//------------------------------// // Griffonstone (rewrite) // Story: The Rise of a Raven // by Chemtest //------------------------------// Bones raise from the sea to carry us along at the speed of a plane, our need to get over the Griffonian Sea quickly inspiring such haste. Louis looks at the horizon and ocean beyond, “It’s beautiful up here. So far away from hate, from prejudice. Up here, I feel no fear for the ponies that may find me.” I step over to him, and rest my hoof on his shoulder, “And you will have no need to fear whilst you’re with us. If any creature of any kind tries to harm any one of us, I will rip their skull out of their ass. Their scorn, their hatred? It is naught to try and pierce our friendship, our unity.” Scootaloo nods, and smiles, “You’re very honest with your thoughts, and I can appreciate that. So, I’m going to be honest when I say that I will gladly join Raven in his skull ripping.” Bloom follows her up, “Same for me, and I’m pretty sure all of us here. Don’t let anyone touch any of us and get through us. And I will definitely stay loyal to my promise to follow right after Scootaloo and Raven, but I’ll go for the neck.” Sweetie then moves up next to me, and places her hoof on his opposite shoulder, “You’re still keeping your heart open even when most would’ve fallen into the same hatred and scorn as your haters. It is an ultimate kindness you have done by not giving in. And I will also be there, and I will be very generous with any punishment given to a detractor.” We all turn to face Sombra as he coughs out black smoke from his mouth. After a coughing fit that makes a dark cloud of smoke, he clears his throat, “Oh, sorry, King of Shadow and all that. And, oh boy, that’s a lot of foreshadowing right there.” He coughs once more, “Um, I guess their lives would be jokes anyway? So, why not laugh at the joke as you run it into the ground? Except, unlike everyone else, I will go after the eyes with my sharp spikes of crystal.” I smile, and turn back to face Louis as music starts to play in the air. Louis looks around with worry, “Oh no, it’s the singing curse.” I absentmindedly tap my hoof to the beat set by the music, “Music curse?” He sighs, “Ponies can be overwhelmed with passing magic and it will make them sing and dance in prefect sync to the music that comes out of nowhere.” His words come true, as one of us begin to sing. Sweetie Belle starts the song first, her voice sounding almost like an angels as she sings. ”Don’t you know you shouldn’t worry about a thing? With all of us around it doesn’t matter if your a changeling. You’ve shown to have a generous heart and mind, A better group of friends you’ll never find.” Sombra then adds in as well, the music sounding like its out a Saturday morning cartoon. His deep bass voice contrasts heavily, especially with his Spanish flair. Come on Louis my friend, I am El rey de la sombra, We turn bad to good, le damos al mal un nuevo nombra. Come on, put a smile on your face, duele verte tan triste You have naught to fear, not with me here, si nuestro amigo fuiste” Scootaloo falls to it, even if her rough voice isn’t the best to be sung with. ”There is no need to cower, no need to flee, As long as you keep to your word, to your honesty, Then go and spread you wings, go on and soar! With us here with you, you have to fear no more!” Apple Bloom moves in next, the music leaving no one left over. ”We’re here to be the greatest friends that can ever be, Nothing to break through our loyalty. So there’s no need to be remiss, With us, we’ll go all over Equis!” I suddenly start to sing myself, even I am slave to mana and it’s will. ”There is no need to hide from attack mental or physical, Me failing is but a legend and is naught but mythological. With you at my side, you stand next to a Necromancer, Nothing can kill you, Celestia and not even cancer.” Louis looks up at us, before his eyes widen and he quickly joins in. ”Thank you for your words, to make me show no fear, But I don’t think that’s what the big problem is here! I don’t mean to criticize or to bash, But into a city we’re about to crash!” The music suddenly stops as I turn the way he’s facing, and see the city of Griffonstone right in front of us. I quickly get rid of the skeleton hand, and shout out, “Brace yourselves!” I allow myself to go limb as possible as I am sent flying through the air. I see Louis turn himself into a ball, and Sombra just goes mist form. The Crusaders are left screaming as we fly into the main square. I manage to twist in the air as I see the wall approaching me at fast speed. I land sideways on it, and fall to the ground with only my hooves broken and only indentations in the wall. I can see Scootaloo accidentally hit a Griffon to the ground on her entrance, the rest of the Crusaders come in safely. Sombra floats down, and Louis rolls up next to the Griffon. He quickly