//------------------------------// // Chapter 66.5 – Connection // Story: Griffon of Canterlot // by Electuroo //------------------------------// Griffon of Canterlot Chapter 66.5 – Connection Celestia walked to one side of the room to the other, pacing back and forwards with little to nothing she could do, one of three princesses and co-ruler with Luna she felt so useless, even asking Twilight's help would be a bad idea with the limited time they had left, all they had was a large finch griffon with strange technology mixed with magic. Sunflower's ears twitch to each hoof step as she tried to do her work. “Celestia stop pacing!” Sunflower snaps once more at the solar princess. Luna lying on a few pillows raise a quill to a note pad ticking off on a tally chart. “Celestia stop pacing...” She whispered, this mark making it number seven. “Look Sunflower, I pace when I am worried, I pace when I CAN'T do anything!” Celestia countered. Sunflower counters Celestia's counter. “Then do it outside! I need to focus! Do you or know anyone with advance degrees on computer programming, robotics and mathematics, all rolled in one!?” Celestia was about to say Twilight, but she closed her muzzle up. “We have just under 12 hours on the damn clock. And since you decided NOT to study that damn thing at all! We working against time and learning as we go!” “Yes I know I've made a grave error b-” “SO LET ME WORK AND SIT YOUR FAT ASS DOWN OR I WILL COME OVER AND STUN YOUR ASS AND MAKE YOU! GOT IT DUDE!?” Sunflower roared at her. Celestia instantly sat down. “Y-yes...” She squeaked. “Thank you! Geez you old timers are alike! I am sooooo glad I'm just twenty, dude!” She went back to work on the tablet. Luna got up walking over to her oldest sister, sitting by her. “Celestia you had that coming, she had warned you six times before.” “I know...” Celestia lower her head. “I just don't know what to do, we even one element short, I do not know if bring Twilight and her friends here would help.” Luna look over to Sunflower. “The young griffon is working hard, from what I know of she haven't slept in over 30 hours, I would suggest a fresh mind. But I would believe Twilight would not know how to use any of this, and I doubt wherever Sunflower came from is close by either.” Celestia gave a defeating sigh. “All we got is over worked young massive griffon, that even make us feel dumb in her presence?” “That we are, none of this stuff I could begin to understand what it purpose is, part from Sunflower calling them radio dishes to electronic wave detectors and what not.” Sunflower suddenly looked very surprised from their view, they got up on their hooves quickly going over to the towering griffon as she now stood up on three of her paws. “Nanner read my message!” “WHAT!?” They quickly shouted together looking at the device from either side of Sunflower. “Your sure? It doesn't have a reply.” Celestia said looking at the words on the screen. Sunflower rolled her eyes. “You two are so backwards, when a profile picture appear under the text.” She sat down on her hunches pointing to it with her free forepaw. “That when you know the one you sent it has read it, also I made sure this is a localized connection too, so she very close by.” “What hasn't she responded?” Luna asked. “If she read it.” Sunflower hummed. “I am not exactly sure but I got a way.” She brought up a new window typing on one paw set of fingers and thumb over it. “There, I just hacked into Nanner Maple's tablet, we be able to see from it.” Luna gave a confused look. “Ha-hacked? What is this word hacked you speak of?” Sunflower press on the camera icon activating the tablet camera. “It entering another device that not yours from somewhere else.” Sunflower gave a basic answer. “Since it Nanner Maple's, I am sure she'd be fine with it.” The image that appear before them was scrolls and a shelf wall. “Let's flip to the other camera.” She press the two twisting arrows icon to have the image change. What they saw was the same chamber but the golden statue was different to the one in their chamber, it had Celestia as a griffon still with Grover and a third adult holding up a sphere together, near it were Celestia griffon, everyone Sunflower, Celestia and Luna knew, including one griffon that made Celestia's heart jump a beat at the sight of her. “Nightingale...” Luna was amazed at the sight of her sister as a griffon talking with Nightingale, they could hear talking but the audio from that distance wasn't too great. “Sister I got to admit, you look good as a griffon, it would be something I could easily get use to seeing.” “Yes...” She noticed Gale looking around, picking up scrolls opening them and putting them back down. “Gale!” His ears twitch turning to Griffon Celestia. “Yes, Griffon mum?” “Yes what?” “You call name.” Griffon Celestia shook her head. “I didn't.” Gale rubbed his head. “Sure heard.” “GALE!” Gale instantly turn to the tablet Maple put down, he could see the screen display the chamber but three figures were in front of it. “Mum?” Gale walk up to it. “It me Gale! You can hear me right!?” “Yes I hear, you video chat.” Gale look to Luna. “Hi aunty!” Than he saw the griffon. “Ooo you Sunflower! Maple say you granddaughter right?” Sunflower smirked. “That I am, also yes I am bigger than your mum.” Gale tilt his head. “Nightingale say other Maple have no family, only Pistol but she got great grandson.” Sunflower raised a eye brow, there was a world where a Maple and Pistol did exist but they never had children. “Yeah that don't