Griffon of Canterlot
Chapter 5.5 – An Promise Set in Sun
Luna the last to enter the office closing the door behind with her magic, Doctor Trace took his seat behind the desk. Luna, Cadance and Shining Armor stand before the desk ready to hear what Doctor Trace has to say about Celestia's actions. They watched as he place a wooden cube on the table and cast a spell that shimmered all along the walls, doors, floor, windows and ceiling.
Cadance took a look around as the magical shimmer died down. “An silent spell. Correct?”
“Indeed. I rather our little chit-chat doesn't wake the patients.” Trace replied. “And captain before your sister was even born I was Princess Celestia's personal student. That is why I know a fair few spells.” He turn to Shining Armor speaking directly to the captain.
“I gather you sparked an interest with Princess Celestia?” Shining Armor questioned.
Trace uses an transfiguration spell to turn the cube into a red rubber ball, knocking it off the desk to bounce a few times before rolling to an stop by Shining Armor's hoof. “Indeed when I was about eleven years old. I spent around nine or so years as her student.”
“Did thy choose to leave our sister?”
Trace now turn his attention to Luna as Shining Armor using his magic to pick up the ball and examine it. “Yes, she taught me all that could be learnt. I respect what Princess Celestia did for me. I could have been in a darker place but in the direction I was pushed to, gave me what I need to follow my heart.”
Cadance understood what he meant. “Being a doctor. Tending to sick and injured.”
“Correct. Also helping those magical injured to attacked as well. Manehatten is quite the lively place day or night.” Trace put his two front hooves together giving them a dead serious look. “I came to Canterlot as a request for Princess Celestia.”
“Princess Luna was once Nightmare Moon and why I am here.” He around the desk and around them. “I gave Princess Luna a complete clean bill of health and Princess Celestia was more than pleased. So was you.”
“Correct.” Luna replied as he continue to walk around them and head back to the desk.
“So... Let's recap shall we?” He came back to his desk.
“Somehow a griffon ends up on the castle grounds, he found two weeks later after all other options about the theft of the waste food is exhausted. Two of you and Princess Celestia find him, because of the magic used he wakes, freaks out and flees.”
“Next you find a way to get him to the private dinning room of the princesses. Shining Armor and Princess Celestia have breakfast with the griffon.”
Luna looked confused. “They did?”
“You were half awake.” Shining Armor stated.
“Ah yes, that was true. We was.” Luna admitted.
Trace continues. “By touching Princess Celestia's mane he sees something from his past. Remembering something terrible. The result of that was the magic. Then he submitted to the hospital and we know how that played out.”
Trace still kept his serious expression as he finally comes to the very reason for them being in the office.
“Princess Celestia made a promise she can not break. By morning she will sign papers and will take full custody of the teenage griffon. In other words Princess Celestia let this get personal and acted on impose.”
Shining Armor bounced the ball a few times testing it bounce and surprised by how the transfiguration spell worked. “Impressive.” Shining Armor got a look from both princesses.
“Right...” He gives the ball to Trace via telekinesis and got back on topic. “As for what Princess Celestia did. I had an feeling this may of happened.”
Trace pulled out the file from the draw opening it up. “I believe you are right captain. I read through your statements and have to say it detailed.” Luna and Cadance now knew how Trace was well versed in what happened so far.
Trace point a hoof at a part of the papers. “This part where Princess Celestia raised her voice at you during breakfast to gain his trust.”
Cadance eyes drift away thinking about what just been said by Trace. “Showing authority to one that may bring harm to the confused and scared. Bring a sense of safety and confidence to said griffon.” Cadance theorised.
“With what I discovered adding to his tortuous memories resurfacing while coming in contact with Celestia's magic. I say this is no longer a theory but an fact. His now imprinted a sense of safety and familiarity with your sister Princess Luna.”
Trace explained to them and turn his attention to Luna. “That familiarity is griffon and Alicorn.”
Luna walked to the window looking out at the city lit by street lights and many activities going on at night. “That familiarity is in the hybrid race. We are both made up of difference races.” Luna sighed. “Celestia has taken this personally.” She turn to Trace.
“What is there to do? This has escalated in the last two days.”
Cadance took a good look around at the ponies in the office. “I believe the answer is clear. We're Alicorns, so he may trust us. As for Shining Armor, he doesn't feel threaten by him because of Aunt Celestia.”