turns back to himself, and starts to tend to the Griffon. I heal my hooves, and stand back upon them. The worst thing is dust on my cloak which comes off easily enough. I look back up to Louis, only to see him being held in a chokehold by the Griffon. I’m about to move to him, when Apple Bloom comes to the side, kicking the wings of the Griffon. They catch on fire with balefire, and start to burn down to the bone. I rush on over to the Griffon as it drops Louis and drops on the ground, screeching in pain. I numb the pain just enough so they can listen, and I speak to them, “Look, I don’t know why you are, all I know is that your an asshat. So, here’s the deal, I heal you, you help us. Or, I can let the fire burn and you’ll be flightless all your life.” She squeaks as the pain returns, “Deal!” I smile, and fix her wing back to normal. I allow her to stand up, before nodding, “I am Ravens Breath.” She glares at me, “Gilda. And let me guess, you’re from Ponyville. All you Ponyville dweebs are so easy to see.” She sighs, “Whatever, just tell me what you want me to do.” I smile, “Good, good. I want you to lead us all to the King.” She smiles, before letting out laughter, “King? What, have you been living under a rock? Only one who talks about the King anymore is Grampa Grump, and he’s old enough to have been with the King. What, you want me to lead you to him or something?” I nod, “If this Gruff might know about the King, then yes.” She points down a street, “His nest is the third one on the right. Can I go now?” I nod, “Thank you.” She walks off, “Whatever, dweebs.” We all move down the road, and I turn to face the third one on the right. An old Griffon sits outside, and he looks down at us, “Eh? What’re you doing here?” I smile, and step forward, “I heard you might know something about the King?” He nods, “Aye, I know about the King. That old mage and I were friends. Until he found that damned idol.” I tilt my head, “Idol?” He nods, “Aye, the Idol. It served us many a decade by uniting the griffons together under the ultimate treasure, but he wanted to know why it was the best. Many have called it many different names. Idol of Boreas, Totem of Purification, Clenser of Minds, Holy Grail.” My mind catches onto one of those that jump out at me, “Totem of Purification? Why would it be called that?” He shrugs, “Nobody knew, and it drove the King mad to not know why the Idol was so respected. He decided to dive deep into it with magical tests, but his soul was trapped within the Idol. Since his fall, and the Idol’s fall into the Abysmal Abyss. No one has retrieved it, and the great kingdom collapsed. Now, well, you see what happened.” I look at the others, and we all nod, “Then it is up to us to get the Idol.” He just shrugs, “If you want to, I don’t care. Just get off my property.” I move out, and we all start to go towards the Abyss. On the way there, I create a rope of bones in the ground. By the time we get there, I have a full on rope, and I hand it to Apple Bloom, “Keep me away from the winds, I feel I wouldn’t be able to escape from them.” She nods, and holds the rope resolutely. I walk up to the edge of the Abyss, and jump in. I go about fifty feet until the rope stops, and I find myself right in front of a platform. However, the wind is too strong, and I’m thrown into the wall. I flail my limbs in an attempt to steady myself. That is, until I feel hooves steadying me. Sombra stands on the ledge, and stops me from swinging, “Let’s get the Idol, quickly!” He turns to pick up the Idol, only to have the ledge start to crack beneath him. He looks up and looks me right in the eyes as the ledge breaks, “I knew I shouldn’t have chosen an iron coat.” The stone breaks beneath him, and he begins to fall. I reach out with all my strength, and just barely manage to catch him above the Abyss. Sombra is right near the Idol which is wobbling on a very small ledge. He shouts up to me, “Swing me, Bloom! I have to reach the Idol!” He starts to slowly slip, “Sombra, my grip is weakening!” He looks up at me, “Swing me already! I might be able to survive the winds if I fall! And the Idol is about to fall!” Apple Bloom looks over the side, and starts to pull us up, “I’m not gonna take that chance.” Sombra tries in vein to reach towards the Idol, “¡Vamos, maldito ídolo, sopla de esta manera, no te atrevas a caer!” The Idol slowly falls on it’s side, falling deep into the winds of the Abyss. I can hear it clatter all the way down. Apple Bloom pulls us over the side, and Sombra turns to face her, “¡Maldito tonto, acabas de condenar a toda la especie a la pobreza y la muerte!” Apple Bloom stands her ground, “I couldn’t let you risk your life for this. If I let you swing there, it would be the greatest betrayal.” I nod, and put my hoof on Sombra’s shoulder, “Don’t worry, there’s still the Minotaurs.” He sighs, “You’re right. Let us set out for them.”