“Gerard! You already got your scone!" Famine yells, pointing to the chubby cheeked griffon trying to sneak his way into the crowd. "Fuck off!” The griffon scowls and takes off to the sky, Famine huffs and looks over at Gilda who is able to dish out the scones to the crowd, when the furnace releases a `ding! `, he turns around and quickly opens it up, pulling out the tray of freshly baked scones causes a series of annoying squawks from the crowds the fresh smell hits them.
He puts it on top of the table and quickly grabs the other tray of unbaked scones to put in the oven. When Gilda runs out of scones on her side, she hands Famine the empty tray in exchange for the newest tray which makes the Griffon crowd get rowdy once again. Gilda groans as she once again prepares to fight the crowd to make them take only one scone per griffon. Famine sighs and prepares to make another batch.
Famine and Gilda release synchronized groans as they sit against the stall, staring at the sky as the last griffon consumer flies off. The two sit there in silence for a while, Famine turns his head to her and speaks up. “I really shouldn’t have improved your shit.”
Gilda vocalizes her agreement with a grunt as she glares at her oven. When footsteps approach, she turns her gaze to look ahead, voice ready to tell them that they're out of scones only to see Gruff. She gives a relieved sigh. “Hey Gramps, we sold out.”
“I noticed.” Gruff huffs and looks at Famine. “I normally don’t appreciate changes to my family recipes but… I'll make an exception in this case.” Gruff gives a small smirk that makes Gilda smile until she notices gesture, he was making with his talons and groans. She gets up and reaches in the stall to pull out a small leather pouch and tosses it in his talon, the sound of hidden bits within makes him he grins. “Oh, ho ho… Got a good chunk today!” Gruff laughs while Gilda and Famine roll their eyes together. He crosses his arms and looks towards the sky, when a shine that wasn't the sun temporarily blinds him, he looks squints and lets his eyes adjust, When Gilda attempts to make a comeback about the old griffon's greed, Famine interrupts.
“What the fuck is that?” He points towards the sky making the other two look. In the distance they see the silhouette of a flying group heading towards them. Gruff squawks at the sight and shouts. “Is it the Tax Police!?” Gruff quickly takes his fez off and dumps the pouch in it before putting it back on. Gilda tenses up hearing the word “tax” and squints at the approaching figures. “Wait… are those.... ponies?” She tilts her head, Gruff focuses his good eye on them, Famine speaks up. “I see armored ones… four in total... Two winged… One horn— is that a fucking chariot? With… some fancy dressed white horned pony with golden locks and...”
Gruff releases a SQUAWK making Famine flinch, Gruff looks at the figures with panic on his face. “A-are you sure!?” He stammers out. Famine glares at the elderly bird and rests in his annoyance for a moment before answering. “Yes. My eyes are better than yours will ever be.” His answer only makes Gruff releases another SQUAWK and hover in the air. Famine raises a brow at Gruff's reaction then looks to Gilda for answers, much to his dismay she shrugs and looks to Gruff for answers too.
“Oh Guto! It’s Prince Blueblood, Equestria’s Diplomat! Why is he coming here!? Without any warning!?” Gruff Scowled.
“Are you sure you didn’t get any warning…? Did you check the mail?” Gilda asks as she walks over to the old bird.
“Of course, I check the mail! Someone in this family has to! Since you don’t ever bother and Gabby is the one who delivers it!” Gilda frowns. “Don’t worry. As my granddaughter I will forgive you… If you help me deal with….” Gruff looks back at approaching figures and narrows his eyes with a scowl. “Ugh Blueblood… Spoiled fledgling” Before Gilda could state her objection to this deal Famine steps in. “I’ll help you deal with noble lookin’ dipshit.”
Gruff shakes his head. “Oh, Guto no! Your job in this is to just go and bother somegriffon else!” Gruff jabs a talon into Famine's chest.
“Why?”
Gruff huffs. “Ponies aren’t the most… tolerable of other races, other than their own despite what my granddaughter will tell you… Especially those who can dine in meat.” Famine nods and looks to Gilda who frowns and looks away.
“Pah! I’m willing to believe that if stuck-up prince sees you, he’ll faint and return back to his family to cry about how we’re holding some kind of monster here!”
Famine frowns but he nods. “Fine, I guess. Where the hell do I go through... If they roam the town, I don't exactly have a place to hide.”
