//------------------------------//
// Chapter 2 
// Story: Mastering Victory 
// by DigitalValkerie 
//------------------------------//

Cloud Shade and Victory slunk back into the ponygriff’s home, to be greeted with her grandparents asking a bombardment of questions. The stallion was willing to take the bullet and explain what had happened on their date to the elder couple. Victory took their rescued visitor to her room to rest, while Cloud Shade sat with the unicorn and cockatiel griffon.
“And that’s what happened.” He finished the story, letting out a sigh.
“Well, I must say that’s quite the tale.” The shaggy furred, lilac unicorn chuckled at the end of the explanation. He grabbed his cup of cocoa with his magic. “Falling stars revealing strange, easily unconscious space ponies.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Sparky dear, that obviously is too absurd to have actually happened.” Digital Harmony rebutted. The larger griffon waved her talons at him. “You know how creative these two can be.”
“But Ma’am-“ Cloud Shade began to argue but was cut off.
“Now, now, my dearest Grandbaby-in-law.”
“We’re not married…” the younger of them mumbled under his breath, seemingly going unheard.
“There's no such thing as space ponies, our planet is the only planet there is, we are alone in the universe, why else would we need Princess Celestia to raise the sun and moon every day and night?”
Cloud Shade pursed his lips ever so slightly, wanting to point out the many flaws with that statement but also wanting to live. A sandwich cookie floated near his mouth, to which he politely declined.
“While I highly disagree with your facts on the matter… Who’s to say whether or not it came from space?” His attention was grabbed by Victory opening and peeking out the door, seeing if he was done yet. “Maybe he fell from a cloud that strayed from his city?”
“Wouldn’t that be a little difficult? Given he’s a unicorn and all?” Star Spark rubbed his mustache in thought, his darker hoof losing some of the mudded dirt from the day. Harmony scratched at her neck, looking away as if to avoid dignifying with a response.
“It’s a lot less difficult to cast a cloud walking spell than to have come from the stars.” The griffon argued.
“Regardless,” The younger sipped at his cup of tea. “He’s here, he’s unconscious, and he fell out of the sky. He’s probably going to need some time to recuperate, and since I’ve already sent my stuff away to Canterlot…”
“Of course, he can stay here as well.” The other unicorn jumped at him with an answer, receiving a very unpleased look from his spouse. “At least until he can stand on his own hooves again. Quite literally.”
“Star Spark, Dear.” Harmony near growled to the stallion. “I really do wish you would at the very least look at my enraged face before making such decisions on both of our behalf…”
“But then I’d never get in a word, my sweet little Fish Pie Tart.” He gave a mischievous grin, sticking out his tongue.
“Don’t you go trying to butter me up with your cute little pet names, you unsavory little sardine sausage.” The griffon attempted not to fall for the sweet talk.
“You didn’t think I was so unsavory the other night, Harmony.” His eyebrows bounced up and down with his implication.
“Nope. Nope, I’m out. Good Night.” Awkwardly, Cloud Shade scuttled to Victory’s room and closed the door behind him, letting out a sigh.
“They being their weird hate flirty again?” The unicorn’s face was met with playfully concerned eyes.
“The word savory was involved.” He shuddered.
“Gross.” Victory moved aside so he could further into the room. Stuck in the tiny hall between it and the door was not comfortable.
“So, how’s the patient?”
“Fine, I think?” The mare’s head hung slightly.
“You think?” Turning to face her, his brows furrowed. “Has something been weird?”
“Well, every five minutes or so-“ 
The unicorn in question suddenly jerked upward, his back curving away from the bedding. A loud exhale is let out of the unconscious stallion, followed by some magical discharge escaping. Afterward, he once again relaxed, as if nothing had happened.
“… That. That happens.” Victory finally finished.
“Whoa, how strange…” Cloud Shade cautiously got closer. “Some kind of magic residue.”
“Yeah, I’m not really an expert on magic or anything, but…” she trailed off for him to finish the thought.
“Yeah, that isn’t a normal thing…” Victory’s paws flexed, her claws pulling up microscopic bits of carpet, as Cloud Shade thought.
“Do you think he’s sick?”
“Maybe. But I’ve never seen anything like this before.” Gently, the stallion felt the other’s forehead. “He doesn’t feel warm, kind of cold actually. Doesn’t have any cold symptoms?”
“If you can’t figure out, I don’t know anycreature that can. You’re the smartest pony I know.” The feathers on Victory’s back fanned out with her praise. 
