Darkened Shores

by Silver Flare

09: Spark and Tinder

The persistent coniferous forests began to break apart as the train neared the coast. Eroded knobs of rock thrust their way out of the ground, pushing the trees aside. Twilight smelled the ocean before she saw it; a salty and refreshing smell undercut by something only faintly unpleasant. It was an interesting smell, and Twilight, a purple unicorn once again, decided immediately that she liked it. Conversations fell into a hush as the train crested a small rise, revealing an irregular coast bordering an endless bluish-green expanse of water. A large town clustered atop what appeared to be a bluff or cliff, surrounded by grasslands and farms. Evening was falling, and the stark shadows lengthening across the landscape made the entirety of the town appear vivid and unreal, like a skilled painting.

As the train drew closer to their destination, Pinkie Pie pointed out her window. “Hey! There’s a gryphon flying up there!”

“Really?” Dash leaned her head out of her window. “Yeah, there’s a few.”

“Actually, the population of Nova Coltia is gryphon by majority.” Twilight began in a tone her friends recognized all too well.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and groaned. “Here we go.”

Twilight didn’t notice. She closed her eyes and held up a hoof as she entered her own full-fledged lecture mode. “Seven hundred and, let’s see. . . twenty-eight years ago Equestria gifted Nova Coltia and its environs to the Soverign of the gryphon nations, one Grand Kieree Rearrk as a refuge from the political infighting at the time and as a peace offering between our nations. The extra land and access to prime fishing areas off the coast helped to stabilize Rearrk’s grip on the throne and prevent a civil war. Which legally means that we’re outside the borders of Equestria, by the way. In return, the gryphon King declared that all gryphons born within the town limits of Nova Coltia be given pony names. Their major exports are fish, hardy northern vegetables, technological advancements and small novelty items. Their major imports are steel and textiles. The bay, located at the base of the cliff beyond was named after Sir Hedge Hoofton, a charter of inlets who spent his early years. . .”

“Twilight!” Rainbow Dash fairly shouted. “When do you inhale?”

Celestia laughed aloud. “Actually, Twilight Sparkle, I gave Rearrk the land for an entirely different reason. But he was genuine and kind, so I figured keeping him on the throne was of tremendous benefit to his subjects.”

The purple unicorn looked as though she’d stumbled a bit. “So. . . what don’t the textbooks know? Why did you give all this land away?”

Celestia’s reply came just as the train began braking, pulling into the train’s final destination. “He was a tinker.”

Twilight nodded as she stood to grab her bags. “You’ve been planning this for a long time, haven’t you Princess? You needed a place where you could hide a transport capable of crossing the ocean.”

Celestia nodded her agreement. “I also needed a place outside the reach of Equestrian law to avoid the questions that might arise. And I needed engineers who would be willing to work on my secret project.” As the train lurched to a complete stop, Celestia grew serious. “Everypony, please gather around. It is of the utmost importance you tell nopony where we intend to go. If certain members of this town, or of any gryphon nation, discover we intend to cross the ocean it could mean very real trouble for all of us. Do you understand?” Seven solemn heads nodded up and down. “Good. The major gryphon religion revolves around what they call the Words of the Ancients; a collection of scrolls written ages ago detailing, among many other things, terrible horrors befalling the world should anyone cross the ocean. Many of the Reformed Tarsonites I’ve met would sooner die than allow anyone to attempt an ocean crossing.”

Applejack looked like she’d stepped in something even she found distasteful. “Well isn’t that a lick o’ horsespittle. Who in their right minds would die for some story on an old scroll?”

Celestia pondered that for a moment. “The stories are both harsh and deliberately terrifying. In retrospect, we may have gotten a bit carried away when Luna and I wrote them.”

Fourteen eyes went from wide to wider. Spike said slowly, “You know, Princess, sometimes you can be kind of scary.”

Celestia sighed, and for a moment her eyes actually looked old. “I know, Spike.”

When the companions saddled their things and stepped onto the train platform, Celestia froze in place. She didn’t outwardly betray any fear or uncertainty, but Twilight instantly knew something was wrong. She began searching through the crowd of disembarking passengers and new patrons, many of them staring back at her or her friends. She saw more gryphons than she’d ever seen before, some with brightly colored feathers, some with mechanical oculars or wing-struts. Twilight’s inner scientist gasped with joy, but was slowly beaten down by her alarm as she forced herself to continue to look around. There were several ponies, a couple of reindeer, a mule near the ticket counter, and. . . There! Walking through the crowd towards us. She spotted a gryphon with grey feathers speckled with white dressed in full armor, an insignia resembling two crossed feathers overlaid atop two crossed talons on its helmet. That looks official.

“Oh, this town looks like fun!” Pinkie Pie had stopped with everyone else, but she continued to bounce in place. “I wonder what they have to eat around here. When can we see the ocean?”

