Unexpected Adventure

by WhooshieWoosh


I'm Responsible! Part 2

"So... this is Griffinstone?"

I stood beside Spike as he said that, absolutely flabbergasted.

"Uh... Equestria to Drake?"

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME!"

He jumped at my outburst, but I was so not done yet.

"THE ONLY GRIFFIN CITY IN THIS STUPID COUNTRY AND IT'S AN ABSOLUTE DUMP! FRICKIN PONIES MAN! HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE THEY GOING TO SCREW OVER!"

I huffed before stalking into the city.

"C'mon, let's get this over with."

As we walked through the town griffins idly stared at us before going back to their business. Most were just lounging around run down buildings while others were playing dice or cards for small scraps of paper. The griffins doing this tended to look more desperate than the others, and upon taking a closer look at their chips I figured out why.

"What are they gambling?"

"Food. Probably risking what they can in an attempt to get a little more."

"Oh! So like what Twilight's parents do at Hearthswarming! Except we all just use peanuts or pretzel sticks."

I shook my head at his naivety.

"Spike... they're not gambling for snacks. Those papers are the difference between going hungry or not."

"Huh? But why not just buy more food from the store?"

"Based on how crappy these houses are, I'm guessing they don't have any money."

He looked sadly back before hurrying to keep up. I noticed more than a few griffins giving us a hungry look. I summoned my knife when Spike wasn't looking and made a show of using it to clean my claws. The griffins quickly lost interest after that. As we walked we passed closed shops with boarded up windows and condemned buildings with griffins slouching against the ruined walls. Spike pointed out one of the only building that wasn't in ruins and read the sign.

"There! Griffinstone City Hall."

"It's as good a place to get some info as any."

We walked towards it and past some of the only shops still in business. There was a cart selling some withered looking turnips, a stand with potatoes, and a cart with some sort of bread being sold by a griffiness with purple highlighted feathers. Spike tugged on my coat before pointing at the bread stand.

"That seems like the best place to get food for traveling. We should check the prices and... see if it's any good."

I raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"Sure you just aren't hungry?"

He blushed and scuffed his foot against the ground.

"Yeah, and I really don't want to have to eat meat again."

"Alright then, let's check it out. I'm guessing you don't have any bits."

He shook his head. I reached into my pockets and pulled out a bag of the golden coins.

"Where did you get those?"

"I took them... from prison."

"You mean you stole them."

"Is it stealing if they belonged to a hardened criminal?"

He held up a claw before pausing to think it over.

"Whatever's the case, do you want food or not."

He closed his mouth and nodded. We made our way over and I placed a bit on the counter.

"I'll take some of those please."

The griffiness looked over at me and her eyes widened slightly before seeing the gold coin on the counter. She nodded and replied in a gruff voice as she scooped several of the small cakes into a paper bag.

"Sure thing. Here you go."

I took the bag and handed it to Spike... who instead looked at the griffin in fear. I waved a claw in front of his face and asked,

"Hey, wakey wakey."

The griffin noticed Spike and frowned.

"Wait a minute. You look familiar."

Spike stammered for a bit before running off in the direction of the city hall. I looked back at the griffin and asked,

"Any idea what that was about?"

She huffed and waved a claw in a dismissive gesture.

"Yeah, I remember him now. I... kinda went to Ponyville to visit my friend, er, former friend and... it didn't go so well."

"Huh, how bad? When I first visited I got arrested."

She sighed and looked away.

"Well, one of the ponies my former friend was friends with wouldn't leave us be. And she was so dang annoying that I just kept getting madder and madder! I mean, why couldn't she buzz off for one flappin day! Instead she had to constantly interrupt everything we were trying to do, and RD didn't even try to stop her! Anyway, I was already in a bad mood when said friend threw a 'party' for me." She shuddered and crossed her arms, "I've never been so humiliated in my whole life. I try to take a drink? Cup's rigged to pour all over me. Eat a cupcake, they made it so spicy that I couldn't eat it. Then they zapped me and made fun of me for screwing up their stupid pony game."

"Ouch, that's rough."

She blew some of her feathers out of her face before replying,

"The worst part was... she was laughing at me too. Rather than stick up for me, she joined in on it. So... I lost it. I lost my temper and told her to choose between her friends and me. She chose them. Anyway, I came back home and went back to selling griffin scones like my mom, and her mom, and her mom. End of story."

I nodded before asking,

"I need some supplies and a map, know where I could get them?"

She pointed to city hall before saying,

"Right there. But be warned. The mayor and his thugs are a bunch of crooks. He'll try to take you for all you're worth. Heck, ever since they came to power they've been bleeding us dry. His guards take it upon themselves to 'tax' anyone they feel needs it. And by that, I mean shake them down. Anyway, why are you traveling with that librarian's pet?"

"We have a deal. He helped to guide me back to Equestria, so I'm taking him back to Ponyville. You know, back to the land of prejudice and excess."

She rolled her eyes.

"Ponies. They don't know how good they have it."

"Tell me about it."

I placed two more bits on the counter before walking away. She scooped them up and gave me a searching look. I waved her off and said,

"A tip for the information. Don't worry, I've got plenty."

She grinned and placed the three coins she'd earned from me into a lockbox before returning to her work. I found Spike hiding in the doorway of city hall and passed him the bag of scones. He nodded before following me into city hall, biting into a scone as he went. He froze and made a weird face.

"What?"

"These aren't like scones from Sugarcube Cornee."

