I guess that makes sense. I did feel like I was there in the armor but it felt kinda warm and cozy. Guess this explains it.”

Twilight looked over at the Griffon. It had been several days since he and his friends had been invited to stay by Path, but still he hadn't brought up the one thing that he had been keeping from the House founders. Twilight had hoped he might have by now, but so far, nothing. “Well I think that's more than enough for today,” she said, ending the projections.

Noah rounded his shoulders and stretched his hind legs. Twilight was about to say something more before the griffon held up a claw to silence her. “Let me guess – ‘You shouldn't leave the grounds, just in case that unicorn is out there’,” he said in a perfect impression of the purple alicorn, which caused her to chuckle.

“Yes,” she said, “but in all seriousness, you don't know what else is out there. That unicorn could have brought some kind of backup. We don't know yet what you can stand up to. There are a lot of things you haven't been tested against yet.” She placed a reassuring hoof on his shoulder. “We're only looking out for you.” Noah gave her an appreciative smile and began to make his way out of the room. “Well, I guess I'll just head back to my room. I think Duskwing has got one of those new board games from town. Might have a game with him.” With that, he left.

Once alone, Twilight frowned. She was sure he would tell her what he had been keeping in. However she had the feeling that her husband knew what it was, so it was time to talk to him. Teleporting out of the lab, she reappeared in the room that she shared with the griffon-changeling. He was there, working on one of his paintings. This one was particularly beautiful – the Griffonia cityscape at sunset. The mixture of reds, oranges and yellows was amazing. It was almost like he'd just taken the colors right out of the sky.

“Free?” she asked once the reddish-brown feathered griffon added the final touch to his latest masterpiece.

“What's up, Twi?” he said with his trademark grin.

She swallowed a little before she continued. “You know what Noah's keeping to himself, don't you?”

Free didn't even stop in his tracks as he put away his art supplies, still smiling. “Why yes. Yes I do.”

“Then what is it?” she asked. “He's been keeping it to himself the entire time he's been here. It's something important and keeping it bottled up isn't going to help him in the least. So please tell me so I can help him.”

“Nope. Sorry, Sparkles,” he said without even a pause. “That's not for me to tell. It's his secret. I just happened to overhear it. If he wants to divulge it he will. Just give him the time that you suggested giving him. Besides, I highly doubt that Noah keeping his secret is gonna do him any harm for now. He'll probably tell eventually.”

At hearing her own advice used against, her all Twilight could do was pout.

# # #

As Noah entered his room, he did indeed see Duskwing unpacking the new board game he had picked up, but the griffon had no intention of joining in. He slumped down onto his bed and sighed.

The thestral looked up from the rule book he was reading and wandered over to his friend. “So, what's got ya so down?”

Another sigh came from the griffon as he rolled onto his back. “I'm so bored! We've been here for at least a week, and I've spent that whole time doing nothing but researching this medallion,” he said, flicking it with a talon.

Dusk shrugged. “Hey, it's not that bad.”

Before he could say anything more, Noah gently pushed him away. “Yeah, not so bad for you!” he said with a huff. “You actually get to leave the grounds… have fun... buy board games. Not me. I'm stuck in a lab.” Once again, Noah sighed. “Ugh... I just want to go out and have a little fun.”

“So why don't you?” the thestral remarked with a shrug.

“What?”

With a roll of his eyes Dusk repeated himself “So why don't you? Twilight's never said, to my knowledge, you can’t leave; only that you shouldn't. For your own safety and all that, right?”

Noah thought for a moment and finally nodded. “That's right, she's never said I wasn't allowed to leave.”

With a nod of his head, Dusk went back to his board game and continued reading the rule book. “So go out, have some fun and then come back. I heard about a great nightclub that you should check out. I'll totally cover for you.”

“Sounds great; I'll do that,” Noah said with a smile, and then he began to pace the room as he thought over several ways to get out unnoticed by any of the guards. All the while, he muttered to himself as he mulled the plans over in his head.

With a light chuckle, Dusk decided to interrupt. “Weren't you just yesterday going on about all these newfangled abilities that medallion of yours lets you do? If I remember correctly, did you not mention something on the line of... teleporting?”

“Well, yeah, I can a bit. It's not like Twilight’s – I can only jump if I can see where I'm going. I can't jump across the whole city,” Noah said as he continued his pacing, but paused when a sudden realization hit him. “But then again, I don't have to. All I've gotta do is get out of the grounds, then I can fly the rest of the way.” Suddenly he made his way to the door, stopping only to briefly thank Dusk before the door closed behind him.

Once Noah was in the hallway, he began searching for a window that faced the gardens while making sure no guards saw him. Once he found a good window with no guards or House staff in sight, he looked out into the gardens and focused. An instant later he was standing in the exact spot he was looking at, only a few thin wisps of smoke remaining where he had been. Next he looked for a good vantage point for his next jump. Finding it, he was soon enough on top of the highest point of the mansion. “Hmm... probably could have flown up here, but I need the practice,” he said to himself with a chuckle. From his new vantage point he could see all the grounds and, most importantly, he could see the wall that surrounded them. It was much further away than his last two jumps, so he braced himself a bit… and in an instant he was on the other side of the wall, out of the grounds and no one had seen him. With a cocky smile he took off and made his way into the city.

# # #

Walking the streets of the city at night brought back memories of when he, Dusk, and Dial would hang out after work on the weekend and have a general good time. That seemed like a lifetime ago, when in reality it had only been seven days. As he got nearer to the club that Dusk had mentioned, he could feel the beat travelling up his legs. It was energetic, lively, and he liked it. When he finally arrived at the club, he saw the line outside and knew that it was one worth going to, just by the sight of so many griffons lined up. At the door a single bouncer stood. He was huge. The harpy eagle/tiger bouncer stood like a statue in front of the door, a clipboard held firm in one talon. He was only letting griffs in very slowly.
Noah, however, did not have time to wait in line and so he made a beeline straight to the door. As he got within reach of the bouncer, he stopped Noah with a simple glare.