Applejack had a couple of apples leftover from the train ride, and she took one of them out and absently shoved it in Pinkie’s mouth while she waited to see what the Princess would do. Celestia waited with a patient air as the well-armed gryphon made her way through the crowd. When she drew near enough to speak, the dappled gryphon bowed over one foreclaw. “Princess Celestia of Equestria, our monarch bids you welcome to the humble port town of Nova Coltia.” She withdrew a small scroll from a tube slung over her shoulder. “His Majesty, King Aurak Rirton, desires an audience to be held in the potentate suite above town hall, at sundown.” The messenger stood straight, bearing the impression that she would stand forever without even twitching until she received a response, but she did so without making eye-contact.

Celestia offered a genuine smile, but it came a quarter-second later than it should have. “Of course. We would be honored to attend.” Celestia levitated the scroll out of the gryphon’s foreclaws and nodded a polite dismissal. The messenger clacked her beak in acknowledgement and pivoted smartly on one foreclaw, her striped feline-half following her away. Twilight looked up at her mentor with worry in her eyes.

“Soooo, that’s good, right?” Rainbow Dash glanced around the crowd. “Drop by and say ‘hi’ while we’re in town?”

Celestia, without losing her poise, began walking forward. The crowd parted from their way as conversations throughout the train station stopped. “If only things were so simple, Rainbow Dash.” She said quietly over her shoulder. And she refused to say more. She led them through town, nodding cordially to passerby and ignoring the stunned overreactions the populace tended to display. The town was nice enough, with streets lined with stores and the occasional dwelling. Nova Coltia only appeared slightly bigger than Ponyville, but Twilight knew that was only because few gryphon homes would be visible. A couple of the large cloud masses hanging above might house some of them, but the majority of gryphons would have carved their homes into the cliff facing the ocean.

That didn’t surprise Twilight. What did strike her was the strange aura of subtle desperation that hung about the place. It was difficult to point out any one thing, but it could be seen in the cracked shutters on one building, a sagging porch on another. The gryphons and ponies they passed seemed to be in a hurry, or maybe just slightly less friendly than she was used to. She’d learned a little about alternate economic structures in her studies in Canterlot, but it’d never really struck her as tangible before.

They stopped at a bakery, cringing away from the seafood selections, although Rarity tried a seaweed-alfalfa wrap and declared it most palatable. Then Celestia guided them to a park with a beautiful view of the sea, the local docks and the magnificently complex crane used to haul cargo and crew alike up the high cliff face. Twilight studied its intricate workings with a distracted eye. Aside from the occasional gryphon or pegasus pony soaring above, they were left alone. “Princess,” Twilight asked, “What’s going on? Why is the King so far from his capitol?”

The half-set sun cast a shadow over Celestia’s expression; a look of apprehension and resolve. “This isn’t as bad as it seems.” She said to herself. She sounded doubtful, as though she was trying to convince herself. “A semi-private audience, rather than a public display?” She seemed to be talking mostly herself. “He’s giving us an opportunity. I’d rather not waste it.” She turned to Rarity. “I need you to take everyone over to the Fitting Inn, two blocks south of here and to the right. I need you to get us two rooms, top floor but opposite ends of the hotel. Do you understand?”

Rarity nodded, her bright blue eyes wide and serious. “Of course, your Highness.”

As the ponies and Spike turned to go, Celestia added, “Not you, Twilight Sparkle. I’d like you to come with me.” Twilight gave her mentor a small smile, but her heart wasn’t in it. They angled towards a tall building overlooking the park. It was an imposing structure, with lots of pillars out front and gargoyles crouched along the rooftop. The inside of what must have been Nova Coltia’s town hall matched the outside, with large, heavy doors and vaulted ceilings. It all brought to mind something the Princess had said long ago about the importance of trying to impress foreign powers. Twilight shook her head. Politics. Bleh.

A pair of bronze and cobalt-plated gryphons opened the front doors for them, and several more guards stood at attention in the entrance chamber within. One opened another door, this one slid sideways on a mechanical pulley system of some sort. Twilight’s interest peaked as she wondered how it worked, and she failed to notice that she’d followed Celestia into a box. As the door closed behind them, she looked up to Celestia questioningly just before the floor leapt up under her hooves. Twilight squeaked and splayed her legs for balance as the elevator sped them to the top floor. Celestia cracked a tiny smile.

When the elevator stopped and the door opened again, Twilight remembered all at once that she was supposed to look dignified. She was here representing her country, after all. She hurriedly adjusted the Element atop her head and checked to make sure her mane fell properly as she followed Celestia out into a hallway. Through another pair of guards and another pair of double doors the pair entered an elaborate study. Scroll-lined shelved graced two of the walls in a room paneled in some rich, dark wood. Various gadgets and inventions lined the third wall, some of them in display cases and others looking well-used. Twilight found it terribly difficult to pry her eyes off of the science and focus upon the royalty.

