//------------------------------//
// An Overdue Confrontation 
// Story: The Ties that Bind 
// by the7Saviors 
//------------------------------//

For a moment, no one spoke as they took in the meaning of what Frigid Gale was saying.

Shining Armor was eventually the first one to speak, his desperate need to have his suspicions confirmed pushing aside his unease.

"Are you saying you found my sister?" he asked as he stood up in his chair, "you actually found Twiley already?"

"Yes we did," she confirmed with a nod, "just yesterday in fact. Although," she reached down and pulled what looked like a letter from her desk, "the news was delivered to us only about an hour ago."

The griffon chose that moment to speak, rising from his chair as he address Frigid Gale.

"Just how were you able to locate her so quickly?" he asked, "if I remember correctly, all the search teams we sent out were dispatched to several of the major cities across Equestria," he leaned forward as he spoke, "based on the letters we've received back, many of them only just arrived at their destination."

"And sending them all was a waste of time it seems," Gale replied, "as it turns out, she wasn't in any of the cities -- far from them in fact."

"Where is she?" Shining demanded, "where's my sister?"

"You'd best watch that tone, fledgling," the griffon growled, as he glared at the colt, "I don't know what you think you're even doing here but--"

"Abern."

The griffon's beak snapped shut and he turned to face the thestral mare.

"Leave the kid be," Gale continued as she cast a side glance at the griffon, "he's just worried about his sister, his outburst is perfectly understandable."

Abern open and closed his beak a few times before before letting out a soft but angry snort.

"Understood," he turned his gaze back towards Shining with a frown of distate, "but why is he even here? The fledgling may be the target's brother, but what use is he?"

"This fledgling is our ticket to getting Twilight Sparkle to cooperate with us peacefully," Frigid Gale replied, "and a willing cooperation is something I'd very much prefer."

Shining grit his teeth but didn't comment. He had already known they were going to try and use him for something like that so Frigid Gale's words weren't any big surprise.

The thought of him and his sister being used in such a way still angered him though.

Abern eyed the colt for another moment before looking away dismissively.

"Understood."

Gale nodded once in satisfaction and turned to Shining Armor.

"To answer both your questions," she continued, "one of our scouts was sent far out west to retrieve a couple of ponies to aid in our operations," she paused for a moment to scan the letter in her hooves, "apparently the scout stumbled across some ponies who had met the filly on their way to town."

She stared at the letter for another moment before setting it down on the desk and idly tapping it with a hoof as she thought.

"I mentioned that we found her, but it would be more accurate to say that we found the general area where she's located," she frowned, "the letter didn't give any specifics and there's still a lot we don't know."

She leaned forward and steepled her hooves.

"We don't know how long she'll be in the area or whether or not she's traveling with anypony else -- though the odds of that are very likely."

"So what are we waiting for then?" the griffon asked impatiently, "we need someone out there ASAP before the target has a chance to flee from our grasp once again."

"I've already sent Fell Wind out to confirm Sound Mind's report," she replied evenly, "she knows to look for Twilight Sparkle while she's in the area and if we're lucky, the stallion's already captured the filly."

"And we can trust this Fell Wind to get the job done if Sound Mind does fail?" the griffon asked with a raised brow.

Frigid Gale stared at Abern.

Shining Armor could've sworn the griffon shrunk a few inches under Frigid Gale's icy gaze.

"Abern," Gale began quietly, "I know you haven't been with us for that long, but trust me when I say that if the filly really is in that area, Fell Wind will find her," her gaze intensified and Abern began to shiver involuntarily, "Fell Wind has successfully completed more missions than any other pony, griffon, or diamond dog here save for myself and Red Storm here."

She glanced at the silent unicorn stallion before turning back to Abern with a glare that could freeze an open flame.

"I trust that pegasus with my life, Abern," she hissed, "and if you're smart, you'll do the same, understood?"

"Yes, ma'am," Abern replied with a single quick nod, "if you say the pegasus can capture the target, I'll take your word for it."

"Good," Frigid Gale replied with a nod, "now where was I?"

Shining Armor frowned as he observed the griffon.

Though he tried to hide it, Shining could clearly see that Abern was biting back his anger and indignation at Frigid Gale's words.

This is what the colt had been worried about.

Shining could tell the griffon would be trouble later down the line, but Frigid Gale had completely failed to notice the lingering resentment coming from Abern.

How many others felt the same as Abern?

Did Frigid Gale know? 

Did she even care?

If Gale's strong reaction was anything to go by, she and Fell Wind really did trust each other completely. Now the colt just had to figure out how to convince her to gain that kind of trust and commitment with all of her subordinates.

He was snapped out of his musings by Frigid Gale's next words.

"Ah, right," Gale suddenly exclaimed, "now that we've gotten that bit of news out of the way, I can move on to the reason I called you three here specifically."

She looked from Red Storm to Abern.

"I have a high priority assignment for the two of you," she explained, "and it's going to be dangerous."

"Just name it, and I'll get it done," Abern replied with a slight nod.

Red Storm merely nodded in understanding.

"Let's hope you can," Frigid Gale responded before pulling out two manila folders from her desk, "you two are going to be staying in Canterlot for the next few weeks or so."

"What? Why?" Abern cried in alarm, "you do realize how conspicuous a griffon would be in a place like Canterlot don't you?"

Shining was almost sure Frigid Gale would berate Abern, but the thestral mere gave an amused chuckle.

"You have nothing to be worried about regarding that, Abern," Gale assured, "griffons living in the Equestrian capital aren't as uncommon as you might think." 

Her amused smile fell away to be replaced by a business-like frown. 