"Of course not. They don't have sugar in them. Do you really think people here could afford anything more than regular bread?"

"I... I don't know. Why does nopony here have money?"

I gave him a meaningful look.

"Maybe you should ask one of your pony friends when you get back to Ponyville."

He nodded.

"Yeah, okay."

Upon entering the building a unicorn stallion sitting at a desk looked up and jolted in surprise. I raised my claws and said,

"Easy man, we're just here for a map and some supplies."

He let out a shallow breath before growing an unreadable expression.

"So... you need a map, and I'm assuming water."

I nodded and he pulled out the requested items.

"So... let's talk price."

"Ah, of course. What are you thinking?"

He looked a bit surprised that I was actually haggling with him before hiding it and taping his hooves together.

"Hm... how about... fifty bits. Chump change for a dragon."

Spike let out a surprised 'what!' and gave the stallion an astounished look. Yup, he's trying to swindle us.

"Hm... sounds like a deal...."

The stallion grinned, obviously used to dealing with wimps and idiots.

"--For a moron."

He blinked in surprise as I leaned closer.

"How about I take the map and water and you get to keep your life."

He gulped before lighting his horn up.

"Back off! One wrong move and I'll turn you into--"

*Shing*

"GYAAAAH!"

*plop*

The unfortunate stallion looked up at his stump of a horn as I set my sword by my side. I scooped up the supplies and grabbed him before dragging him to the door and throwing him out. Five guards who had been shaking down a hapless griffin looked up in surprise as their boss landed in front of them, crying in pain. Spike hesitantly followed, holding the unicorn's severed horn away from him.

"Uh, Drake? Was that necessary?"

"These ponies are the reason why this place is so run down. And I think they've overstayed their welcome."

I grabbed the horn and tossed it to the unicorn. It hit his head and landed in front of him. The guards turned to face me, weapons at the ready. I looked past them and noticed that a crowd of griffins had gathered to watch. Time to give them a show.

As the guards charged I sprang into action, slicing the ends off of their spears. As they flinched back I layed into them with my claws and tail. Before long they were all lying at my feet. I turned to the crowd and yelled,

"Griffins of Griffinstone! Are you going to let these ponies push you around! I think it's about time you throw these parasites out of your town permanently!"

They all began to grumble and eventually advanced on the ponies as they struggled to their hooves. Instantly the street turned into a battlefield with griffins and ponies desperately grappling with me right in the thick of it. This was so much better than prison.

Spike frantically attempted to escape the crowd only for a hoof to catch him in the nose. He staggered backwards and clutched his injury as the much taller combatants threatened to trample him. That is, until he was yanked out of the fray by a set of eagle claws. He found himself pressed against the chest of a certain griffin as she lept away from the fight. Soon he was being set down and his head being turned for ease of examination.

"You okay?"

He cracked an eye open and gulped.

"G-Gilda?!"

Gilda blew her feathers out of her face and rolled her eyes.

"No, I'm Princess Celestia. Who do ya think, dweeb."

"W-why'd you help me? I thought you hated me!"

She crossed her arms and looked away.

"Look, just shut up and listen. I... want you to deliver a message... to Rainbow. Tell her... that I'm sorry. Sorry for loosing my cool and... acting really lame."

Spike gave her a wary yet sympathetic look.

"Gilda?"

"Shut it! Now don't you have somewhere to be?"

Spike dumbly nodded and ran to meet up with me. He found me standing outside of the town having reclaimed the supplies.

"Ah! There you are! Ready to go?"

He nodded and we both left as cheers erupted from the town. He gulped before asking,

"Do... do you think they'll recover soon? You know, back to before those bad ponies showed up."

I sighed and adjusted my coat.

"I hope so. Goodness knows it was probably already bad before then. I just hope they come together and rise to the challenge."

Spike nodded before asking another question.

"Why did you help them? I thought you were a bad guy?"

I shrugged.

"I'm more... a free spirit. You know, chaotic neutral and all that. Heck, maybe I should become a regular old Robin Hood. 'Steal from the rich and give to the poor!' and all that."

Spike grinned.

"Sounds like a comic book antihero! You know... you're not such a meany after all."

"Hey! Don't say that! I have a reputation to upkeep!"

We both laughed as we followed the path down the mountain. It was still several days until we reached Ponyville, so we had to make the most of our time and resources so we could get there without delay.

(Ponyville, later)

Twilight desperately poured over books of magic as her friends stood worriedly behind her.

"There has to be a way! I have to find him! He's all alone out there and probably scared out of his mind! Ooh!! Why'd I even test that spell on him! How could I have been so stupid!"

Rarity stepped forward and placed a hoof on her friend's shoulder.

"We're all worried, Twilight. But panicking won't bring Spike back. I... I miss him too, but we have to put on a brave face and remain calm. For Spike."

The other ponies echoed her statement and Twilight wearily dried her tears.

"I'm trying, Rarity. I really am, but I can't help but--"

*knock knock knock*

The ponies all froze as the door opened to reveal--

"SPIKE!"

The six ponies rushed forward and soon had a group hug going on with the baby dragon in the center. After they had finished patting eachother and talking about how happy they were to see him, Twilight asked.

"Spike, where have you been? How'd you get back?"

"Well, I got sent pretty far away, but I had a little help from a friend getting back."

He looked out the window and towards the rooftop I was crouched on, sorting through my bag. He waved to me and I waved back before taking to the sky.

"Now then, time to find a hideout!"