A gryphon rose from behind a desk covered with parchment, old enough to look like a natural leader but still young enough to appear strong and formidable. His ebony feathers contrasted with the forest green of the light cloak he wore over his shoulders, fastened with a clasp that might have cost a small fortune. As he rose, he nodded his head towards the Princess, and she nodded back. A bodyguard and what looked like a pair of advisors all bowed low, so Twilight followed suit, bowing towards their king. His voice, while rich and deep also sounded worn. “Princess Celestia, it’s been too long. Welcome to Nova Coltia.”

When Rarity led the six of them through the front door of the Inn, she gasped in horror. The main room was a poorly kept tavern with walls of worn wood paneling and cheap, threadbare carpeting near the entrance. The stools and benches scattered haphazardly throughout the dim, hazy bar area were both rickety and in terrible taste, much like the clientele.

“My goodness!” Rarity exclaimed, scandalized. She had clearly been expecting something more along the lines of their previous lodgings. “When was the last time this place bought new lampshades?”

Every eye in the place turned to stare, most of them glaring down beaks at the newcomers. None of them looked particularly friendly. Fluttershy squeaked and hid behind Rainbow Dash’s tail. Dash shrugged and said, “It doesn’t seem that bad. But hey, do you think we should find another place?”

“No!” Rarity and Applejack said in unison. Applejack continued, “Celestia named this here place in specific. I reckon it’s for a powerful good reason.”

Rarity sighed and closed her eyes. “Applejack, dear, please pay attention to your participles. They’re all over the place.”

“They are?” Applejack immediately began checking her packs, making sure things weren’t falling out.

“Well I think this place looks swell!” Pinkie Pie said a little too loudly. She bounced over to the bartender, a grim-looking gryphon glaring over a row of crude mugs. “Hi! We need two rooms, I think! What’s your name?”

Rarity gently shoved Pinkie Pie out of the way (‘Waugh!’ Pinkie fell to the floor). “Pardon us, sir, but we do require a pair of rooms on the top floor. You are the proprietor, yes?”

The bartender nodded, and then plucked a fish up from behind the counter and swallowed it whole. Rainbow Dash made a very rude noise clarifying what she thought of fish as a food source, but Rarity managed to limit herself to a single eye twitch. The bartender licked his beak and spoke. “Sure, we can. That’ll be. . .” He eyed their golden necklaces inset with jewels. “100 bits.”

“What?!?” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

“Hi! How ya’ doin’?” Pinkie Pie approached a corner table where five scruffy and salty-looking individuals hunched and scowled into their drinks.

“Each.” The bartender smiled, and it was only sort-of friendly.

Rarity glared at the gryphon, who easily stood a head taller than she. Then she glanced around the main room again and sighed. “Agreed.” She said, “On two conditions. One, the rooms must be far apart. One of us snores.”

“Hey!” Spike sounded offended.

“And two,” Rarity leaned forward and whispered intensely. “Buy some new lampshades for this place. Maybe something in a soft green. You’re by the sea, for hoof’s sake! Make a bit of an effort to impress, and maybe your business will pick up, hmmm?”

The gryphon’s expression melted from cunning to surprised before he glanced around his establishment with what might have been construed as a guilty look. Rarity spoke over her shoulder. “Applejack, Rainbow Dash? Would you two mind taking Spike and Fluttershy up to get us settled in?” Rarity glanced across the tavern and sighed heavily. “I’m going to go save Pinkie Pie from herself.” The pink pony had already wedged herself into the booth next to one of the looming gryphons, and she was talking animatedly.

“King Rirton, you are looking well.”

“Gracious as always.” He tactfully evaded a comment about Celestia’s somewhat travelled look. “But sojourning beyond your borders without proper escort? Is that quite safe in these troubled times, Celestia?”

Princess Celestia glanced down at Twilight, who met her gaze. “I am as safe as may be, Rirton.”

“Ah yes,” The gryphon emerged from behind his desk and approached the pair. “The Element of Magic. I suppose you are ‘as safe as may be.’” From up close, Twilight could make out the elegantly crossed feathers making up the clasp on his cloak. They were cleverly studded with jewels to make them shimmer with reflected light. He looked down his beak at her, but his smile was warm. “I must admit, the tales concerning your student implied she might be. . . taller.” Twilight lifted an eyebrow in confusion.

“Is that so?” Celestia’s smile grew wider. “Well, I do apologize for the lack of notice, Rirton. I simply had no wish to bother you with trivial matters. This visit will be short lived.”

“Is that so?” He asked with a little more force than necessary as he turned back toward his work. “Rumor has it that Equestria has had a spot of trouble recently. Something about changelings?”

“Rumor would be correct in this instance. However, Chrysalis and her armies were summarily routed.” Celestia confirmed.

“Yes, the reports were quite clear on that point. So, you feel your kingdom is ‘as safe as may be,’ correct?” The King scratched his beak in a gesture that looked subtly doubtful.

Celestia smiled. “I have left very capable hooves in my place. I assure you, I’m quite comfortable attending to other matters.”