“Thanks, you're full of it, but thanks.” He gave a gentle smirk in return, walking back over to her. “You're the smartest ponygriff I know.”
“But I’m the only ponygriff you know!” She let out a gentle whinny of a laugh. “I’m glad I didn’t find him alone, don’t think anyone would believe me if I had.”
“I would have. I’ll always believe you and your crazy tales.” Cloud Shade rummaged through her saddlebag.
“Gee, thanks. You know its rude to go through a mare’s bag, right?” Victory laughed.
“I’m just looking for that ointment in case he did get banged up worse than we thought.” He pulled out the ointment, pulling out several other things in the process.
“That won’t… be necessary…” Both Victory and Cloud Shade were startled as the stallion spoke up. “Anything that was wrong is already healed anyhow… ow… Aside from this blasted headache…”
“Oh, you’re awake?? How do you feel, other than that headache… obviously?” The ponygriff hopped up to help the other. “How many feathers am I holding up?”
“I don’t care…” the stranger put a hoof to his horn. “Urgh. Whatever the blazes is this?”
“Uh, you mean your horn? Here, I’m not too good at magic but headache spells I can do.” Gently, Victory touched her horn to his, beginning to perform her magic.
“Hey, what the he-?! …Oh… Oh, that actually, feels remarkably better…” he began to protest but calmed himself as the pain went away. “Wow, you two are… very blurry.”
“Blurry? Oh, I have something that might help, wait here.” Without even waiting for a response, the mare trotted out the door and closed it behind her, leaving the stallions alone.
“Oh, by all means, don’t mind me… just having a mental episode with the realization of me becoming a horse.” A sneer found its way onto Master’s face.
“You’re a pony, not a horse. Big difference…” Cloud Shade huffed annoyedly.
“Whatever. I am a hooved quadruped, much different than before.” Master struggled to get up from his spot, near growling as the other tried to help him with his balance.
“You expect us to believe you used to be something different?” the darker raised a brow.
“Whether you believe or not is up to your primitive little brain to decide.” Master looked away, uninterested.
“Why you…” Before Cloud Shade could finish the thought, Victory trotted back into the room, humming a happy tune.
"Here you go, I think these will fit you okay." She levitated a pair of deep blue glasses and gently placed them on the peculiar's sneering snout. He did not like the sudden touching.
"Oh, glasses..." He seemed unimpressed once more, straightening the glasses awkwardly. "How do these even work... That is… remarkably better, I can actually see. Erm… and you are much less… equine than I previously thought."
"What?" Cloud Shade tilted his head, with a look of confusion.
"I'd maybe get me, cause I'm part griffon, but Cloud Shade?" Victory tilted her head in the opposite direction at the thought.
"Well, your eyes are very large and front-facing for a ‘pony’. Not to mention the spherical, enlarged skulls. Dear Rassilon, do I actually look like that as well?? Your snouts are so small compared to the rest of your heads!" He began to ramble, that was new.
"Hey, Ponies come in all shapes and sizes." The other stallion protested.
"Let's have another look at that mirror, yeah?" Master motioned to Victory, waving his hoof toward himself at her.
"Y-yeah, alright." the ponygriff complied, lifting the mirror so he could inspect himself.
"Ugh… I can see it clearly now. The glasses definitely help. The voice, eh, it’ll do. These ears, wow. Teeth," Master loudly clacked his teeth together. "Actually rather normal, I still appear to have canines. Overall. Eh this is me we’re talking about, I make it work."
"Erm..." the gray unicorn leaned over to whisper to his partner. "I think he may have hit his head harder than we first thought..."
"Either that or he really is that egotistical." Victory whispered back. Master ignored them completely.
"Right, well." He began moving towards the door. "I best get back to my ship."
"Ship? You mean the tubey thing?" the mare tilted her head.
"... Yes. the tubey thing." The disdain in the Master's voice was apparent. "It's not far from here, yes?"
"Right but-" Cloud Shade was rudely interrupted as Master pushed past.
"Yes, thank you, I can handle it from here. Go back to your mediocre lives." As Master attempted to grab the door handle, the other stallion let out a snuff.
"Uh, you may wanna wait-" Victory began.
"I'm fine now, thank you." he was obviously getting irritated now with the handle, but finally managed to grip it enough to twist. Master opened the door, paused with wide eyes, and then proceeded to slowly close the door again.
"Yeaaah, Granmama and Granpapa like to be... publicly intimate." Victory's ears lowered, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
"So it would... seem." Master repressed a shudder.