//------------------------------// // Chapter Four: The Gift of Aluminum // Story: DOOM of Griffonstone! // by ShadowStar_IMHP //------------------------------// Doom’s POV Once Doom was sure Gilda had left, he screamed slamming his fist into the very iron ore he drew the aluminum from. The force of the impact left a fist shape indentation. ‘Doom what’s the matter.’ Hans that annoying voice spoke in his head again. “My mind has been corrupted you insufferable voice. Not only I got you whispering in my thoughts, but I also found my memories are flawed.” Dooms anger was boiling. If he had a target, he would incinerate it, but the source of his rage was unknown. “Reed Richards… it must be him. He the only one who would dare try to mess with my mind. Hans, you must be a failed personality implant” He nods that must be the reason for his gaps in memories, his mind was being rewritten. “I must have escaped, perhaps with the Infinity Gauntlet”. A quick spell and an orb of white light were floating above him. “My skills and knowledge are too valuable to erase, but events of my life were targeted for erasing. Yes, it makes sense now. Reed Richard or whoever would dare mess with my mind wanted my brilliance without my personality”. ‘Okay, and you are talking to me with your voice again.’ “There is no need for me to be quiet when alone.” Doom headed over to the cart seeing the car’s wheel was detached. “Simple enough seems it was just abandoned mid fix.” He looked around for supplies. Most of the handheld tools were gone, either taken when the place was abandoned or scavaged later. ‘Are you sure? We all have memory degradation over time it’s a natural thing.’ “Not to me. I have an Eidetic memory. I can recall every fight, every detail of my battles. But my life… is blurred.” ‘Show me’ “Show you? Ah, I see like you projected your memories into my head.” In the memory. Doom was controlling the Doombot as it flew the helicopter to the Fantastic Four base of operation. The task was difficult he was still refining the technology of the doom bots. Soon he dropped a nanocarbon fiber net over the building. He calls out via the chopper’s broadcaster. “Send out Sue Storm.” The memory of getting the helicopter was fussier. Then farther back as Victor Von Doom was hiking in the mountains, the chill of the snowy air reached the skin of his face even with the bandages covering it. Then he looks up seeing the temple of the monks he came looking for. ‘Doom… when was the last time you took a shower?’ “Are you implying I’m dirty you mental tick?!” ‘No, just humor me. When was the last time you had a shower or a bath? What was the last meal you ate?’ “Enough of this… Tell me about this cartoon. What was it called?” ‘My Little Pony, Friendship is magic. It all begins in the magical land of Equestria…’ Hans draws up his memories. -------------------------- Hans’s POV He dug in his memory for information about the show. Starting from the very start. Somewhere in the mindscape, he started to work on more. Doom had split his focus he both paid attention to the cartoon as he repaired the broken wheel of the cart. Hans did the same. “What kind of moronic name is Nightmare Moon? Sounds like a name a teenage girl going through a GOTH phase would name herself.” as the appearance of Nightmare moon took shape on stage.“Complete with tacky purple eye shadow.” First, he imagined the show was playing on a large screen T.V. then expanded creating a theater room. For the first time since the issue started, he brought his hand up and viewed his hand. The room was more dreamlike than a physical world. Things disappeared when he didn’t pay attention. “Focus your thoughts you blundering brain fart. I need to know everything I can.” ‘It isn't easy remembering a cartoon from the very start. Where was I?’ “Cows talk in this universe as well?” ‘I don’t know talking cows never showed up again in later seasons. They’re also talking goats and non-talking goats. So the same could be for cows. Then again like you said we can’t go by what is in the show.’ “I will have to investigate this matter of sapient animals later.” ‘Yeah I agree, I could so go for some steak. Just not if the steak intelligent.’ Hans refocused on the show as the episode ends the next starts. ‘Griffon the Brush off. This is the first appearance of Gilda.’ “This pony Fluttershy speaks to the animals. How strong is that ability.” ‘Doom, she powerful all the mane six have interesting abilities. Let jump a few episodes...Ah, here it is. Fluttershy’s Staring down a Dragon, and then I show you her staring down a cockatrice. imagine Squirrel Girl with the ability to be able to affect all animals.’ “Do not speak that girl’s name. You have no idea how frustrating a hundred squirrels swarming over you can be.” ‘If we want to talk about scary… let me show you Pinkie Pie’s greatest reality warping.’ “In will have to test these bearers of the Elements. For now, show me the episode you spoke of. The one where the Idol is found.” ‘Season five episode eight. The lost treasure of Griffonstone it is then.’ Hans sits down on the couch that appeared under his new body, and he starts eating popcorn. “What is that munching sound? It’s disturbing.” A growl comes from dooms abdomen. ‘Sorry, Doom. Guess you are hungrier then I thought.’ “Yes… hungry. Don’t disturb me I need to focus on learning what I can about the Lost Treasure of Griffonstone.” Hans sat there watching the episode play, thinking. Doom’s tone of voice was puzzled as if he was confused about something. ------------------------- Gilda's POV After walking out of the metal workshop Gilda took a deep breath. Ever since the Tatlzworm, she has been fighting fear and anger in equal measure. Her life was on a titering edge, Glados as Doom said would be leading the guards to her home. This would mean she couldn’t return home again. At the same time she has seen hornless magic, and her ancestors might even have use magic themselves. Could she use magic? She slips the orb of Moon Silver into a pouch she had hidden under her poncho. She didn’t have any coin in it, but she did have her lunch in it when working. Lunch she ate before the attack. Doom was both intriguing and terrifying. His focus and will were almost a physical thing, a commanding presence that was hard to ignore, his magic was unlike anything she has seen before. At the same time, she could feel he was holding back a monstrous devastating power. He slaughtered Penny Pitcher and the other ponies with ease. What more he seemed to not even registered to kill someone as anything more than a nuisance. Her hand touches the pouch. She could flee she has the money. Where would she go? Back to Rainbow Dash? No, what remains of her self-worth couldn’t stand facing the pony that humiliated her just a few months ago. She submitted to the hard work of the fields to survive; it was not hard to submit to Doom. At least doom could show her magic, and she could gain the power to be a master of mysticism as well. Taking a deep breath she made her choice. She will learn this hornless magic of doom. She will be the master of her destiny and any who stand in her way will be vaporized like Penny’s head. From this day forward she wouldn’t be a dweeb she will be the apprentice of DOOM. She will grab her destiny by the talion and force life to follow her desires. With that, she headed for one of the few pawn shops she trusted. Old Grampa Gruff’s place. The pawnshop was like many such places in many worlds. A window with bars showing items that could be bought, but wasn’t so rare they couldn’t be replaced. By the door was a large buffed griffon male serving as a guard. Gilda didn’t pay the guard much attention as she headed inside. “Gramps! I got something you want to see.” Grampa Gruff was behind another set of bars in the back of the display floor. “You got the coin for your medal, Gilda? If you don’t it be on display soon. Can you afford to pawn something else?” Gilda sets the orb of Moon Silver on the counter. “How much for pure moon silver?” Gruff reaches out for the orb, but before he could Gilda picks it back up. “I have to examine it first if you want a number, Gilda.” Gilda looks to the answer to her problems before setting it down again. With a voice expressing her frustration “Fine”. Gruff puts a jewel’s eyepiece over his good eye and examines the orb. “It’s pure? Not some copper coated?” “Of course it’s pure you old buffoon. I know what happened to the last Griffon that tried to con you”. The story of the fool who tried to sell Gruff a fake diamond was well known. Found a few days later every feather plucked and eyes gouged out. Gilda tried to resist the urge to shiver as she brought the story up in her mind. Gruff snorted and put the orb on weight scales. “Do you want your mother’s medal back as well”? He says as he measures the orb. “How much is the orb worth?” Gilda fought with