The gryphon’s brown eyes widened, and he nodded. Twilight suddenly realized that, although Chrysalis had cast Celestia down in front of every guest at her brother’s wedding, there was almost no one around when Chrysalis was defeated. It was only her and her friends and her brother, Spike, Celestia, and Cadance. And while they had re-told the story to a few of their friends in Ponyville, Twilight was willing to bet every book in her library that most ponies just assumed that Celestia and Luna had taken out the changelings. And here Celestia was, letting a foreign ruler assume exactly that. It was downright dishonest.

While Twilight fumed to herself, Rirton continued. “Well, that’s a relief. You know that, should international issues of such a scale arise, our treaties will hold. We would gladly offer Equestria our military support.”

“Let’s both hope it doesn’t come to that.”

The King nodded his assent. Then he sighed deeply, glancing towards the settling gloom of night. “Of course,” He began reluctantly, “There are other rumors floating about. Rumors of an airship capable of crossing the ocean entire.” His tone clearly implied that such a thing would be awful if it were true. “Rumors that someone clearly intends to commit blasphemy of the most direct and troubling nature.” He turned a very direct stare upon Celestia. “I wonder if there is any truth to these rumors as well.”

Celestia didn’t waver. Not in the slightest. “I wouldn’t believe every rumor I heard, Rirton.” Twilight tried very, very hard not to twitch. The Princess smiled. “It’s simply a routine visit. I must ensure none of Equestria’s holdings have been. . . compromised. You understand, don’t you?

The king of the gryphons nodded, focusing on a point on the well-polished floor. “Of course. Well, that is a relief.” He turned and paced over to the window, looking out over the street below. “I do apologize for requesting an audience before you’ve had time to recuperate from your travels, but my subjects required answer to these. . . apparently ephemeral rumors. I hope you understand.”

“I understand perfectly.”

“Good. Shall I have accommodations prepared for you and your retainer?”

Celestia smiled. “That won’t be necessary, but thank you for the offer.”

The gryphon glanced towards them from the window and paused for a beat, giving Celestia time to elaborate. When she didn’t, he conceded with a subtle nod. “Again, thank you for allaying my hesitations. Please, enjoy your stay here in Nova Coltia.”

“I shall.” Celestia turned to leave. “Twilight?”

Twilight bowed once again to the King of the gryphons, who nodded in return. Then she hurried after the Princess.

As night truly fell, and Luna’s moon peeked over the horizon, the worn fishing town acquired a peaceful charm. The entire town seemed to have retired to their beds as night fell. Twilight vaguely wondered how normal that was for a coastal fishing town, and whether their presence had anything to do with it. If rumors of Celestia’s intent had reached the townsfolk, then that could be a very real possibility. Celestia and Twilight walked north together in silence. Twilight studied the sidewalk in front of her. After a few blocks, the Princess stopped mid-stride along an empty stretch of street. A few steps later, Twilight stopped and looked back.

Celestia’s voice was quiet and soft with concern. “Twilight, what’s wrong?”

The purple unicorn broke eye contact to keep herself from glowering at her sovereign. She said nothing for a few moments, hoping that Celestia would drop it and keep moving. When she didn’t, Twilight took a deep breath. “Thank you.” She said.

Celestia’s brow furrowed. “What for?”

Twilight kept her gaze firmly averted. “That’s what I should say, right? I mean, I asked you a simple question about your age, and now look where we are. You’ve given me plenty of answers, and I guess I should be grateful instead of pushing for more.” She didn’t sound particularly grateful.

“I’ve told you as much as I can Twilight.”

Twilight’s gaze snapped up and her voice dropped to a whisper. “Then why won’t you explain what the changelings want the Elements for?”

Celestia recoiled from the question. She clearly hadn’t been expecting it. “I told you, I can’t be certain.” A faint edge of annoyance had crept into the Princess’s voice.

“But you have a pretty good idea, don’t you?” Twilight’s confrontational stance had lost steam. She sounded more sullen than angry, even to herself. When Celestia didn’t respond, Twilight nodded to herself. “I don’t blame you. I’ve spent hours just trying to imagine what it must be like to live forever. Our lives must seem so short to you, I’m kind of amazed you bother explaining anything to us mortals at all.”

“Twilight Sparkle!” Celestia didn’t raise the volume of her voice, but it was as angry as Twilight had ever heard it.

Twilight held up a hoof in self-defense. “I’m sorry, maybe I didn’t say that quite right. I just. . . I know I wouldn’t explain everything to me. . . I just don’t get why you lied to another leader. . .”