Shining Armor gave Cadance a puzzled look. “Just from standing down by Princess Celestia's command, he now sees me as somepony to be near cause I may feel scared of what Princess Celestia might do if I did something to him?”
Trace nods. “In a way the griffon sees that. His mind set is scrambled. It amazing that his learning as he goes. So the next month at least will be a trying one at most. We have to teach him the differences from right and wrong or he will see-”
Luna interrupts. “Wrong is right and right is wrong.”
“Yes Princess Luna.” Trace confirmed. “Princess Celestia will not have the time to fully commit to this. She will need all of your help.” Trace stated. “I know it sudden and out of the blue but each of you now play a vital role in his up bring.”
Luna didn't like this being put into a spotlight but she understood why. “We will do what we must. This young griffon been through too much already.”
Shining Armor sighed heavily. “As captain of the guard, my duty to Equestria and it citizens. I will aid in his up bring.” Shining Armor reluctantly agreed.
Candace the last to accept her part in helping the griffon. “I had foalsitting experience with Twilight Sparkle. So I will be up for the task at hoof.”
Trace smiled but lost it a few seconds later. “Now we sorted that out. I got on finding that is troubling, it be best that it doesn't go beyond us...” They look to each other and turn to Trace giving their word.
“Care to explain?” Shining asked.
Trace used his magic to turn the rubber ball into a wooden sculpture of Luna. “When I and Pink Heart was heading to Canterlot City Hall of Records to acquire the forms. I decided to track any form of magic similar to that within the griffon.”
Luna felt a ping of within, it was an awful feeling within her gut. “Doctor Trace... What thy found?”
“The magic that changed him... It's faint but it in Canterlot...” He slowly begisn to say and turn to Shining Armor. “Whom ever did this was here a few weeks ago.”
Shining Armor felt a chill run down his spine to his tail. “Can you track where the spell came from in the City?”
“No.”
“Why not!?” Shining Armor demanded.
Trace sighed. “I wasn't here two weeks ago. If I was, then I could of tracked where it originally came from. The magic in the air at this very moment is so fate now. Not enough to get a location, sorry.”
“For magic to linger in the air around an large area like the city after two weeks, means we are dealing with something that could easily dwarf any form of magic we know or knew.” Cadance wearily stated. “Aunt Luna. This can't get out. If this was to get it would cause panic and mistrust among the ponies as a whole.”
Luna sighed. “We not one for keeping such things from our sister but... We have to agree.” Luna turn to Shining Armor. “Captain you are to investigate this discretely. Whom ever is behind this does not know what we know. We can not scare them off into hiding. Less they know the better it will be.”
“Princess are you sure?”
“We are... Thou the reason may not be sound. It has to be. This pony or creature has power of an greater transfiguration then even we have.”
“Which means whom ever this is may come after the griffon again?” Luna nods to what Shining Armor said. “I can see why Princess Celestia made it her personal mission to take custody of the griffon. She aware that something out there that did this to him and may return.”
Trace closes the folder up. “That is why I am staying. I' will inform my wife via letter that I will be home for the weekends, but during the weekdays I'll be working here in Canterlot General on a special assignment for the crown of Equestria”
“A good call.” Cadance agreed. “You are the doctor he feels safe around. Right?”
“In a way me and Pink Heart are. But only when Princess Celestia is most likely present.” Trace partly confirmed what Cadance said. “For now there is little information to work with, prepare for an possible attack and hope it doesn't come.”
With that Luna choose to end the meeting by using her magic to cancel out the spell. “Thy has our thanks. We bid thy an good night. We have much to work on.” Luna turns around opening the door and leave the office.
Cadance suddenly came up with a crazy idea. “Shiny. There a empty room on the same level as the aunts rooms correct?”
“There is. It usually used for VIP guests of the crown. Why?” Shining Armor asked.
Cadance quickly came around behind him and pushed. “Hey what are you doing Cadance!?”
“Your helping me.”
“With what exactly!?”
“Oh you see! Come on Shiny stop sliding and start trotting!”
“Alright!” The Alicorn of Love and captain of the guard leaves the office.
Trace look down at the closed folder than at the open door. “Temporary office now became my permanent office.” He open the draw up and put the file inside it. Looking at the figure he used his transfiguration spell to turn it into a diamond sculpture of the griffon.
Trace took out the sealed envelope staring at it.
“Well... I hope Amber Flare will not fry me for this.”