work like that, if she and Pistol pasted away without children there wouldn't be me or a great grandson.” Gale rubbed his head. “But there she did but no Pistol?” “Correct.” Gale grew concerned. “Confusing...” “It is, but what is important at the moment is what you said to me.” Celestia listen to them and started to piece things together, a picture growing and it dawned on her. “Gale! You and the others are inside a sphere only many hooves away from us!” Gale look over at the sphere. “Outside inverse sphere mum you at?” “Inverse sphere? Dimensions of the sphere inner walls match that of the outside sphere...” Sunflower made their video chat a bit smaller, she looked at the data displayed. “That does explain the readings that coming in, but dimensions beyond the walls is something I never seen or even thought it was possible, yet we got a inverse universe before us inside the sphere.” Sunflower glance over to the sphere. Luna agrees. “Star Swirl did create a building that was far smaller on the outside to that inside, it dimensions did not add up from inside to outside.” Celestia nodded. “That how all buildings have bigger dimensions to the outside, the magic used allow adverse dimensions to exist.” Gale tilt his head. “It no explain how we all inside!” Celestia finally clicked. “Oh no...” “Sister what is it?” “Don't you see it!? They were taken! Something took them and brought them there magically! Birthday wish magic.” Celestia quickly speak to Gale. “How you and the others ended up in there, it because something pulled you all in there and that something is most likely that fake great grandson!” Luna also now caught on what Celestia just said. “That the connection!” Gale hears something turn to the entrance. “Mum... That fake griffon is-ACK” They watched Gale is sent flying, RS catches him passed out and the black finch griffon step into view. “Well well well, no surprise the child found me out.” The griffon slowly turn to vapours and replaced by a zebra stallion with a tied up mane pulled to the back of the head, wearing a orange jacket. Maple pull out her cannon. “Zebra you just crossed the line.” She fires to have him swipe each energy blast away. Gilda and Nightingale leaps at him as Maple fires her shots, they only got a claw nearly tapping the end of his muzzle, they frozen in place. “Now now, we can't go around clawing out the Zebra that play with his toys now, do we?” He looked at each of them. “Let's do something about that.” They felt their talons being pulled up and back till a loud sicken snap, they squawk with mix of screams in pain as both had one foreleg wrist snapped, the zebra toss them into Shining Armor and Maple. “Nightingale!” Celestia went to her aid. Nightingale held the foreleg with the undamaged tally crying in pain. “That freakish pony broke my wrist!” Rainbow Dash by Gilda. “Sweet Celestia Gilda, that look really bad!” “No bucking way, it does doesn't it you dweeb!” Gilda growled in pain. “Oh course it does! That lame zebra just broke my wrist without even moving!” Gilda glared at him. “Don't try playing hero Dash, he do the same to you he did to me.” Rainbow gulped seeing the black pupils look upon her. “Yeah gotcha G...” Celestia turn to Gilda. “You keeping calling him that, I never seen or heard of a z-zeb... Zebra.” “How do you not what a zebra is?” Rainbow Dash asked. “It simple, I erased them from my playground, she or Nightingale wouldn't of knew about them at all.” He step closer seeing RS holding Gale still. “Those that able, don't be stupid, your no match against me, this is my playground after all.” He chuckled. RS growled. “Your a monster.” Celestia, Luna and Sunflower watched this get out of control fast, Celestia couldn't sit and watch. “Luna we have to do something. And do it now!” Luna turn to the sphere. “Agreed sister, Sunflower do you have enough of this data to help us or we going on blind?” Luna asked the large finch griffon. Sunflower looked at the data to see a result. “I have no idea what will happen, but when in Rome and all crazy breaking out dude, go for that point on the sphere and fire away!” Sunflower point directly at one area of the sphere. Celestia and Luna stood before it with their horns glowing, they fire a beam of magic at the surface of the sphere. “Sunflower, tell us if we doing anything!” Celestia said as they continue to push their magic at the sphere. Sunflower saw data flying in with results showing a rift was starting to form. “We creating a opening! If you keep it up they can escape!” “Oh oh we can't have that now can we?” Sunflower's ears pinned upon hearing that voice. “Thank you for allowing me to directly attack them, wonder how wish magic will effect a pair of Alicorns hmm~” Sunflower gulped looking down at the video link, it was still connected and the solid black eyes of the zebra look back at hers. “Princesses! He knows stop!” “Toooooo late~” He sang with a flip of the hoof. Celestia felt it, a surge through her horn, there was a feedback loop of magic building up, reacting quickly she divert enough magic to create a burst of magic to send Luna flying, she looses connection being caught by Sunflower. “Sister!” Luna tried to reach a hoof out to Celestia but Sunflower held in place. “Let me go!” Her horn lights up to blast Sunflower, but the look Celestia had at her caused that to fizzle out. “Luna it be okay.” Celestia gave her best smile. “Celestia!” Luna cries out as cracks all over Celestia's horn forms. Celestia closed her eyes. “It be okay...” The horn shatters with a massive