Emperor Despair

by Comrade Bagel Muffin

Allies

The griffon flock escorted the pony train for five days, as they made their way across the barren and dead wilderness. Many of the griffons did not take the fact well, however, fear of Gilda and her temper was more than adequate to keep them from doing anything more than just grumbling about it. On the sixth day the mountains came into view on the horizon, and the griffon flock pulled off returning to their territory. Leaving only Gabriella and Trove, Gilda's second in command behind with the ponies. While Gabriella had already made dozens of friends amongst the crusaders; Trove saw the action as nothing short of banishment, or given how the suicidal little ponies were going to try and negotiate with the dragon of these mountains, it could have been an indirect form of execution.

"So like dragons are these huge lizard things that are like hundreds of ponies tall." Trove walked past Gabriella. Who was regaling two dozen foals with her "knowledge" about dragons. He couldn't help but glare at the young griffon. How she had been so weak willed as to allow herself to become friends. The word itself sounded dirty. How she came from the same flock as himself must have been a sick joke of some kind. He continued walking glad to be out of earshot from the half griffon.

The ponies' response to their certain doom was as varied as the color of their coats. While some allowed themselves to be sedated by Gabriella's stories or their leaders empty assurances, others were much more realistic. He walked past dozens of ponies so full of dreed for what tomorrow would bring that they could hardly sleep at all. They just lay on the ground to tired to resist, but still to strong to just concede to fate. Yet their loyalty to their commanders forced them to stay. He grinned at their weak willed nature. They wouldn't flee from the rest of the herd even if the herd was galloping full speed to certain death.

Finally he arrived at the edge of the camp. The only thing separating him from freedom and life was a single pony colt. Who sat inside one of the covered wagons. Trove would be merciful to the colt a quick clean cut across the throat. After only a second he wouldn't even feel the pain. He should be grateful. The dragon fire which awaited his comrades would be much slower, and unparalleled in its pain.

"Come on why are you not working?" Trove slowly and quietly moved up behind the light blue unicorn with the purple mane. He was still fighting with the two strange books, which he had been trying to decipher for nearly the past two days and nights. The unicorns dedication to his duties were commendable. In fact Trove had not seen him sleep for the past two nights, and he never ate without having one or both of the books open in front of him.

"What are those books for?" Trove asked deciding to sedate his curiosity before he dispatched the colt. What could it hurt after all he might as well, it wasn't like either of them would be here tomorrow.

"They're suppose to have the key to defeating Despair." Comet Dust answered to tired to even be surprised by the griffon that was now looming over him.

"No, don't lie to me. What are those books really for?"

"What?!" Comet Dust spun around eyes alight and red from lack of sleep and strain. "What the heck is your problem?" Trove's feathers puffed out he hadn't expected the colt to be this loud. He cast a glance behind him no one was coming over yet. "If you don't want to stay then go!" Comet pointed in the direction of away. "These books are going to help me save her!" Trove stepped back one of the books barely missing his face. "And damn you if you say otherwise! I'm going to see her again! Do you hear me!?"

"Yes sheesh everyone hears you." He didn't look behind him, he didn't need to. He knew that his shot of just sneaking out of this death trap was over. The colt continued his sleep deprived rant at the griffon. He didn't stop until the orange Pegasus showed up. Even then it took five minutes for him quit yelling.

The two of them walked away leaving the blue colt mumbling to the two books. "So why are you still here?" The orange Pegasus looked at the black feather griffon. "I thought you were booking out of here."

"I am the first lieutenant of the Vanguard flock of the Remnant of Griffonstone." Trove puffed up his feathers. "I will never flee from a battle or disobey an order from my superiors." Scootaloo raised an eyebrow clearly not amused or tricked by the show. "I don't see the purpose in this suicidal mission."

"Then you're free to go."

"I'll be free to be branded a coward and executed." Trove spat back. "Or live in self imposed exile away from my people." He left before Scootaloo could respond.

The assent up the mountain took the better part of the morning. But they had finally arrived at the dragon's cave. The mouth of which was easily as tall as town hall in Ponyville. It took forty minute to decide who would go inside and who would remain outside to guard the retreat if things got ugly.

Thus Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, Gabby, and Trove made their way through the cave. They soon entered the main chamber of the dragon's lair. The ceiling of the immense cavern was littered with stalactites. In the center of the room lay a giant grey dragon with black spines down that ran down the spine of his back.

"So how do you want to go about this?" Scootaloo asked.

"I say quick assassin take down, bonus damage for sneak attacks." Trove smacked Gabriella on the head. "Ow, what was that for?"

"Well we should probably wake him up." Scootaloo looked over at Sweetie Belle and nodded.

"Ya'll should probably cover yer ears? Giffin's hav' ears right?" Gabriella and Trove rolled their eyes, and put their talons over the sides of their heads. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom did likewise as the white unicorn cleared her throat.

"EXCUSSE ME MR. DRAGON CAN WE HAVE A WORD WITH YOU!" The dragon rose and yawned. He stretched out his arms then scratched his back. He looked down at the ponies through half closed eyes.