Gruff cups his beak in thought, he scans the area around them before letting out a disgruntled sound. “You’re right. Just stay in the guest bedroom until it’s over.”
Gilda gives him a deadpan look. “What a perfect spot to hide him, Grampa Gruff. I'm sure this won’t go wrong at all…”
Gruff perks up. “Glad you think so! Now chop, chop! We have to try and look presentable for that snot-nose brat!” Gilda stares at him for a moment before letting out groan and heads towards Grampa’s Gruff house with Famine following behind. Gruff glancing back at the distant silhouette briefly before following behind them.
“I CANNOT believe Aunt Luna sent me to… to… to THIS! This absolute trash-heap of a kingdom. Ugh if had the authority to decline Aunt Luna’s order to send me here to “invite” their leader to their conference! I don’t think they even have a leader anymore since the fall of King Grover… Who am I even supposed to talk to!? Auggh! It’s almost like Aunt Luna sent me here just on a whim! I cannot believe I agreed to this! How does one even invite a griffon politely without them taking insult or being rude in return? This all so— Are you listening to me Sergeant Harden Shield!?” Prince Blueblood turns his head to the right.
Standing beside him was a unicorn with a slate-gray coat and persimmon color mane, her cutie mark was represented with a shield with an orange bubble surrounding it. She wore dark designed royal guard armor, sporting a dark helm with a flowing silver crest at the top and a badge showing her rank on the chest. Her ears flick upon hearing Blueblood calls her, her amber eyes trail over onto his annoyed face.
“Of course, your highness. Apologies if you wished for my input. I was simply content with letting you ease your stress onto me.” She gives a soft smile.
Blueblood huffs and raises his head in the air. “I wish not for your Input Lieutenant! I was merely making sure you’re focused on important matters currently at hand. Like my issues.” The corner of Harden Shield’s smile twitches ever so slightly before she nods and looks over to her right side while the prince babbles on his worries. Her fake smile fades away and she closes her eyes while bringing a hoof to her face.
She folds her ears against her head to block out the voice of the prince and instead opens her eyes to focus on Griffonstone. Like the reports said after their treasure was lost their kingdom rapidly declined until it was nothing more than a slum for griffons. Ruined buildings, left to right, the castle on the great tree of the town was nothing more than a shadow of its former glory, a reminder of the griffons' failure to protect their kingdom.
A part of her felt pity for the griffons, on the other she felt that they deserved it. They failed to protect their treasure, their kingdom, their citizens in whole. A kingdom and citizens deserve absolute protection, the leader and their guard should be that protector to the people of the kingdom! Celestia protected her ponies from evils countless times and so did the other princesses. Briefly she glances at her cutie mark, a symbol of her strength, her destiny. A showcase of her specialization to protect equestria’s citizens with her barrier magic.
`If we’re in the old days... I wonder if I would be a commander by now or captain of the solar guard. If only more threats could show up so I could prove myself. `
Her mind goes back to the changeling invasion during Princess Mi Amore Cadenza's wedding, how she cursed Former Captain Shining Armor for letting himself get mind mushed, how she had to defend the unprepared citizens of Canterlot but more specifically how despite the large number the changeling swarm came in she and her barrier never let them harm the citizens and her comrades, a sight to give citizens hope. She felt like she was the "Shield of Canterlot" in the moment a title she believed should belong to her.
Of course, her heroism was never rewarded with such a title. Shining Armor removed that title with his love-made alicorn-assisted bigger, stronger barrier. He got all the pats on his back for simply coming out of his mind and doing some mushy stuff with his alicorn wife. She knew she shouldn’t expect to be rewarded for protecting the citizens of Equestria; after all it was a guard duty to always protect the citizens… but still it would’ve been nice for someone to acknowledge the effort and skill she had… it would be nice to be the solar guard captain.
Instead, she was here, visiting a broken town filled with grumpy griffons to protect the spoiled niece of Princess Celestia. This was the life of a solar guard sergeant. Her thoughts get interrupted when she feels something prod her hind legs, looking behind her she sees cadet Hold Fast.
