//------------------------------// // Chapter 97.5: That Happened // Story: Griffon of Canterlot // by Electuroo //------------------------------// Griffon of Canterlot Chapter 97.5: That Happened Gilda's eyes snap open to the sound of her door being slammed open, Gilda quickly sat up to see Gale at the door rushing inside to her. “Gale! You almost took the whole door off the hinges!” Gale grabbed her foreleg. “You need come now!” He pulled. Gilda pulled back freeing herself. “Cub! I just woke up! That memory of yours that I shared seriously need-” “Not important!” “Gale how not telling Celestia her husband was there with you before you was you!?” Gilda pull the sheets off, she climb out of bed standing on all fours stretching her forelegs, wings and hind legs. Gale turn to the door. “That why!” Gilda eyes shift to the door, she blinked a few times as what was standing there. “Dweeb are we still asleep!?” “No! That thing! We not!” Gilda just gave a exhausted strange look. “Gale did you mess with that book again?” Gale shook his head. “No I not, woke and ran into him when going to talk to Greystorm!” Gilda rubbed the bridge of her beak with a talon. “Alright let's figure out what to do and how we drop this on your mum cub.” Gale gulped upon hearing that, he knew what Grover meant to Nighingale that they saw in the memory dream too, two things that he wasn't sure how his mum and sister will react too. Third thing that came to his mind in that moment was Nightingale sees their mum as a griffon, he could see either she mistook their mum for the Inverse Reality griffon mum, he hoped their mum will quickly make her at ease and explain it better than he came outside of the Dream Realm where his vocabulary is limited. Nightingale just had her morning shower, sitting at her dressing table looking at the reflection of her self, the almost 800 year old griffon brushing her feathers and fur with a brush, while she did so and stared into her reflection a sense of feeling came over her, a feeling that felt as if she just avoided something catastrophically bad. The second time this feeing came by when her Inverse Reality mother swayed her to leave before it collapse, looking into the corner of her reflection on the bed sat Gallus reading a comic book, the teen laying on her bed with one hind leg over the other flipping through pages. “You could of waited for me at the table for breakfast Gallus.” “I know.” He said without looking at her as Gallus continue to read and look at the pictures of the comic. “Just didn't want too.” Nightingale knew there was more behind it, but choose not to press on it as she continue to brush her fur and feathers. “What is that comic your reading?” Gallus semi close it to look a the cover. “Alicorn of Justice, some male Alicorn called Mark Wells that use his magic to bring those that do wrong to justice.” Gallus informed her. “What are they going to think of next? “Huh?” Gallus peered around the comic at Nightingale. Nightingale put the brush down turning around on the seat to face Gallus. “In this and the Inverse Reality there no such thing as a male alicorn.” “Why?” “Just never have been.” “But it possible?” “Yeah it could, but never happened.” “Yet it could?” Nightingale didn't respond right away paused in thought. “You got me there Gallus, it is possible.” Gallus went back to reading his comic. “Just hurry up with the brushing, I am staving.” “Sure thing, sire.” She grinned going back to brushing out her feathers and fur, Gallus rolled his eyes in response. The blue griffon turn a page to have a gold piece of paper fall out onto his cream chest, Gallus put the coming book down beside him sat up and picked up the gold paper. “Congratulations, you are the lucky winner for Manehatten Comic Con, this special ticket only can be found hidden in the first issue of Alicorn of Justice, and is one of a kind. It will give entry for yourself plus seven others of your choosing for all three days of the convention, see you there comic book reader.” After reading it out he saw it was sighed by the author of the work and another, the other signature was the Chairpony of Manehatten Comic Convention. Nightingale put the brush down getting up from the table, she walked up to the bed seeing it held in the talons of the teen. “Congrats Gallus.” Gallus continue to stare at the writing on the golden paper ticket. “What is a comic convention?” “A place where fans of comics, movies, stories and so on gather together in one spot for three days, dress up if they want to, buy