“That’s enough!” Again, Celestia’s voice was pitched low despite its sharpness. “We will speak of this later.” Celestia marched forward at a brisk pace, and Twilight hurried to catch up. Why do I have to pick a fight with Celestia about this? She thought frantically to herself. Why can’t I just let her have her secrets and trust her? Everypony else seems to have no problem doing it! Why can’t I? Because She answered herself, If a pony has nothing to hide they shouldn’t ever need to lie. Also, if I’m being honest, I’d really hoped that she could trust me, if nopony else. But then a darker thought occurred to her. Maybe Celestia knows about my violent thoughts. Maybe she doesn’t trust me, and she actually has good reason. A chill that had nothing to do with the temperature ran down Twilight’s back.

Twilight had noticed that they had been walking the wrong direction since they left town hall, and Celestia’s silence on the topic of royal dishonesty confirmed her suspicions. The Princess was worried that they were being followed or tracked somehow. So Twilight wasn’t surprised to see Celestia’s horn glow faintly as they approached a nice hotel in an upscale section of town. When Celestia put out a hoof to stop Twilight in her tracks, she complied without hesitation or confusion. What made her eyes widen in astonishment was seeing the pair of them continue walking down the street. The entirely convincing illusion Celestia turned and said something to the illusion Twilight before they seemingly opened the hotel door and walked in. So, Twilight thought to herself as she allowed Celestia to slowly guide her into the mouth of an alley. That’s what I look like from behind.

At the same time the real Celestia had vanished from sight. Twilight could only tell where she was because she felt her hoof on her chest. They spent maybe a full minute standing next to the mouth of an alley just keeping still and breathing slowly before a pair of gryphons walked by, their talons clicking on the ground with each stride. Twilight tracked them with her eyes. They passed by without even glancing in their direction. We must be under a veil. Twilight thought with a fair amount of admiration. The gryphons wore no armor or adornments, but when they reached the entrance to the hotel, one ducked inside while the other took to the wing, quickly flapping out of sight.

Twilight allowed herself a small sigh of relief. They’d thrown off the King’s informants, now they just had to make their way back to the place where Celestia had sent everyone else. With a whispered word, Celestia led Twilight deeper into the alley. Twilight felt as though she’d had the breath knocked out of her. The amount of precision and mental control needed to perform two veils and a detailed illusion at the same time was awe-inspiring. And her veils were nearly flawless. There was only a faint smudging of the air in front of her to let her know she wasn’t walking alone. Glancing down, Twilight found she couldn’t see herself at all. Perhaps only a student of advanced magics could truly appreciate the complexity involved. Had Twilight been pressed for an earth pony analogy, she might have likened such an exercise to balancing on one hoof on the edge of a hay cart as it bounced down a dirt path. While reciting Shakespony ballads in reverse. While trying to hold on to a struggling rabbit. And blinking in a complicated pattern.

When they reached a particularly shadowy stretch, Celestia spoke very quietly. “Twilight Sparkle. We don’t have time for explanations. I need to know right now whether or not you trust me.” Celestia still sounded angry, but her soft voice also sounded strained.

Twilight hesitated, but she assented with a soft “Yes.”

Celestia accepted that answer with a grim sigh. “Okay, I need you to hold these veils while I take us across town. We need to get all of us out of Nova Coltia tonight. Now, if possible.”

“Princess? I really haven’t practiced veils much.” She didn’t add that they’d always seemed dishonest to use around Ponyville. Tricking her friends into thinking she wasn’t there or wasn’t listening in? What would Applejack say? Without seeing anything but the bricks of the building beside her, Twilight could nevertheless feel Celestia’s disapproving glare. She mentally reviewed the turns they’d made. “But, I think I can backtrack us both quickly if you keep us invisible.”

“So be it.” Celestia whispered, “We need to go four blocks back. . .”

“. . . down. . .” Celestia’s whisper died on her lips as the pair silently appeared in the middle of an empty street. Celestia barely had time to smile to herself before they vanished again, this time appearing on a sidewalk outside of the town hall building. Celestia’s smile faded, replaced by concern. “Twilight. . .” She whispered.

“Two blocks south of the park?” Twilight panted softly. “I think I can see it from here. Right.” They disappeared again. When they reappeared, it was next to a dingy and sagging building that almost seemed to be leaning against the building next to it. A rusted metal sign clearly proclaimed it the Fitting Inn.

“We’re here. Now what?” Twilight whispered. Celestia hesitated, and before she could say anything the pair heard a loud squeal, coupled with a cluster of gruff-sounding voices. “That sounded like Pinkie!” Twilight whispered, and she cantered around the building and into the dark alley beside it. Near the end of the alley she thought she saw a pink mane surrounded by hulking shapes. She tried to make as little noise as she could as she charged in. Whatever these monsters wanted with her friend, they couldn’t possibly be prepared for the world of hurt Twilight would put them in if Pinkie Pie had even one lock of mane out of place.

Pinkie Pie’s voice pierced Twilight’s mental preparations. “. . . and then I said, ‘Oatmeal? Are you crazy?’” Several loud voices burst into laughter; four gryphons, a pegasus pony who might have been a mauve color, or some variant thereof, and Rarity. The din muffled the sound of Twilight’s invisible charge and the scrabbling of hooves as she slid to a stop.