He was a stallion with a thick, sturdy build with a deep blue-coat and fuzzy short white mane, his cutie mark was represented with a silver anchor buried in a flat gray slab, he wears a He looks up at Harden Shield with puffed up green cheeks, his other foreleg points to the ground rapidly. She rolls her eyes and turns around to pat him on his back and assures him that he can hold it in for just a few more minutes. He looks at ground with desperation before leaning over the edge and seeing them closing in on town, he closes his eyes and taking a deep inhale with his nose he turns and nods to his leader. She smiles after his determination.
When they finally land in the streets of Griffonstone Hold Fast quickly rushes out of the chariot and over to a barrel to unload his sickness. Harden Shield assists the prince in removing him from the chariot as “regal” as possible by giving him a slight bow and taking a foreleg in arm gently escorts him out the chariot. She glances over to the last two members of the Squad, Private Swift Dive, a male Pegasus with a teal-coat and messy Aegean mane, His cutie mark was that of an object diving through a cloud. Beside him was Private Rainchaser, a stallion with a dark gray coat, short but styled russian-green mane, his cutie mark was a cloud with rain coming out of it.
The duo unbuckles themselves from the chariot hoisters and quickly fold their wings in with sighs of relief. She glances over to Blueblood who looks at the buildings with disgust, she decides to do the same and examine her surroundings and notices various griffons peeking out their homes to look at them, some children look at them from around the corner and flyer-bys give a brief stare. She couldn't help but feel somewhat nervous at this situation and sticks herself close to Blueblood’s side as the pegasi slowly walk over to join.
When Hold Fast comes over to join the group, Harden notices a pair of griffons approaching. An elderly one wearing a fez and blind in one eye. The other young probably in her twenties, she looked punkish. Before she could tell them to halt and state their business Blueblood spokes up. “Greetings my feathered hybrid neighbors! I, Prince Blueblood, Prince of Canterlot, Diplomat of Equestria, renown judge of rose competitions, and royal taste tester for Princess Luna have come to see the leader of this…. “Settlement” to invite them to discuss bettering our relationship with griffons with our princesses, however only after I see them fit for such an invitation of course.” He says with a fake smile and a kindness she knew he didn't possess.
Harden can’t help but glance at Blueblood with a mix of awe and annoyance, he was talking so badly about this town and the griffons only to act nice to them and not only that but he changed what Princess Luna asked of him! She frowned before reminding herself she wasn't in the role of judge she was the role of protecting. Turning her gaze back to the griffons, the old one seems to process the prince's introduction with annoyance on his face while the younger one turns her head and whispers something to him.
He grumbles and look at the prince. “I’m Gruff, the “leader” of Griffonstone.” Blueblood raises a brow when he notices how he says that with quotations. Gruff moves a talon to point at the griffon next to him. “This is my granddaughter, Gilda, the right… claw of Griffonstone.” Gilda eyes widen briefly before glaring at Gruff and quickly whisper to him only for him to reach up and close her beak.
“We would be so “glad” to be able to get along with you ponies… Come, Prince Blueblu-” SQAUWK Everyponies ears flinch all at once. The old bird that initiates a fit of harsh coughs that briefly made her think he was sick with something. Blueblood pushed Harden in front of him, not out of protection of course, she knew better than that. It was just in case a small drip of saliva shot out and hit him. When the fits end, he says his apologies and invites them to a tour around time before discussing the invitation.
Looking at Blueblood's face she could tell he dreaded the thought of walking around in this town but quickly put on a fake façade and agreed. The griffons whisper to each other once again and Gilda takes off, she watches the bird fly off, her logic told her this was not okay.
`What are they up to? A scheme to kidnap the prince and use him for ransom, the old one didn't seem to like him but then again, I don't think griffons like anycreature but still... fishy. `
The Griffons did outnumber them immensely. When the Prince walks forward to follow the old bird she turns back to her squad and whispers. “Keep an eye on the surroundings at all times, we’re in foreign lands and outnumbered. If I deem this situation to be too dangerous then I want Hold Fast to pick the prince up and we immediately get out of here, understood?”
The trio salute and quickly trot over to the prince's side while keeping an eye out for the sky and buildings. Briefly she looks at the direction Gilda flew to.
`If only we had more members... I could’ve trailed her to see if they’re playing a scheme… Why couldn’t Princess Luna hand pick us herself instead of Blueblood? `
Harden lets out a sigh before catching up with her squad.