“Back of the line, shorty!” he said.

His strong baritone voice made Noah's feathers fluff up, but he quickly got it under control before any griff in the line laughed and stood his ground. “I don't think so!” he said asserting himself. “My name is Noah Bluecrest. I'm a guest of House Path and I am going to go inside!”

The bouncer actually moved, causing those griffs at the front of the line gasp and step back. “Listen here, runt, you can be the clucking King, for all I care. You're not on the list, so you go to the back of the line NOW!”

Noah's medallion began to glow softly, and the hazel irises in the griffon’s eyes took on a slightly golden glow to them as he said calmly, “I am on the list, and you will let me inside.” The glow in his eyes and the medallion faded, and the bouncer shook his head and looked down at the list.

“Huh... seems you are or the list. My apologies for the confusion.” With that, he lifted the red velvet rope and allowed Noah to pass.

Once he was inside, he saw the magic lights all around the club. Some flashed different colors in sequence, and others slowly faded from one color to the next. The beat that he felt in his feet was now running through his whole body, and it moved him to the dance floor. There were a lot of griffons, but even through the crowd he saw possibly the most beautiful griffoness he'd ever seen. She was a sea eagle/white lioness mix, and she had arranged some feathers on her head to drape over her right eye. Making his way over to her, Noah began dancing. She noticed the sudden company and was impressed by his moves. When he saw her looking at him, he flashed her his most confident grin. “I'll dance next to you. If you want to think we're dancing together, go ahead!”

“I do want to think that!” she said with a smile and continued to dance alongside Noah. Even though the two had never met before, they seemed to be able to anticipate each other. When one made a certain move, the other made a move to complement it. The two soon realized that they had gathered a lot of attention, as the crowd had parted around them giving them more space. For Noah it did not matter – all he could see was her. He didn't know how she felt, but he hoped she felt the same. However, they continued to dance and so it went on and on for the rest of the night.

# # #

It was early morning when Noah finally returned to the House grounds. Despite being wiped out from partying, he was still aware enough to not let the guards see him. Eventually he wobbled his way into his room and was greeted with a somewhat disgruntled Duskwing.

“What time do you call this?” the thestral asked.

All Noah could do was stand there swaying slightly, smiling like a goof, before he answered “Stime to slleeep” he said moments before collapsing onto the bed. He was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

# # #

Elsewhere in Griffonia, a certain griffoness was also arriving home. The white-feathered griffon made sure to close her home’s huge front door as quietly as possible. Giving a satisfactory nod, she turned to make her way to her bedroom. As she got to the fourth floor where her room was, she came face to face with a member of the staff who had just left the rest room. He stood looking straight at her, eyes wide, and she was much the same.

Finally the griffon sighed and rubbed a taloned hand against the back of his head. “Opal Whitequill... you know that eventually your parents are going to catch you either sneaking in or out, don't you?”

“Maybe, but not tonight,” Opal said with a quiet laugh as she tossed her head to one side to sort out her stray feathers. “Besides, it's not like I'm running off and getting in trouble. All I'm doing is having a good time after all the crap I have to go through all day.”

The male griffon nodded. “I know all that. Just remember they just want you to be ready to take over should the worst happen.”

Opal rolled her eyes. “Ugh! Don't remind me. Got that speech about three times yesterday. Now I'm going to hit the sack. After all, granddad's visiting tomorrow; gotta look my best for him,” she said with a smile as she headed for her room.

The next morning, Opal was standing beside her mother and father, waiting for her grandfather to arrive. She really looked forward to his visits. Out of all her extended family he was the one who she felt really understood her. Finally he arrived, and upon entering the entrance hall, he was greeted by his daughter and son-in-law. Then as he laid his eyes on Opal, he spread his forelegs and gave a big smile. Her regular cue given, Opal smiled and ran to him, giving him a big tight hug and getting one just as tight in return.

“I've missed you, Granddad,” she said as she continued the hug. It lasted for a few more moments.

“I've missed you too, Opal,” Argent Glimfeather said as he let go of his granddaughter.

Author's Note:

And Here it is, Chapter 3. Hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it

Once again HUGE thanks to Goldfur his awesome proof reading.

Comments

[Goldfur]

And within a few moments, I saw a minor error that I missed. They're like Pokémon - gotta catch 'em all!

Looking forward to proofreading the next chapter (and getting to read it before anyone else!)

[Thwaitesy]

7397633 LOL. That is very true, you do don't you.

What is the minor error? I correct it

[Goldfur]

7398396

What is the minor error? I correct it

There is a comma missing after Opal in the very last line.

[Thwaitesy]

7398535 There we go

[Frostgear]

Cool chapter but Noah will probably be out of it for a while after that night.

[Thwaitesy]

7422512 No doubt about it LOL and, Thanks very much.

[TomRedlion]

Nice use of the Jedi Mind Trick.
I'm'hafta put that up on the TVTropes page.

[Thwaitesy]

7425771 Thanks very much.

[Kevin Lee]

Just remember, you've got a fantastic and very well established AU to work in. That's a hell of a lot of responsibility, but this is a very good start. Looking forward to how fucked up the antagonists are finally going to end up!

[Thwaitesy]

8025513 Thanks very much for the compliment. Goldfur is a good friend and he'll often give me pointers on how certain things should be done. But I'll just say Noah and Co. won't be staying with House Path for much longer.