Rarity seemed to be truly enjoying herself, which was very strange indeed in a shadowy and filthy back alley. She wiped a tear from her eye and spoke. “Oh Pinkie Pie, that story is a gem! I’m simply shocked I haven’t heard it before.”

The gryphon next to Rarity, with a grimy and bespectacled osprey-looking face and orange and brown wing bars, recovered her composure and said, “That reminds me of my cousin up in Chickoutimi. If he even looks at a table of pastries or a public theatre, it’s followed by some sort of disaster.”

There was another round of laughter, and Twilight rolled her eyes. She walked up next to Pinkie Pie and, with an effort of will, shed the veil Celestia had been holding in place. Pinkie Pie didn’t notice her, nor did she notice everyone else stopping and staring, so Twilight reached out and touched her flank. “Pinkie, we need to. . .”

“WAUGH!!!” Pinkie Pie leapt into the air and fell over on her rear, eliciting another roar of laughter from the group. Even Rarity chuckled. Pinkie Pie giggled. “Oh, it’s you Twilight! You got me good! You’d be a great prankster, did you know that?”

“It’s time to go, isn’t it Twilight?” Rarity, ever diplomatic, completed Twilight’s original thought.

Twilight nodded. Pinkie Pie leapt to her feet. “But I haven’t even introduced you to my new friends! This is Lidrith, Greybeak, Shimmerwing, Salt Hooves, and. . . Aurui? Am I saying that right?”

Each gryphon nodded in turn, until the pegasus came up. His voice was low and scratchy. “It’s Aurruri. You can’t roll your ‘r’s, can you?”

“Nope!” Pinkie Pie responded.

“Wait,” Twilight glanced around, “So, your name is ‘Salt Hooves?’” She pointed towards the gryphon in glassicals.

The gryphon in question rolled her eyes and buried her face in her foreclaw. “It’s a long, long story.”

Rarity smiled at each of them in turn. “Well, it has most certainly been a pleasure getting to know each of you. Do take care of yourselves, will you?”

A general round of nods and murmurs ensued, including Aurruri adding, “Thanks again, Rarity! I’ll be sure to try out that mane brush you gave me.”

“Oh, think nothing of it. I packed two.” Twilight lifted an eyebrow at her. Rarity looked only slightly chagrined.

After another round of goodbyes and promises to visit, the quintet dispersed, walking or winging their way home. Pinkie Pie bounced twice in place and hit Twilight with a very energetic hug. “Oh, I’m so happy to see you! This vacation is so much fun! Hey, where’s PrOOOF!”

Twilight shoved a hoof in her face. “Let’s regroup before we tackle questions, okay? Where is everypony?” She glanced back to the alley entrance, but there was nothing to see.

Rarity turned to a door hidden in the shadows, leading the way. “We got a pair of rooms. Come with me.” Twilight took her hoof back and followed Rarity’s purple tail inside.

Pinkie Pie smacked her lips a couple of times, a distasteful expression on her face. “Why can’t anypony just say ‘shh?’ Honestly? Hey, wait for me!” She cantered after her friends.

The trio made their way up a deserted and poorly-lit rear staircase to the fourth floor. The dingy carpeting led past a number of identical doors to an open balcony in one direction, and curved out of sight in the other, presumably towards other rooms. After glancing at the room numbers, Rarity led them towards the balcony and stopped at the last room, knocking politely on the door.

Rainbow Dash opened it from the other side. She sighed in relief when she saw the three of them. “Good.” She said to Rarity. “I was starting to get worried that you and Pinkie might need rescuing. Oh hey Twilight. Where’s the Princess?” Fluttershy appeared in the doorway and smiled at everyone.

“I’m right here.” Celestia’s voice came from right next to Pinkie Pie.

“WAUGH!!!” Pinkie Pie leapt into the air and fell over on her flank. Again. Rainbow Dash chuckled as Fluttershy’s eyes went very wide. Even Twilight smiled.

Celestia did not appear, but her voice continued. “I’m sorry my friends, but we cannot stay. Please gather anything you’ve unpacked. We are leaving.”

“Oh, okay.” Fluttershy turned back into the room.

Rainbow Dash snorted. “I don’t think she’d say that if she knew how much these rooms cost. . .” She muttered under her breath.

“I take it Applejack and Spike are in the other room?” Celestia asked.

“Yeah, they should be.” Rainbow Dash turned to help Fluttershy gather up their things.

Rarity rattled off the other room number. Celestia continued. “Good. We must leave at once. Please hurry.” Rarity followed the Princess’s voice down the hall as they left.

Pinkie Pie snickered from the floor. “She rules the land from the shadows. . . The Unseen and the Unsmelled. . . She’s an alicorn Princess, or so we’re told. . .”

Rainbow Dash joined in. “Yeah, and nopony ever breaks the law, because she might be standing right behind you!”