Gilda grumbles at the thought of being forced to be this town's “second” leader. She couldn't believe she had to attend to this meeting now! She thought gruff simply wanted to her to be his guard or something less than this! “Euggggggggggh! I can't believe he'd pull me into this mess!” She groans when she lands in front of Gruff’s home and heads inside. She quickly walked over to the guest room door and knocks, she looks up as the door slowly opens and Famine peeks out.
“Over already?”
Gilda shakes her head. “Nope, Grandpa Gruff is showing him around town and told me to… ahem.” She does quotation marks with her right talon. “... “Prepare” the house, which I guess means he just wants to set up food. Sorry but I am not fixing up his dingy house, and I’m pretty sure i made the guards think I'm up to something cause one sure did give me the stink eye when I flew off”
“What do you want me to do about it? I doubt I can fix this house by the time he gets back, this town has barely any shit to be shown.” He frowns.
“Just make some scones and put them on the table." She looks over at their living room, "Maybe arrange some chairs at the table. That's all I think we can do really, I got to get back to Grampa Gruff before they start hassling him about where I am.” Gilda turns and starts to head out.
Famine sighs then pauses and looks at her. “Gilda, why are they here?”
Gilda stops and glances back at him. “Apparently their diplomat came to invite us… to some “friendship” meeting.” Gilda couldn’t help speak friendship with some annoyance in her tone.
“Huh? I thought you were all crazy for your friendship. What's with the dislike now?” Famine grins and he leans against the doorframe. Gilda rolls her eyes. “The friendship my friends showed me is different than some prissy horse coming to see if we’re “fit” to be invited to go to a friendship meeting…”
“Ah. Aaaaah… one of those types….” Famine narrows his eyes and scowls. Gilda tilts her head but does not question him further.
“Yeah... Anyway, I got to get back to Gruff, set up the stuff so that pony deems us “fit” for friendship...” Gilda takes in a deep breath to relax as she leaves the house. Famine grunts and gets some stools he puts four around the round table and takes a minute to admire the shitty meeting setup before heading to the front door. He peeks out to make sure no Gruff and ponies were nearby, then rushes over to the oven they forgot to take back.
`Squad of four and a diplomat, plus Gilda and Gruff... Twelve scones should do. I’ll put in some extra sweetness to it, and should knock them on their ass with the taste. `
Harden Shield eye twitched. She stares at Gruff and Blueblood with her squad as the princess engages in an argument with a local resident about the state of her home. This was the tenth argument he had gotten into on this “tour” and he always started it. She tries to tense her muscles to prepare for an attack in case the prince goes too far but they ache from the past muscle tensing she had done in the previous arguments along the tour.
She turns her head to the left to look at Hold Fast, his head slouched and a look of annoyance clear on his face. She smacks the back of his head swiftly making him grunt in pain before raising his head up and looking neutral once more but the screams of help clear in his eyes. She turns her head to the right to look at Swift Dive who had the proper posture but closed eyes and clear anger on his face. She smacks the back of his head which makes him grunt in pain and glare at her only for her glare to make him back down.
`I feel you Swift Dive… but we have to be professional at all costs. `
She gives him a pat on the back, he sighs. "Sorry, Sergeant."
"It's Okay Swift, trust me I understand but I need your eyes open." She looks at the back to see Rainchaser looking at the sky and surrounding buildings, a smile appears on her face seeing him being wary and returns to look back at the arguing Prince.
“HMPF! I bid you a terrible day sir!” Blueblood sticks his head high up in the air and turns around to start walking away. She hears Hold Fast and Swift Dive let out a sigh of relief, Gruff exchanges words with the rustled indoor griffon who just rolls his eyes and slams his window. Right when she starts to trot to the prince's side Gilda flies overhead and land beside Gruff. She focuses on the griffons as they whisper to each other and Gruff expresses some form of happiness or relief.
`They’re planning something… I know it! `
She scowls and trots up to the prince's side, keeping her eyes on the griffons. Hold Fast, Swift Dive and Rainchaser follow suite and group up around the prince as they head toward their new destination.
“Sergeant Harden Shield.” Blueblood glances over at her.
She turns her head to look at Blueblood. “Yes, sir?”
“What is your opinion on this… this…” Briefly he brings a hoof to his chin and examines his surroundings before looking at her. “Settlement… so far?”
