Chapter 13: Secrets
The four returned to Griffonstone with the griffons. Twilight was performing a healing spell on Ahuizotl's arm, despite Rainbow Dash's objections.
"I can't believe your helping Ahuizotl after all he had done!” Rainbow Dash complained.
"Rainbow Dash, didn't Fluttershy lecture you of how important it is to help others?" Twilight said.
Ahuizotl could move his arm without pain once again. He rubbed his elbow to make sure.
"Ahh. Much better. Thank you, Your Highness.” he said to her.
At first, Twilight was a little surprised, as she did not expect him to say thank you to her. But, she took it as an act of gratitude and respect for helping him, and she felt glad he did so anyway.
“You’re welcome.” she responds.
Rainbow Dash, meanwhile, just looked away from what she was seeing, and rolled her eyes in distrust and annoyance of Ahuizotl.
Meanwhile, Daring Do, Megan, and Fluttershy were talking over with Celestia, Gruff, Gabby and Gilda about the Idol of Boreas. Gilda and Gabby were shocked that the idol was not gold.
"All that trouble for brass?" Gilda said with shock.
"Aye, Gilda," Gruff said, "It's true. That thing is said to be a piece of King Grover's bed post."
"But why would King Grover deceive the rest of the Griffon Kingdom?" Gabby asked.
"Every griffon was fighting over bits and treasures, and in the process, turning against one another. That caused the Aramaspi to take a few of our kind down easily. King Grover created the Idol of Boreas to bring us a symbol of our Griffon Pride, and remind the griffons that we are one kingdom and should be united as such. In fact, it was our unity that protected us from the Aramaspi."
"That's another reason why the Aramaspi wanted the Idol of Boreas.” Celestia commented.
Everyone in the group, with the exception of Gruff, looked toward Celestia, a little confused on how she would also know.
“King Grover told me of his plan on how to unite the griffons. We were close friends before his demise later on and before the griffons lost the idol.” Celestia explained.
"My fez off to you for helping us, even if we don't deserve help from other species," Gruff said as he tipped his fez.
"The pleasure was ours, Mr. Gruff," Daring Do said as she tipped her hat, "Now we have Ahuizotl to take care of."
"That's what you think, Daring Do!" Ahuizotl shouted.
At the sound of his voice, everyone turns around to find that Ahuizotl created a portal. Before they could make any action, he and his cats hurried into it. An evil laugh could be heard before and after it closed. Daring Do threw her hat down in frustration as she showed her teeth.
Megan just looked onward with empathy on her mind. She thought about how badly Ahuizotl was treated because it reminded her of how badly the animals brought to Paradise Estates were treated. Like a light bulb turning on, the remembrance of home gave her an idea.
****
A while later, at Twilight's Castle, Spike was in the library reading Daring Do's latest book when Megan came in with a scroll.
"Hey, Megan," Spike greeted, "What do you have there?"
"I have a letter that I need you to send," Megan said, "Can you do it, even if you don't know who it's for?"
"Sure, as long as it has the name to send it to. Who is it for?"
"It's for a friend I met in Griffonstone.”
"A secret love perhaps?" Spike said with a clever smile and suspicion in his eyes.
Megan blushed and had trouble getting words out until Spike giggled.
"Don't worry," Spike said, "Your secret romance is safe."
Spike blew green fire on the scroll until it vanished in a green puff of smoke.
“How was Ahuizotl able to win you over anyway?” Spike curiously asked.
“I don’t know, it just...happened.” she said.
As she said that, she not only kept blushing, but also played with her hair in nervousness and embarrassment.
Spike giggled a little at the sight before him.
****
That night, Megan was in the White-Tailed Woods, waiting for someone to come. She paced with her nerves frazzled.
"I feel bad not telling my friends, but after all that's happened, I don't think they’ll understand," she muttered to herself.
"You don't know the ponies and knights as well as I think," a familiar Spanish accent said.
Megan turned around and saw Ahuizotl and Princessca. She ran up to him and hugged him.
"You got my letter," Megan said.
"Indeed,” he says before hugging her back, “It wasn't easy. Grogar put me on probation at the palace, so there were guards all over the place. What did you want to talk to me about?"
Megan and Ahuizotl then let go from their embrace.
"Ahuizotl, when the ponies find a way to send me home, I want you to come with me."
"What?" Ahuizotl says with slight confusion.
"You've been mistreated by everyone your whole life. Your father, your brother, Malefico, Grogar. If you come home with me, you can have a new life in Paradise Estates. You can live with me and my family as long as you do your share on the farm."
"But what of your family? And my pets?"
"I'll talk to my family the moment we get home. My mom is very understanding when it comes to why I bring lost animals. As for your pets, they can live in Paradise Estates. We also take care of wild animals of all kinds. A lot of them are abused circus animals like them."
"Really?"
"Yes. I'll make sure you have the family, home, and life you deserve," Megan said as she touched his face.
Ahuizotl, touched by the human girl's offer, pulled Megan toward his body and hugged her. He petted the back of her head and felt the warmth of her hair as well as her heart. Megan also returned the embrace, warmly smiling in comfort and taking in the feel of his fur. The two felt like they never wanted to let go, and be like this forever.
When they let go, Ahuizotl then dug into his bag with his tail hand and took out the yellow scarf Megan used to mend his broken arm.
"I wanted to give back the scarf you gave me," he said, "I wanted to do something to repay you for your kindness."
Ahuizotl wrapped the scarf around Megan's neck. When he put it on her, and as he looked at her, his heart could only speed as he gazed at the girl who matched the scarf she had on. Then, before both their eyes, the scarf glowed yellow like Fluttershy's coat.
"The scarf," a surprised Megan said, "I-it glowed...like Fluttershy's coat."
"But what does it mean?" Ahuizotl asked.
"I don't know," she said.
"I know you'll figure it out. In the mean time, let's enjoy our time together."
Megan and Ahuizotl sat down close together to enjoy the beauty of the woods and the stars. Ahuizotl wrapped his hand around Megan, and in turn, she wrapped her arm around him as they watched the night sky. Princessca meowed with dreamy eyes, happy to know that her master found the one for him.