unique items themed from comics, meet their favourite writers to actors, just hang out or go to panels.” Nightingale explained to Gallus. Gallus quickly thrust it at Nightingale. “No thank you! You have it.” “I can't” She said without touching it. “It magically coded to the one that pick it up first, if I was to touch it I be one of those seven plush guests, but you have to be there for the entry to be valid.” “Magically coded?” “Every living thing has a unique magical signature within them, only problem is transfiguration magic, to changelings changing forms to copy a individual can work around it.” “So... If I knew this changeling whatever it is, they could change into me and use this instead of me?” Gallus wave the ticket. Nightingale nod. “Yes that correct, only one I know of is Octcovix and she on some important task as the moment for my mum.” Gallus sighed. “So... Do I have to go?” “No, but if Gale knew about it I am sure he would love to, even he might even suggest Greystorm or even Geremy to tag along as a family.” Nightingale hinted. “My uncle and not dad... Yeah I can see that fuzz ball of a pure bleed heart of a griffon doing that.” Gallus rolled his eyes. “Urg... Fine... I will go to this stupid comic con, just to see what it all about.” “Curious aren't we?” Nightingale grinned. Gallus grab a pillow throwing into her face, she laughed in response pulling it away from her face after the impact. “Grah! Y-you!” Nightingale laughed even more as Gallus looked flustered. A knock came at the door followed by Celestia's voice. “Nightingale, it me your mum, could I come in?” Nightingale turn to the door. “Sure mum, I'm good.” The door open and what they saw was a large white griffon, Nightingale instantly squawk in surprise to see the griffon she call mum all her life. “Before you ask, no I am not Inverse Reality Celestia, I am this reality one, and two long story short I got into a fight with one of Grogar's creatures while in this form and Shal-Quz locked me into this form.” Gallus whistled. “Wow, you look exactly as King Grover said you look in his writings, even the figure look alike Gale has, your the first Queen of Griffina.” “That is one of my titles.” Celestia acknowledge Gallus, she turn to Nightingale. “Why don't we all walk and I can tell you two exactly what happened to me last night, and how my son from a future no more saved us all from Shal-Quz.” Nightingale walked up to her pressing the talon against the furry chest under the chest plate. “Mum...” “Nightingale...” Celestia reach a wing around and they hugged. “I got to hear this.” Gallus got off the bed putting the ticket and comic book in his bag. Nightingale look up at Celestia as she look down back at her daughter. “Mum I... I would like to hear it.” She managed to say. “Come.” Celestia gestured to the door as she let go of Nightingale and start to walk. Gallus stared at the white griffon form as she leave. “Why does she have a feathered flowing mane, tail feathers and brush like your slightly waving tail and feathers?” “That is our little secret.” Nightingale said and walked out. “Hey! Tell me!” Gallus chased after them. Shining Armor sat at the table in the private dining room with Cadance, Luna and Pom-Pom, the kitsune just finished explaining about what happened on the plateau minus the Daybreaker moment. “-Arbiter showed us the way down safely, Celestia and Luna didn't think to ask me to use my rift magic to get them home, only when we were outside the warehouse they realised.” She laughed afterwards. Luna put a hoof to her head shaking her head. “What of Shal-Quz? She escaped and only her magic can restore Princess Celestia.” Shining Armor said with concern over Shal-Quz. “Silvite and her team are chasing her down.” Luna lower her hoof and respond. “All we can do is wait.” “Not something I like...” Shining sighed. “How do we just sit and wait?” Pom-Pom lift a cup to her muzzle. “We narrowly escaped a dark future, the fact Shal-Quz used up almost all her magic to lock Celestia in a griffon form is a far better outcome, now my sister's team are able to finish the job Celestia started.” Cadance had been listening to everything Pom-Pom said to Shining Armor's response finally took her turn to speak. “If somepony would act on harming Twilight and in such a way even you pleaded to them, wouldn't you act in rage and fight without hesitation?” Shining could see himself going all crazy to save them knowing that was the only option on the table. “Yes... I would... I would let go of everything