She glances away momentarily to collect her thoughts before looking back at him. “.... I believe it is... Is a dangerous place and I believe we should return to Canterlot.” The rest of the guards look at her with bewildered expressions. Blueblood raises a brow. “Sergeant, I understand that Griffons are…. very unruly and…rude creatures but I, Blueblood, was given this task from my aunt and I cannot drop it. As much as I would love to go back home, Auntie Luna would be disappointed if I did not bring back any results and to add on the griffons lack any sort of organization at all so I doubt they are willing to do something as foolish as attack us, specifically me a nobility of Canterlot.” Harden Shield frowns at his reasoning but doesn’t argue.
“Plus, Sergeant, if the situation becomes dangerous, I trust you, a member of the elite royal guard, to protect me. Is that not your duty?” Blueblood narrows his eyes at her.
“No sir, I will protect you at all costs.” She bows her head but hides her scowl at his reasoning.
`I rather get out of a dangerous situation before it happens than stay and let it happen! `
She takes a deep breath before raising her head and returning her line of sight on the griffons. She hid anger growing inside her as she sees them whispering to each other again, her gut telling her this is all a trap. An ambush is waiting! And the prince refuses to acknowledge all the signs of it! Her thoughts when she feels something place itself on her back.
Looking back, she sees Hold Fast looking at her with concern. “Relax Sergeant, I’m sure it will be fine…” Hold fast says with a small reassuring smile on his face. “Think of this way, he believes in you enough that you can protect him on second notice that something is wrong!”
She stares at him for a bit. Disgruntled that a cadet is comforting her but she doesn't vocalize her displeasure at this. Just simply huffing and moving away from him.
`I shouldn't be letting a cadet reassure me! I should be reassuring him. `
That was supposed to be her job as their leader! Before she could let out another sigh her ears perk up as the old griffon speaks up. “I ain’t got nothing more to show you, Prince! We’re heading to my home and get this meeting done already!” Gruff looks back at him with some annoyance expression.
“Prince Blueblood. I insist you call me by my full honorary title.” Blueblood says with offense while Gruff rolls his good eye.
“Do you not have a meeting room? Or an area of diplomatic counsel?” Blueblood asks with a raised brow.
Gruff stops in his tracks; Gilda looks at the old bird before turning to face the prince and speaks for the elderly. “Yeah, we do.” She points up to the ruins of the Griffonstone castle. “Up there.” The Squad and Blueblood pause and follow the griffons point of interest.
“We can go up there if you want but it was made only for griffons up there or you know… you guys with wings.” Gilda eyes the wingless Prince. “Hmmmm..” Blueblood narrows his eyes at the castle and then turns his head to look at Swift Dive and Rainchaser who both tense up at the thought of one of them being forced to carry the heavy Prince all the way up there. “Fair point, to your home we'll go.” He focuses back on the griffon and the two pegasi release the air they held in.
“Alright then.” Gilda goes back to look ahead while Gruff seems to recover awfully too quickly from his coughing fit. Harden Shield frowns but whispers encouragement to herself. “You can protect him even in the most disadvantageous situation, Harden. You can get him out safely from even an ambush, Harden. You fended off a group of changelings, Harden!”
“Come on in.” Gilda’s voice reaches her ears, making her raise her head and see that they were in front of a broken down... tower - home building? She looks behind her as panic settles in.
`H-how long was I in my head!?`
She sees their previous position thirty meters away. She blinks before quickly looking ahead to save face. The griffins enter first then Blueblood, she walks a bit ahead then spins around to the rest of the squad. Point at Hold Fast then Rainchaser she speaks up. “You two, stand by the door and keep watch on the front and ears high in case something goes wrong inside. Be ready.” The duo salute and quickly position themselves by the door.
Next was Swift Dive. “Swift Dive, position yourself on the roof of a nearby building and keep watch on the area and in the skies, I trust that if something is astray you can dive in to stop it.”
Swift Dive sticks his chest out and smirks. “Absolutely, sergeant! It’s in my name after all!” Flaring up his wings he takes off to find a rooftop for him. With their positions set Harden Shield turns back to face the door and takes in a deep breath.
“Let's do this.” She whispers to herself before stepping inside the house.
Famine sits up on a poorly constructed nest bed in the room with his arms crossed, staring at the door of the room. Boredom taking over his mind and patience already growing thin.