Fluttershy appeared with fully packed bags and a very serious expression. “Stop it you two. You need to be more careful with what you say out loud.” She slipped past them and started down the hallway. She flipped her light-pink mane over one shoulder. “Invisilestia might be listening.” Dash and Pinkie Pie glanced at one another, and then they both fell over laughing.

The companions met up in a small room in the opposite corner of the building, where Rarity had found Applejack and Spike. Once everyone was in the room and the door closed behind them, Celestia dropped her veil. “HOLY HAYSTACKS!!!” Applejack shouted as she lunged sideways, tripped over her packs and tumbled to the floor. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie broke into a fresh bout of laughter.

Twilight stared in wonder. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” She gestured with her horn accusingly.

Celestia allowed herself a small, guilty smile as she picked up Applejack’s hat and hoofed it back to her. Then her face grew serious. “I am sorry for not explaining my plans earlier, but I wasn’t certain how we would proceed until I got the chance to meet with the King.”

Rarity’s eyes fairly shone. “Oh, did you meet with him? What is he like?”

Twilight shrugged. “He seemed really nice. Formidable, but nice.”

“He knows, Twilight Sparkle. That’s why he’s here, in Nova Coltia.” Celestia’s gaze swept the company. “Somehow, the whole town knows, or at least suspects.”

Pinkie Pie had been bouncing on one of the rickety cots, but she stopped, saying, “Hey, I didn’t say a word to anypony about our trip. Pinkie promise!”

Celestia nodded. “I know Pinkie. I’m afraid that a spy must have worked its way into my airship crew. I just hope they’re all unharmed. I don’t want any bloodshed over this.”

Applejack rubbed the grime off the corner of a window and peeked out. “Just so’s we’re clear, you don’t want to spend the night?”

Celestia shook her head no. “We cannot.”

“And thank goodness. . .” Rarity murmured, glaring at the shabby furnishings with distaste. “I mean, just look at these bedspreads. . .”

Rainbow Dash glanced around the room. “For once, I agree with Rarity. But we aren’t just walking out, are we?”

“I have a plan.” Celestia said. “We will gather in the alley below. Twilight, you can provide us with transportation, can’t you?”

Twilight nodded. “A transmutation spell, sure. So long as somepony here has an apple I can work with.”

Applejack popped a couple out of her pack. Celestia continued. “Good, now once we’re in, I’ll need. . .”

“Something’s wrong.” Fluttershy’s voice was barely audible, but it stopped Celestia in her tracks. In the silence that followed, the sound of flapping wings – several sets of them - could clearly be heard.

Celestia gasped. “Impossible.”

Spike peeked out the window Applejack had cleaned off. “Um, you might want to break out the extra tea set, because we’ve got company.”

Pinkie Pie’s ears drooped. “What do we do?”

“Panic?” Fluttershy suggested.

“I think we need a new plan.” Twilight slung her bags over her flank.

Celestia’s eyes unfocused for a few moments. She nodded sharply to herself. “Twilight, if Rainbow Dash and I can draw them off, can you get everypony else out of town?” Rainbow Dash glanced at the Princess with excitement gleaming in her eyes.

Twilight hesitated. “Um, I think so, your Highness.”

Celestia cantered up next to the door. “Rainbow, with me. And do exactly as I say.” Rainbow Dash nodded and zipped over, throwing her back against the door. “We have to buy them some time. Twilight, there’s a dirt road headed south out of town, near the coastline. Follow it for three miles and it will fork. Head towards the ocean. When you come to a set of docks, there’ll be a large island not far from the coast. Meet us there.”

Twilight nodded and turned to the south-facing window, prying it open. A gentile night breeze blew in, tousling her mane. Glancing upwards, Twilight thought she could see distant black shapes high in the night sky, no doubt keeping an eye on the streets below. She suddenly wondered to herself just how badly these gryphons wanted to keep them all from making this trip. Would they hurt us to stop us? Would they kill us? Twilight stepped back from the window. “Okay everypony, gather around me and stay close.” Spike climbed atop Applejack’s back, sitting forward of her packs and holding on to her mane. Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Rarity all clustered around Twilight as she let her eyes track south, beyond the buildings. She picked a distant spot and focused on it just as a polite knock resounded through the room. Everyone startled and glanced at the door.

“Excuse me.” The voice on the other side of the door said. “Room service.” Pinkie Pie’s face lit up with a happy smile, but Celestia gave her a meaningful look and shook her head no. Pinkie Pie’s face fell. Twilight tried to block out everything in the room to focus on her spell. Her horn began to glow faintly.

Another knock, more assertive this time. Celestia caught Rainbow Dash’s eye and nodded towards the door. Rainbow Dash nodded in understanding and cleared her throat. “Just a minute! Getting dressed in here!” Applejack threw Rainbow Dash a look that clearly said Really? Dash just shrugged in response. Long moments dragged by through the thick tension, and still Twilight hadn’t cast her spell. Rarity began lightly tapping a hoof against the floor, glancing from the door to Twilight and back.