"In fact, the reason I'm sending you is because there's a griffon there who has something I need and I think you might be able to persuade her to give it to me. On top of that, I thought it was about time I placed some agents within Canterlot to gather some intel on what's going on from the inside -- hence the extended stay."

"And just who is this griffon?" Abern asked with a bemused frown, "are you implying that I know her?"

"I think you do, yes," Frigid Gale answered with a nod, "it's all there in the mission statements, so i suggest you take a look later," she turned to face Shining Armor while still addressing Abern, "in the meantime I'd like to speak with the kid alone so you and Red Storm are dismissed. You have your orders, carry them out."

"Understood," Abern replied before taking the folder and rising from his seat.

"As you say, my Lady," Red Storm answered as he stood up from his own seat.

Together they both made their way to the double doors and exited the room. The doors clicked shut behind them, leaving Shining and Frigid Gale alone. Shining Armor shifted uneasily in his seat at the lingering silence before jumping slightly at the sound of a loud yawn.

"Horseapples, I did not get enough sleep last night," Gale muttered as she rubbed her eyes, "that took more outta me than usual..."

"What are you talking about?" Shining asked curiously.

"Ah, it's nothing. Don't worry about it, kid," Frigid Gale replied with a dismissive wave, "more importantly, a little birdy told me you wanted to talk?"

"Wha... what -- I mean yes!" Shining sputtered indignantly as he stood in his chair -- all his previous fear of the mare forgotten, "you said you'd tell me what was going on and I still haven't heard anything!"

Frigid Gale just nodded knowingly.

"That's true, I did tell you I'd explain some things about what was going on," Gale admitted, "but I haven't really been able to get around to it until now."

Shining found that hard to believe, but he held his tongue. He had regretted his little outburst as it was and anymore yelling wouldn't help his situation.

He had to remain calm.

Now that he finally had a chance to get some answers, he wasn't about to waste it. With a heavy sigh, he sat back in his chair and tried to put on a passive face as he spoke.

"I know there's going to be some things you can't or won't tell me," the colt began, "but there is one thing I'd like to know above everything else."

"Oh?" Frigid Gale replied with a raised eyebrow, "lay it on me, kid. What's on your mind?"

Shining's gaze hardened as he stared the mare in the eye.

"I was too emotional to realize this at the time," he said in an even tone, "but if you really were out to foalnap Twiley and your ponies were snooping around my house after everything had happened, you'd obviously have to know that my parents were murdered that night."

Frigid Gale visibly winced.

"I don't want to beat around the bush, so I'll be blunt..." Shining Armor leaned forward. While his own glare was no match for Gale's it was very impressive for a foal, "...did you have my parents killed just so you could get your hooves on my sister?"

The thestral stared at Shining Armor with an unreadable expression for a good minute. Shining never once broke his gaze away from Gale as he waited for her to answer.

After what felt like an eternity, Frigid Gale sighed and broke eye contact with the colt. She frowned and rubbed a foreleg nervously.

"I... guess I bucked up, huh?"

"Explain."

She gave another sigh and looked back to Shining Armor with a guilty expression.

"Look, It wasn't supposed to end like that," she replied, "a subordinate of mine was suppose to go in and grab your sister without anyone knowing what was up until it was too late."

"And instead, two murderers broke in and slaughtered my parents in front of me and my sister," Shining growled, unable to keep the anger and hurt out of his voice, "Twilight is the only real family I have left now!"

"I KNOW, OKAY?"

Shining reared back in his seat, completely taken aback by Frigid's Gale's cry.

"Kid -- Shining Armor, I..." Gale clenched her teeth and looked away from the colt, "I'm sorry alright? This is why I didn't wanna talk you," she slumped over the desk and covered her head with her hooves,  "I knew it was gonna end up like this..."

Still somewhat stunned by the thestral's sudden change in demeanor, Shining tried to regain control of the situation.

"So, instead of owning up to it like an adult, you just avoided me?" Shining asked angrily, "my sister and I are alone, Gale. The only other living relative we have doesn't even live in Equestria, the least you could do is give me some answers for why my parents had to die."

Frigid Gale didn't say anything, her face obscured by the desk.

"Was it for revenge?" Shining asked pointedly, "is that why I lost my family?"

Still no response.

"So that was it then," the colt surmised, "my parents died and my sister's gone because you couldn't just--"

The temperature in the room dropped several degrees and Shining shuddered.

"I'm sorry about your family, Shining Armor, really I am..."

Frigid Gale raised her head and looked at the colt.

In that moment, Shining could see all the unfathomable rage and pain the mare was holding onto in those ice blue eyes.

"I bucked up, and I admit that it was my fault your parents died," she continued in a quavering voice, "but I can't and won't let guilt stop me from doing what I need to do."

"But why?" Shining pleaded, "your fixation on revenge is already getting innocent ponies killed, Frigid Gale!"

"I know that, kid," Gale replied with a grim frown, "and I'll be happy to pay the price for that once I have Celestia's head on a pike -- and not a moment before."

Shining glared at the thestral.

This wasn't going at all how he had planned and now it seemed as though both of them were no longer in a mood to talk.

"I'll bet you've never seen or even heard of another creature like me, have you, kid?"

Shining blinked at the sudden question.

It looked like Frigid Gale was willing to talk after all.

The colt shook his head, not trusting himself to speak.

"Yeah, didn't think so," Gale replied with a bitter smile, "not many ponies know about thestrals, Celestia made sure of that."

"What do you mean?" Shining asked, confused as to where this conversation was headed, "are you saying the Princess did... something... to..."

As his mind put the pieces together, he stared at Frigid Gale with a look of horrified realization.

Frigid Gale chuckled mirthlessly at Shining Armor's expression.

"What? You didn't know your Kind and Benevolent Sun Goddess was a genocidal monster?"