`Fuck this. If I knew being in this room was going to be this boring, I would rather get harassed by Griselda than this shit! `
He stands up and walks over to the door, wrapping his large hand around the knob he prepares to turn and leave only for voices to leak through the door.
`Fuck me! They're already here! `
Suppressing a groan, he pauses his action and leans his head against the door to eavesdrop.
`If I'm going to be stuck in here for who knows how then I have the right to listen in on this. `
Harden shield scanned the room, the room was actually decent despite the looks of the outside. The room was clean with many shelves holding photo frames, kettles and pots, the ceiling having a net to hold various pots and pans above the main table. Judging from its design it wasn’t an obvious trap but just a place of storage that griffins could fly up and grab.
The only truly eye-catching thing was the closed door on the right, her instincts telling her to search it but the griffons block the path as they move around to the other side of the table. Blueblood sniffs the air and smiles as he sees warm scones waiting on the table. “A prepared snack? My, me! An actual sign of class.” That got a frown from the griffons and an eye twitch from Harden Shield.
`Blueblood… PLEASE don’t instigate them! `
She positions herself next to Blueblood as he finds a suitable stool to sit, the griffons sitting after him. She focuses her gaze on the griffons and glances over at the door every now and then.
“Well then, that was a nice… stroll through the... “Town” I guess but let us discuss the meeting. So far you don’t seem to have anything to trade or even offer in your current state. I must admit I don’t know why I should invite you to the meeting.” Blueblood says as he puts his hooves on the table. Gilda looks to Gruff as he looks down at the table then back at Blueblood.
“I can’t deny that… but if you were to invest in us, I am sure we would be worthy! After all, our kingdom only fell because our idol was taken from us!” Gruff argued. Blueblood stares at him bewildered at the statement before laughing.
“Hahaha! Do you really believe that if Equestria were to back you up that you would go back to your glory day! Hahahah!” Blueblood smacked the table as he chortled. Gruff glares and clenches his talons. Harden Shield stared at the clenched talon then at the laughing prince and failed to surprise her glare at the prince.
`Blueblood Please! `
“Why not?” Gruff asks, attempting to hide his annoyance.
Blueblood lets out a couple of final chuckles before sitting up straight and giving the old bird a thoughtful look. “Simple really, I believe once you have fallen to the depths of the…how should I put it…. “Slums” I do not believe you can come out of it. Your kingdom was once great as I’ve heard but those days have ended. As I've noticed most of your buildings are in terrible condition, you are the only representative of this place and the rest of your kingdom appears to be very… very uncivilized.”
Blueblood sighs and gives a fake apologetic smile. “I don’t mean to be rude, but if we let you under the banner of Equestria then I should expect our reputation to go down the gutter.” Blueblood frowns at Gruff.
“......Then can’t we just ask for uh… you know…some help?” Gilda speaks up and tilts her head at the prince. He thinks about it briefly before looking back at her with a raised brow. “You can, but then the question would then be “Why should we?” so feel free to ask if you desire.” Harden slowly blinked at that answer.
`Why should we!? Don’t the Princesses want to befriend other kingdoms and bring them under harmony!? We have a princess of friendship! What is he doing!?`
She looked at Gilda and saw she was in a similar state as well, a mixture of shock and anger on her face. Blueblood huffs and lights up his horn to grab surround a scone in his blue aura and slowly bring it to his mouth. “I will give you two a few minutes to think of a solution that I haven’t thought of or an argument to challenge me but I believe I have reached my conclusion after looking and speaking to your residents and seeing the kingdom itself.”
Blueblood takes a bite out of the scones and his face immediately scrunches up. He spits the scone back out onto the table and gags, Harden moving to his side quickly to see if he was visibility poisoned only to hear him yell out. “Ugh! Too sweet! How much sugar did you put in that! If I had swallowed that my figure would be ruined! Can you please bring new ones out here that don’t taste so… terrible please!”
Harden Shield immediately deadpanned while the griffons glared at the prince. The prince looked expectantly at the griffons. “Well? Fetch me some less sugary scones please and then we can get back to our discussion.”
Gruff looks at the prince enraged and slams his left arm down on the table while pointing at the prince with his right hand. “Listen here, you—”
The door behind the Griffons suddenly swings open.