sadness, the pendant was the silver equestrian games medal her mother won so long ago. Gruff took note of her voice and looked at the young griffon in the eye. “About one hundred more than your mother’s pendant. Where do you get the Orb?” “Same place as the medal. It was in my mother’s hiding spot.” Gilda watched as the old bird reached down and brought up the medal and set it down. “You paid off half of what you owe me. So I let you have the medal and four hundred for the orb, final offer.” For a moment Gilda was going to argue but then snatched the medal fighting the emotions that ran rampant in her mind. Gruff was being kind in his annoying way, she knew he was dropping the interest she still owed. Gruff then put four double silver coins down on the counter. Griffonstone coins went from copper slivers, copper coins, silver slivers worth 25 coppers, silver coins 50 copper coins, and finally double silver coins for 100 copper coins. Given most don’t deal with anything above a single silver many griffons just use coppers as standard. “I need one of those doubles broken up, got some things I need to buy and don’t want to advertise I got so much on me.” Gruff snorts and sets out 25 copper coins. One silver sliver and one silver coin “Happy now you ungrateful feather brain.” Gilda snatched the money and with a growl turns and heads out of the pawnshop. Gruff watched her leave then scratched his head. “Gallus get in here you urchin.” A still very young fledgling Gallus enters the back room of the pawnshop from the warehouse. “You called Gramps?” Grampa Gruff was known to the urchins of Griffonstone. Being one of the few Griffons who took care of the orphan homeless. Of course, he wouldn’t put up with any lazy hatchlings. If you earned his approval, you would get to sleep in one of the buildings the old griffon owned and got to have blankets, as well as a meal once a day. Twice if you find money or items dropped or lost for the store. Of course what counts as lost items was sketchy if a said item was ‘Lost’ in a jewelry box under a bed and happened to be found by a sneaky thief, Gruff wouldn’t ask questions. “I want you to follow Gilda. Make sure you aren’t spotted.” Gallus scratches his head “Why? She’s a good customer.” “Fool. Think, her mother didn’t have any Moon Silver, no way Gilda would pawn the medal first. If Gabriele had an orb of Moon Silver, Gilda would pawn that. Somehow Gilda got her hands on this orb. She’s not the thieving type, find out what you can.” “Yeah, yeah. Follow Gilda, find secrets… I want extra pay!” “You think I’m made of coin! Fine. Shoo before she gets too far.” The still young teen or tween Gallus hurried out the back to follow his target. Gruff picks up the orb and with a knife, he makes a slight scrape. “Purest Moon Silver I ever have seen.” ------------- Griffonstone Castle Chamberlin Archion was a Falcon like griffon with a sharp beak and sharp eyes. He was dressed in a flowing red robe and at the moment looking down at the Griffon before him. "Tell me again about his monster." Glados nods "It's some kind of magical metal creation I think. All metal with green garment and cape. The thing showed no fear of killing a Tatlzworm, and no mercy killing the Prince's men at the fields." With a growl, the Chamberlin stands up. "If the Prince hears about this he cut our trade. That's our food supply!" "I know! The field can be fixed I can do it!" "Shut up commoner! I don't need your simple thoughts. Guards, start a full search of the area I want this monster found before the Prince hears about..." "Hear about what Chamberlin Archion?" There walking out of a side passage was Prince Blueblood dressed in a fine blue suit. "Please, explain to me why I shouldn't hear about what happened to..." Then his horn lights up and a blast of magic strikes the ground near Archion's feet. With deeper and more anger filled voice "MY FIELDS, and my servants!" Archion swallows, "It a monster, I already got guards searching for it. There was no way to predict the attack. From what this field lead supervisor reported only about ten percent of one field was damaged. Your servants were killed fighting the beast." Prince Blueblood was nodding. "Make sure this metal monster is taken care of. We don't want my Aunt to send any military assistance here." "Of course Prince Blueblood. We don't want any interference from Equestria." Chamberlin Archion swapped his cape hurried to get guards mobilized.