"We're here for this cave," Gabriella answered as tactlessly as possible warranting another thud to the back of her head. "OW."

"Oh, you've come to take my cave?" The dragon glared down at them his large blue eyes fully opened. "And what pray tell did you think was going to happen? Did you really think that I would just hand my home over to appetizers."

"What no we're not here to take your home from you." Sweetie Belle said. The dragon's eyes narrowed in on the little white unicorn.

"You're not, then why the heck did we spend the last week trudging through that Borias' damned wasteland?" Trove again bobbed Gabriella on the head. "OW! What did I do?" Apple Bloom glared at the two of them before they could continue to negotiate with a dragon whose teeth were easily twice the size of her whole body.

"As my friend was saying, we're more than willing to pay rent while we are staying here." Scootaloo continued for Sweetie Belle; who for the moment was doing a good job of impersonating her older sister during a bad day. The dragon shifted his gaze to the Pegasus with the abnormally little wings.

"I could always use a snack."

"That's great news we gots tons o' gems, rubies, sapphires, diamonds." Apple Bloom began, listing out their gems before being cut of by the dragons laughter. Which caused the ground to shake.

"Gems why would I eat gems when I have so many tasty ponies?"

"We can also give you something else, pony kinds greatest magic and most treasured possession," Scootaloo said quickly not liking the direction that the conversation had gone in. The dragon raised an eyebrow as his eyes focused once again on the little Pegasus.

"And what is that?"

"Ew, ew I know the answer I know the answer." Gabriella cleared her throat as five pairs of eyes glared at the completely oblivious griffon. "Friendship." Again the floor and walls of the cave shook with the dragon's laughter. Trove face palmed, as the three ponies turned their glares to the dragon.

"Do I look like a fool to you?" The dragons voice trailed off as his silted eyes focused on something beyond the three CMC and two griffons. "Those books." he whispered with, a sense of wonder on the edge of his voice.

"Guys I need some level of quite to work on these things, earthquake levels of laughter is just a bit much don't you think." Comet Dust looked up from one of the books. "What why is everybody looking at me for.

"Those books if you have them then that means." The dragon looked down regarding each of the ponies and griffons in front of him with a new light. "That would mean that." He smiled putting two and two together and coming up with an answer he liked an answer he liked very well. "You know, I think we can work out an arrangement."

Many of the younger members of the CMC didn't know how to respond to the giant dragon. Many of them walked through the main chamber with expressions somewhere between fear and awe. The few braver or more curious members would step out of line, and try to walk up to the large reptile. An act that Scootaloo actively discouraged. He may have accepted their offer of gems after he saw the books, but he still had toyed with the idea of eating them for lunch. The dragon himself watched with a bemused smile as Scootaloo went about intercepting the little ponies who were trying to walk up to him. He admired the little pegasus' desire to protect the little ones almost as much as he was surprised by the
shear number who attempted to approach him, so many of the little ponies seemed to lack fear, or at least so many more than he originally thought.

"Hello mister," a little grey unicorn with slight blond mane said looking up at him. Scootaloo's head jerked around. Her eyes locked onto Dinky, who sat in front of their mildly amused host.

"Well aren't you the brave little pony." The dragon laughed Scootaloo already moving in to derail the potential disaster.

"Why would that be, mister?" The sincerity in her voice stopped the both of them cold.

"Well," the dragon began. "Because, I am a big dragon and you are a little pony." He stood up to his full height. The spins on his back all became erect. The largest of which scrapped the top of the ceiling causing a few pebbles to fall to the floor below.

"A very, very big dragon," Dinky said standing on her tippy hooves and spreading her forehooves out as far as she could. The action caused her to lose balance and fall backward. Her sister caught her with her telekinesis, and set her gentle back down on the ground. Dinky looked back up at the dragon blushing slightly.

"You're not scared of dragons little filly?"

"Why should I be?" Amethyst walked up to her sister's side.

"Because I could eat you?"

"You won't though."

"I could if I wanted and there would be nothing you could do to stop me." Scootaloo's blood went cold.

"You won't though. I can tell." The dragon looked at her quizzically. "My mommy taught me how to tell the difference between good things and bad things and you're a good dragon who won't hurt me. Or any of us, and I wanted to thank you for letting us live her."

"Your mommy sounds very wise. I'd like to meet her." Instantly the little filly's face became dark and downcast. Tears started to pool in her eyes. "When we save her I'd like you to introduce me." The dragon gently lifted her head with his claw being sure not to accidently cut her. She smile and nodded. "No run along my little pony, you don't want to get stuck with a bad room now do you?" Dinky shock her head, and Amethyst walked back with her into line.

After all the CMC had made their way deeper into the cave Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo walked to the deepest camber the shielding crystals floating behind them.

"This place is perfect for now," Scootaloo said. Her voice echoed through the deeper parts of the cave.

"I'd say so there's no way that we will be taken off guard." Apple Bloom agreed. Sweetie Belle's horn glowed a faint blue; the pillars that held the shielding gems floated in to a circle along the perimeter of the cavern.

"One thing is for sure we are further from Canterlot and Despair's influence."