explosion of magic released, she sent flying backwards for Sunflower to dive and catch Celestia landing on the ground with a grunt. Sunflower got up on her hind legs towering right over Luna, she walk over to the pillows placing Celestia down, her horn completely destroyed. “C-Celestia...” Luna had tears falling quickly got to Celestia's side seeing the state her sister was in. Celestia raise a hoof. “It was either both of us or one of us, I couldn't let it be you...” She rub it against the side of Luna's face. Laughter caught their attention turning to the tablet screen. “All of you a big zip zero and Zerra the Wish Sherman a massive win, next step total revenge upon my kind for locking me away over 1000 years ago! Now for you outside, we be back after a intermission, see you at twenty minutes before midnight for the finale, my escape and it all thanks to a BIRTH day wish from you Nightingale that made this all possible!” He dance around a few times with no one daring to try anything now, seeing what he did in just simple ease. “Now the princesses outside, you two try to leave the chamber any means possible till midnight, I will do more than shatter horns, snap bones. I will take one of these little lives and this will happen!” He raise his hoof at Griffon Celestia. “Any last words?” Gale slowly open his eyes. “Urg... Headache...” Gale groans. RS growls. “You proven your point already Zerra!” “Prove what?” Gale sat up seeing Griffon Celestia showing tears falling. “Griffon mum?” “M-mum...” Nightingale saw her starting to glow in places with cyan blue light spreading. “What did you do!?” “She and all those pesky toys out lived their usefulness, no point keeping my toys around since they not playable anymore in MY Wish Reality, it been fun letting you have your little imaginative life here, but now reality has come!” Zerra said sitting down on a few pillows with hooves behind is head. “Also here a stallion all tied up.” He wave a hoof and Trace came flying into the room rolling around, he all tied in rope with a muzzle over his snout. Shining Armor removed his binds with his magic and use the hoof to pull off a ring from Trace's horn. “Princess...” Shining watched helplessly seeing the light cover more of the griffon body of the sun princess. Celestia gave Gale and Nightingale a hug. “I love you both, Nightingale be there for your little brother and remember that day on your birthday 100 years ago?” “I-I do...” “Good and you know what to do with it.” She lower her head down kissing both of them with her beak on the foreheads. “Don't be afraid, thank you Nightingale for the life you gave me and Gale even you are not exactly our Gale, you are our Gale, I love you all the same.” Zerra rolled his eyes as the cyan blue light completely engulf her. “About time.” She burst to sparks of light causing both griffons to fall to the ground, they staring in horror among the others at what they saw. “Mum!” They screamed out in horror. Celestia, Luna and Sunflower watching this happen had their hooves, and paws over the snouts and beak gasping at what just happened. Griffon Celestia was gone, he just erased her. “Now you have your warning and you haves yours.” He said to the group and to the screen. “I believe I made my point, when the intermission for you two out there ends, nothing will happen here but for you it be near midnight when you reconnect, till than see you soon.” The last thing they saw was the dark grin from the zebra as the screen goes dark. “What do we do?” Luna asked. “I do not know...” Celestia said sitting up grunting in pain as sparks of magic with electrical discharged fly from her horn. “Zerra... The zebra that was banished to a lamp for twisting wishes over 1000 years ago, locked away in the deepest depths of the sands... Zecora she told me the tale when I was little, when dad took me to Zebirra in help to stopping my continuous growth.” Sunflower just said. Celestia eyes lit up. “Zecora! She is the Everfree Forest!” She turn to Sunflower. “We can't leave, but he said nothing about you leaving! Go find Twilight Sparkle at the Golden Oak Library! Ask her to take you to Zecora!” “That doesn't make sense...” Luna said. “I know, but it a loop hole we can use and take, go and get them!” Celestia asked. Sunflower got up on all four paws. “How exactly do I do that? It daylight and a nine hooves tall finch griffon, it going to raise a lot of eye brows, it will cause a mass panic!” Celestia with sparks flying out of her shattered horn gave her a dead serious look. “We will deal with that crossing of the bridge when it comes, for now everything is off the table and all living creatures are in danger! With one element out of the picture we can't even go to extreme and call for Discord's help!” Sunflower grabbed her bag putting it over her back behind the wings. “Fine! I'm going dude! I am doing this for Nanner Maple and you better know what you are bloody doing Celestia.” Sunflower put a device in it. “I got my phone on me, so next time you hear from me, is when you get a automatic answering call from my tablet.” Sunflower continue to pack a few other items into the bag. Luna looked over surprised. “We crossing that bridge?” “We would if we could...” Celestia stared at the sphere. “It seem Zerra been playing with our lives for 800 years and from the sound of it, he just wiped out all life including my counter part in the Wish Reality. But not the ones from our reality including Nightingale.” Celestia turn to speak to Sunflower. “Go a-” Sunflower were already gone.