just and right, I would forgo the laws to save them no matter what, even you.” Shining put his hoof on Cadance foreleg. She smiled warmly in response. “As would I.” They kissed. Pom-Pom put the cup down after drinking a little of it contents. “I would for my child, my family and my sister, Gale in a way did the same dealing with Zerra and Thunderous.” “As would I.” Luna added her voice. “Yet I didn't on the plateau, Celestia I never seen in such a fit of rage... Yet I can recall the pain and tears in her eyes as she used the Elements on Nightmare Moon, I could see through her eyes and I held Nightmare back enough for the elements to imprison us on the moon...” Luna said sadly staring down at the table. “Okay that is seriously deep.” Pom-Pom said with amazement. “Even through all that anger, jealousy, you still loved her deeply and had to do something to save her from your darker half, that moment you gave your sister the chance she needed, that you should be proud of.” Celestia spoke up standing at the open doors. “I agree, your selfless act even after I ignored your pleas show who was the bigger sister.” “Celestia...” Celestia, Nightingale and Gallus walk in, the teen looked around the room, he felt so out of place inside such a fancy room. “Luna, I will never let that happen again, I love you my sister.” “As do I.” Luna and Celestia smiled. Celestia leap up on her hind legs rubbing the gauntlet talons together. “Now who up for some pancakes? I am eager to use these talons of mine.” She removed the gauntlets from the talons placing them on the table by all the indigents. “Aunty you seem happier as a griffon.” “Well I can't denine that, but I am currently stuck as a griffon and going to make the most of it, you be surprised how life was for me during my time being pregnant with Nightingale.” Celestia started to create the mix in the mixing bowl. Nightingale sat down at the table with Gallus. “I am curious about that too mum, but after what you did to safe Gale from Shal-Quz, I really am.” “I'll gladly tell you all about it.” Celestia said feeling happy to do so. Pom-Pom smiled. “I can't really say about differences in forms.” “Why not?” Shining asked. Pom-Pom using her magic change her form into a griffon with twelve tails, than a dragon, pony and finally back to her true form. “Because we can easily shift are forms, Celestia only experience a griffon form, for us it isn't the same.” Shining was amazed by her changing of appearance. “Your like the changelings.” “Please!” Pom-Pom wave her paw dismissively. “We change our forms, not mimic another, we do not EVER copy appearance of another, it damn right insulting and against the highest parts of our laws, those that break it lose ALL of their tails part from one, including me.” “Isn't that a bit harsh?” Cadance asked. Pom-Pom shook her head. “All alphas before me followed the exact law too, it was after one that used it to get her own way, so much so that the only way we could prevent it happening again is create a law that no one can recede no matter what.” “And there been no other attempted it?” Celestia asked. “A few and as punishment they were striped of all but the basic of magic with one tail, even Alphas like me that don't like it have to follow through with it, it a binding magical law.” Pom-Pom answered calmly to them. “If I didn't, who knows what would happen to me or any other kitsune over this law, we really terrified to take a chance in that.” “What of the statue kitsunes that look alike?” Luna asked. Pom-Pom giggled. “That isn't a living thing, it just stone and don't you make copy after copy of that anyway?” “Fair point.” Luna couldn't argue with that statement. The doors open, Gale and Gilda step in. “Ah there you are my son, did you sleep well?” “Yes, memory share of fuselage that Gilda have, but we got new problem...” Gale look up to Gilda. “Yeah one that I can't even understand myself, Princess Luna, can something leave the dream realm?” Gilda asked. Luna frowned a bit. “Yes, but it would need to terrify a lot of creatures in their sleep to grow strong enough to escape, why?” Gilda frowned. “Terrify? I think you've going to need to re-exam that one Princess.” “Oh and why that?” Gilda turn to the door. “This is why.” What stepped into view caused Celestia to whisk too hard and mix fly over her face, Nightingale and Gallus stared in alarm, Luna instantly got up with total surprise trying to process what she was seeing, Pom-Pom curiously looked at it, Shining and Cadance wasn't sure what was going on.