A loud crash resonated through the building; the sound of a distant door being smashed open. A moment later the door behind Celestia jumped in its frame. If her shoulder hadn’t been set against it, it probably would have burst open at once. Rainbow Dash set her hooves and leaned against the door with all her strength. The door lurched again.

Twilight didn’t think she could do it. This wasn’t a modest clearing she intended to leap across. This was a solid mile or more. If it was just her, Twilight knew she could make it that distance. Herself and one or two others? Probably. But it’d be a massive strain. But all six of them? Beads of sweat broke out along her brow as the door shook a third time.

“Twilight. . .” Pinkie Pie’s voice was tight with worry.

She could teleport them all down to street level and proceed from there, but they’d be easy to spot from the air. They’d be surrounded before they’d gone two blocks. I have to get this right. Twilight thought.

“Any time now!” Rainbow Dash shouted from the doorway. The doorframe split on the next impact.

Fluttershy squeezed her eyes shut and buried her face against Twilight’s side. Twilight focused on the magic, the glow of her horn scaling from a dull purple into a bright white. With a cry of effort, the light grew to envelop her friends. There was a soft ‘pop,’ and the six of them disappeared.

The door shook with another impact. The doorframe shattered completely and the door opened a fraction, spilling light from the hallway into the room. “Split up!” Celestia gasped, “Distraction!” She dragged rainbow Dash away from the door as it burst off its hinges and crashed against the flat shield Celestia had just erected across the room. As the door rebounded to the floor, it revealed a quartet of armed and armored gryphons.

One of them, clearly the squadron leader, stretched her wing back behind her, which drew one of a pair of large crossbow bolts into a track set above her wing joint and along her back. The bolts were rubber-tipped, made to incapacitate rather than kill. “By order of the King, stand down!” She shouted. “You are to come with us at once!”

Celestia shoved Rainbow Dash towards the open window and hissed “Go!” Dash launched herself clean out of the window without looking back, her wings a blur.

The gryphon’s beak opened a bit in shock, but she smoothly tracked Rainbow Dash’s trajectory and fired, releasing the crossbow bolt with the twitch of a talon. It hit Celestia’s shield and deformed violently, rebounding into a wall with a crash to rival the sound of the door breaking in. The impact shook Celestia deeply. She hadn’t been aware that arcanium bolts had become standard military issue through the gryphon tribes in the last fifteen years.

Celestia’s mane and tail always flowed gently on their own, swaying in their own unseen breeze. However, as the regal alicorn’s features darkened, the unseen wind that blew through her mane began to blow a little faster. “So.” Her voice had darkened along with her expression. “This is Rirton’s idea of hospitality.”

The soldier Celestia faced looked nervous enough that she might throw up at any moment. It was clear that firing upon the subjects of a dangerous foreign power was clearly not how she’d planned to end her day. But like any good soldier, she swallowed her fear along with her personal opinions and followed her orders. “Your Highness, please. If you would just come with us. . .”

Celestia dropped her shield and stood tall, glaring her righteous anger down at the gryphons crowded in the doorway. “To what end? A prison cell?” She looked from one to the next. “And if I refuse?”

Without bringing themselves any closer than they needed to, the four gryphons in the doorway entered the room and fanned out along the wall, making room for four more to crowd forward. With practiced motions, all eight of them cocked their wings back, loading their weapons. Celestia’s ire faded into resignation. She spoke again. “I understand. You are all frightened. Frightened that we mean to cross the great ocean and bring evil down upon all our homes.”

Several startled expressions greeted her. They hadn’t expected to hear her speak so plainly. The spokesgryphon didn’t relax her stance, but she answered. “The ancients spoke of the dangers. Even if we don’t all believe, everygryph knows. We can’t let you damn us all.”

Celestia sighed. “You may not realize it, but we aren’t enemies. I don’t blame any of you. Or even your king.” Her horn began to glow with a soft golden light. “However, that doesn’t mean I will come quietly!” As one, the eight gryphons fired and Celestia sent out a wave of force, tumbling all of her opponents off their feet and back against the wall. The arcanium in the bolts was used specifically because they weren’t easily deflected by magic, but all eight of them whizzed harmlessly through the air, crashing into the walls or shattering windows. Celestia had vanished.

Comments

[Lelouch Vi Britania]

im wondering why celestia brought twilight with her to see the king, it didn't really seem like she needed to be there.

[Silver Flare]

Simpler answer after re-reading my own stuff: Celestia wasn't expecting him to be there at all. She wanted to slip through without a fuss, but Rirton was one step ahead of her. She brought Twilight along as much for protection as to placate him with a measure of truth.

[honkman7]

Griffins be like "BEWAAAAARE FOR THE ANCIENT SCROLLS SPEAK OF DANGER!!"
Celestia be like, "Yo dawg, I WROTE those scrolls, I do what I want!"